A fun poetry analysis and writing activity lesson (or two lessons) based on The Dentist and the Crocodile by Roald Dahl. This detailed presentation analyses language and puctuation features at word level, there is dictionary work and a range of poetry or creative writing tasks linked to the poem for the pupils to choose from. Includes opportunities for self and peer assessment with target setting and review slide. Ideal for primary Y5 and 6 or KS3.

Poetry extract from The Witches by Roald Dahl (analysis and writing tasks) The Grand High Witch reveals her plan to turn all children into mice. Acrostic poem starter, watch film trailer, detailed analysis of text with self assessment, choice of writing tasks and peer assessment and review. Copy of the poem for the pupils to highlight and annotate. Also phoneme word families sort activity and a spelling sort with words taken from the extract. KS2 and 3. Ideal for Halloween or general poetry topic.

Descriptive writing: Summer (The Beach) The power point includes: a starter, an extract from ‘Holiday Memories’ by Dylan Thomas which is analysed at word level, an opportunity for pupils to improve their work to show progression, a skills slide, a planning slide and a checklist for peer assessment. Also included, a pupil exemplar and examiner’s comments. Highly visual and engaging.

Christmas acrostic poems worksheets (3) In colour and with images. Grid to make 9 poems. User friendly and engaging.

Persuasive speeches: Martin Luther King "I have a dream" Pupils watch an extract of MLK's famous speech and note spoken language techniques. They then read the extract, highlight specific persuasive language features, write their own speeches, peer assess the same then perform them to the class trying to emulate some of the techniques used by MLK. Engaging and fun!

The Witches' song from Macbeth Act 4 Sc 1 (analysis and writing tasks) Watch a YouTube reading of the poem, acrostic poem starter, detailed text and word level analysis with a choice of writing tasks, peer assessment and review. Copy of the extract for the pupils to highlight and annotate. KS3 and 4. Ideal for Halloween or general Shakespeare/poetry topic.

GCSE persuasive writing activity based on graffiti. Starter sort activity (needs photocopying on to card and cutting/mixing up) linked to persuasive techniques and youtube clip of a short documentary on Banksy (content only for GCSE pupils; please view before you show this to a class) Pupils make notes and then discuss the documentary as preparation for a draft magazine article on graffiti. This is then peer assessed and pupils set their own targets for improvement from the chart shown on the powerpoint. The draft version can then be improved in a subsequent lesson and then typed up on to a magazine template to create authentic texts which are good for display and which also provide good exemplars for other groups.

A fun poetry analysis and writing activity lesson (or two lessons) based on Rabbit by Ann Hoberman. Illustrated copy of the poem attached. The presentation analyses repetition, rhyme and onomatopoeia, there is word level dictionary and thesaurus work and a range of poetry or creative writing tasks linked to the poem for the pupils to choose from. There is a peer/self assessment and target setting slide. Ideal for primary Y5 and 6 or KS3. Did I mention the cute bunnies?...

The Lost Happy Endings by Carol Ann Duffy: The Witch analysis and writing activity with worksheet. Power point with extract on the witch. The question "How does the writer portray the character of the witch?" is explored via colour coded analytic slides. Print and give out the blank extract slide to high ability pupils, the colour coded slide to medium ability pupils and the colour coded and annotated slide to lower ability pupils in order to answer the question. Subsequently, the pupils can use some of the descriptive writing techniques which they have just identified in order to fill in the worksheet describing their own witch. The final slide has skills criteria on in order for the pupils to peer assess their work. Level descriptors on the powerpoint and the worksheet are for the new GCSE 1-9 criteria but can be easily adapted for KS2/3.

The Lost Happy Endings by Carol Ann Duffy: The setting analysis and writing activity with worksheet. Power point with extract on the setting. The question "How does the writer portray the setting?" is explored via colour coded analytic slides. Print and give out the blank extract slide to high ability pupils, the colour coded slide to medium ability pupils and the colour coded and annotated slide to lower ability pupils in order to answer the question. Subsequently, the pupils can use some of the descriptive writing techniques which they have just identified in order to fill in the worksheet describing their own setting. The final slide has skills criteria on in order for the pupils to peer assess their work. Level descriptors on the powerpoint and the worksheet are for the new GCSE 1-9 criteria but can be easily adapted for KS2/3.

A differentiated, visual pair of worksheets which track August's school experience. Key words enable pupils to construct their own commentaries on the images: the more able worksheet has space for pupils to write their own sentences; the lower ability worksheet is a cloze exercise whereby the key words can be used to complete the commentary. Visual and engaging!

A Christmas Carol Visual: plot and Scrooge’s character development. A power point and worksheet with images in chronological order to discuss as a whole class and for pupils to make notes on plot, Scrooge’s character, themes and the author’s message. Highly visual so ideal for low ability and visual learners. Scaffolded questions at the end of the worksheet as a plenary to explain how Scrooge’s character changes.

A Christmas Carol: Poverty and Children (Scrooge and The Ghost of Christmas Present) Background social and historical context about The Poor Law, The Workhouse and prisons and detailed analysis of the extract where Scrooge sees the "two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable" Worksheet to accompany the power point and a discursive essay with tips for success on the final slide.

A Christmas Carol: Marley's Ghost and The Ghost of Christmas Past. Quotation comparison chart with space for pupils to make a comparison and then write an explanation.

Descriptive writing: Autumn. The power point includes: a starter, 'Ode to Autumn' by John Keats which is analysed at word and whole text level, an opportunity for pupils to improve their work to show progression, a skills slide, a writing planning slide and a checklist for peer assessment. Highly visual and engaging.

GCSE assessment/marking codes and descriptors: pupil friendly, aesthetic and engaging. Useful laminated as a classroom or departmental resource. Pupils can then tick criteria boxes with a marker pen which is easily wiped off later. Ideal for self and peer assessment and making target setting accessible for all abilities. GCSE grades G-A* for Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening (can be quickly adapted for the 1-9 framework) 6 assessment sheets in total.

AFL meta cognition chart: encourage pupils to reflect on their learning. Visual and colourful chart for use as a plenary. Pupils choose an image which most matches their learning in a particular lesson. They can justify their choices verbally or in writing. Encourages honest reflection and can lead to some valuable conversations with individual pupils. Laminate the sheet for greater longevity.