Attached are some resources for students to use in groups in order to make a magazine. This would be perfect for year 7 and 8 since from this age students need to be encouraged to read a wide range of non fiction texts in preparation for GCSE and magazines are a good place to start. I would suggest that you provide piles of different types of magazines for them inspect and scrutinize such as ones based on music, fashion, teen girl, cars, football/sport and gaming. Within their groups, students can assign roles and each student can plan and design their own page. Since I can't share images of front covers or pages from real magazines, I have left boxes on some of these planning sheets blank so that students can stick their own in to demonstrate their decision making. I have made these resources into PDFs so that the text boxes don't shift. The resources attached include: - Magazine Planning Sheet (a sheet to record their group's initial decisions) - Front Cover Analysis Sheets (provides space to stick examples and thinking prompts) - A suggested questionnaire for students to distribute or an exemplar which students can build on - Design a Contents Page - a planning resource - Design a Front Cover - a planning resource - Design a Letters or Problem Page - a planning resource - Design a Product Review - a planning resource - Page Templates - boxed sections to place text and images - Planning an Advert - a planning resource - Spellings - suggested spelling lists which can be adapted - Write a Feature Article - a planning resource.

Ever run an English based film making competition at your school? This one asks students to plan and record a short film exploring a poem about the theme of remembrance. Students could use imovie on their iphones or by using the computers at your school. Attached is a handout which lists youtube videos which act as inspiration for keen film makers and and a list of poems which touch on the set theme. These poems include 'Ozymandias' by Shelley and 'Funeral Blues' by W.H Auden. There is also a poster which advertises the competition across the school - both of which can be uploaded to Homework websites. Perhaps a scheme of work can be build around this?

A’level Media students usually make blogs as a way to showcase their work and build up a portfolio of what they have planned and created (particularly concerning practical productions). This is a useful handout explaining how to make an account and lay out a blog, as well as how to attach links to documents. It is advised that teachers check that blogger.com is not blocked by their college network.