Muhammad Ali: non fiction analysis and writing/presentation tasks. Includes two news articles to read and analyse with comprehension questions on the short article, factual information on the powerpoint (including Ali's famous sayings) with word level dictionary work, non fiction writing task and pupil presentation task. NB: Slide two needs sensitivity regarding Ali's statement about refusing to be conscripted into the US military and joining the Vietnam War. Song lyrics by Faithless and R Kelly; one of these could be played as a starter. Equally, there is a plethora of YouTube videos of greatest moments.

First lesson back! Alton Towers creative writing power point, you tube clip and worksheet. Includes: embedded you tube clip, individual slides on rides to add vocabulary to as a whole class, exemplar worksheet to highlight and label techniques on which is duplicated, colour coded and labelled on the power point. Good, creative first lesson back after the holidays which gives an opportunity for baseline assessment in writing skills.

A taste of The Gothic from Mary Coleridge. 'The Deserted House presentation includes: brief background to The Gothic; starter descriptive writing activity, the poem and 6 questions to answer, an opportunity to show progression by reviewing and improving the starter activity, PA/SA review and target setting. Copy of the poem included for highlighting and annotating (or slide 4 could be copied for pupils as it has the poem and the questions on it) KS3 or 4.

Reading skills: Ballooning Handbook by Don Cameron. Ideal for use after skills lesson 1 on an extract from Enduring Love (the balloon accident) I have uploaded this to TES too. Analysis of extract with detailed annotation on the power point, comprehension questions and model answers so that pupils could self or peer assess their work. Persuasive letter writing task linked to the subject matter at the conclusion. Works for KS3 or 4.

Reading Skills lesson: based on an extract from Enduring Love by Ian McEwan Always a winner with pupils! This presentation leads pupils to analyse the opening of the novel. A longer extract is attached. There are 4 comprehension questions which interrogate the text with model answers to each so that pupils can use self or peer assessment to mark them. The opening extract is on the power point; the first comprehension question could be completed as a whole class activity with the teacher showing pupils where the evidence is. I have also shown the extract from the film version of the novel as well (on Youtube); show before reading and stop it a few minutes in to entice the pupils to read the extract to see what happens. There are a number of writing tasks after the plenary.

Reading skills: Richard Branson biography extract Analysis of an extract from Richard Branson: the inside story by Mick Brown. Includes questions and a model answer (slides 11 and 12) for pupils to identify and highlight PEE formulas. There is a sentence starter slide (13) to help pupils attempt the questions independently and the whole extract (which is also on the power point) for the teacher to work through and identify key areas so that pupils have highlighted and annotated copies ready to work on the reading skills questions. Works for KS3 and 4. Works well after Reading skills lesson 1 (on an extract from Enduring Love) and 2 (on a ballooning handbook) Both these resources are uploaded on TES too.

The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. Sound effects starter, social and historical context of Poe's life, analysis of the opening to the story (pupils annotate their own copies) with leading questions in order to interrogate subsequent paragraphs. Comic strip writing activity with self assessment and review.

Descriptive writing; semantic fields based on 'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke. Enquiry based learning using a word cloud of the poem to create pupil led categories. These are then used as a springboard for writing and creating semantic fields before the poem is studied (I used an audio clip of the poem on Youtube) The pupils then revisit and improve their work (showing progression) and it is then either self or peer assessed using the WJEC grade criteria on the power point. The plenary has leading questions linking to semantic fields, key skills and target setting. I printed out copies of the slides showing the poem, the word cloud and the grade criteria (one between two) Don't let the pupils access the poem until they have tried categorising the words in the word cloud. This enquiry based learning lesson is effective in terms of varied activities, a range of learning styles, showing progression and target setting.

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.

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.

Descriptive writing: Winter. The power point includes: a starter, an extract from Storms of Silence by Joe Simpson which is analysed at word and whole text level, an opportunity for pupils to improve their work to show progression, a skills slide, a planning slide and a checklist for peer assessment. Highly visual and engaging.

Dulce et decorum est: detailed analysis of the poem with background social and historical context.

Writing to persuade carousel powerpoint and 9 worksheets. The worksheets should be enlarged to A3 for maximum effectiveness. The 'carousel' set up could be merely passing the worksheets forwards to the pair in front rather than having to change the seating plan (if the classroom is not set up for group work) Stick to the timing (5 minutes on each paragraph) and this is a fast paced engaging lesson. Used for GCSE non-fiction writing practice prior to exams. The worksheets remind pupils of persuasive techniques along the way. As this is paired, and shared, group work, differentiation is by task.

AQA Conflict Poetry: War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy. Power point exploring context, detailed analysis, starter and plenary and a choice of creative writing tasks on the final slide to consolidate understanding. Slide 8 can be printed out to use as a plenary. Copy of the poem included for highlighting and annotating. Colour coded, visual and accessible. Ideal for use with Conflict Poetry cluster or as a creative one/two lesson poetry exploration.

Poetry analysis and descriptive writing: Spring. ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ by William Wordsworth is analysed at word and whole text level with an essay style analysis task. The descriptive writing includes a skills slide, a writing planning slide and a checklist for peer assessment. Includes three differentiated copies of the poem: high, medium and EAL. Highly visual and engaging.

Of Mice and Men: detailed analysis of the fight scene. Highly visual with colour coded word level and whole text level analysis of the whole fight scene. Thorough preparation for an essay entitled How does Steinbeck create tension in the fight scene? Script of the scene attached.

Frankenstein analysis and creative writing: chapter 5. Word level analysis of an extract from chapter 5 "It was on a dreary night of November..." Starter activity links to subsequent creative writing where pupils try to emulate some of the techniques used by Shelley to create atmosphere and tension. Peer assessment linking to skills on final slide. Extract of chapter 5 included with sections and instructions for colour coding and highlighting clearly labelled.

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 Visual: plot and Scrooge's character development (with significant quotations) 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.