In this resource, children will look at text features of explanation texts before writing their own about Colony Collapse Disorder. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to the CCSS are noted, where appropriate. Links to digital files for editing and sharing on digital platforms are provided in files with download.

Children will write a narrative that begins in the action in a hidden world, and then changes to the past to explain the events leading up to their use of a portal key. Special attention is paid to the planning of small moments, including the use of the portal key. Grammar is focused on the effective use of shifts in formality. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to the CCSS are noted, where appropriate. A link to a digital file for editing and sharing on digital platforms is available with download.

After writing a narrative about using a portal key to travel to a hidden world, children design the scene they’ve written about and then design a circuit with conductive tape and LEDs to make the portal key’s location interactive with the audience. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to the CCSS are noted, where appropriate. A link to a digital file for editing and sharing on digital platforms is available with download.

Children will use persuasive devices to design a Go Fund Me page to persuade their audience to fund an expedition to a hidden world. In the past, I have had the class fund the expeditions with printed ‘class bucks’ (provided) based on how persuasive the presentations are. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to the CCSS are noted, where appropriate. A link to a digital file for editing and sharing on digital platforms is available with download.

Children will develop and research a question about a hidden world before collating their findings and writing a report. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to the CCSS are noted, where appropriate. A link to a digital file for editing and sharing on digital platforms is available with download.

Students will research different significant speeches from history before writing a persuasive speech from the point of view of the villain. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources, and lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to CCSS are noted, where appropriate. A link is provided to access an editable file for sharing over digital platforms with download.

Students will be analyzing different pirate narratives before writing a nanotale about pirates. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to CCSS are noted, where appropriate. In the past, I’ve used this resource during my Dead Men Tell No Tales unit, but it could be used as a stand alone learning outcome, as well. Follow the link provided with download to access an editable file for sharing over digital platforms.

Students will practice writing powerful paragraphs that advance the action with dialogue before writing a short narrative in the second person. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to CCSS are noted, where appropriate. In the past, I’ve used this resource during my Heroes & Villains unit, but it could be used as a stand alone learning outcome, as well. A link is provided at download to access an editable file for sharing over digital platforms.

Students will research and write a report about everyday heroism. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to CCSS are noted, where appropriate. In the past, I’ve used this resource during my Dead Men Tell No Tales unit, but it could be used as a stand alone learning outcome, as well. Follow the link provided at download to access an editable file for sharing over digital platforms.

Students will be analyzing different topics related to pirates before researching, writing, and recording their own podcast. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to CCSS are noted, where appropriate. In the past, I’ve used this resource during my Dead Men Tell No Tales unit, but it could be used as a stand alone learning outcome, as well. Follow the link provided with download to access an editable file for sharing over digital platforms.

Students will be analyzing different topics related to pirates before researching and writing their own report. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. All learning outcomes are aligned with the 2014 National Curriculum of England, and connections to CCSS are noted, where appropriate. In the past, I’ve used this resource during my Dead Men Tell No Tales unit, but it could be used as a stand alone learning outcome, as well. Follow the link provided at download to access an editable file for sharing over digital platforms.

Students show off what they’ve learned by participating in a discussion. In the past, I have used this resource both in Middle School ELA for Novel Study to ensure everyone is caught up on the week’s reading, and also in Middle School Social Studies to synthesize the independent reading and lectures from the week. This resource includes: Introducing Socratic Seminar Preparing for Socratic Seminar Participating in Socratic Seminar Evaluating Socratic Seminar Reflecting on Socratic Seminar There are differentiated rubrics included, as well as a template for creating your own. A link is available for editing and sharing the resource on digital platforms with download.

Children will research Mayans and Conquistadors before writing a narrative about their first encounter. This pack includes lesson plans, rubrics, and editable rubrics to support with the learning process. Lessons and objectives are aligned with objectives from the 2014 National Curriculum of England. A digital copy for editing and sharing on digital platforms is available with download.

In this resource, children will design a monster before stitching together a prototype and improving on it with a final design. Children will also learn about the features of a persuasive text, including modal verbs and the use of Point, Evidence, Explain. This pack includes lesson plans, rubrics, writing frames, and scaffolding to support with the learning process. Lessons and objectives are aligned with the objectives from the 2014 National Curriculum of England. A digital copy for editing and sharing on digital platforms is available with download.

Children will investigate Norse myths before writing a kenning poem for practice. They will then research, write, and evaluate Skaldic poems. This pack includes lesson plans, rubrics, and editable rubrics to support with the learning process. Lessons and objectives are aligned with objectives from the 2014 National Curriculum of England. A digital copy for editing and sharing on digital platforms is available with download.

Students will be analyzing different topics related to gothic horror before researching and writing their own report. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. In the past, I’ve used this resource during a unit on gothic horror, but it could be used as a stand alone learning outcome, as well. A link to access an editable file for use on Google Drive is available with download.

Students use the stops made by Charles Darwin on the H.M.S. Beagle to write a travel blog about their discoveries and challenges. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. In the past, this resource has been used alongside Charles and Emma by Deborah Heiligman, but can be used independently of the novel, as well. A link to access an editable file for use on Google Drive is available at download.

Students choose an endangered organism facing extinction before researching its significance to its ecosystem and the consequences of its decreasing population. Students then draft correspondence to a chosen audience (letter or e-mail) before sending it in the last session. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. In the past, this resource has been used alongside Charles and Emma by Deborah Heiligman, but can be used independently of the novel, as well. A link to access an editable file for use on Google Drive is available at download.

Using the angler fish scene from Finding Nemo as a model, students will research a deep sea organism to draft a narrative using a flashback in a different tense. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. In the past, this resource has been used alongside Charles and Emma by Deborah Heiligman, but can be used independently of the novel, as well. Link provided to access an editable file for use on Google Drive provided with download.

Students choose an organism to research before writing an explanation text about how it has made adaptations based on Darwin’s theory of natural selection to thrive. The pack includes different graphic organizers, resources for lower ability pupils, as well as lesson plans and rubrics. In the past, this resource has been used alongside Charles and Emma by Deborah Heiligman, but can be used independently of the novel, as well. A link to access an editable file for use on Google Drive is available at download.