This animated Powerpoint exhibits passages from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone which have deliberate spelling mistakes in them. Pupils are required to read the passages carefully to see if they can identify the mistakes. The corrected passages will magically appear. Homophones are introduced and students are set the challenge of writing interesting sentences of their own which demonstrate their understanding of such words as which and witch etc. Another spelling game is introduced where the audience have to make up as many muggle (ordinary) words as they can out of Potter's fabulous incantations. This is intended as a fun way to practise spelling whilst also encouraging careful reading at the same time. Ideal for Halloween week and beyond. Suitable for Potter fans of all ages.

This animated Power Point asks the audience to look outside and identify signs in nature that Autumn is on its way. Pupils are encouraged to use all five senses to experience the season by observing colour changes as well as noticing the passage of time through the alteration of clocks. A recipe for vegetable stew is included to appeal to taste buds and to create a lingering aroma. Students are asked to find out some interesting facts about spiders and to look out for nature’s crochet patterns on the hedgerows as they travel to school. The splendid sights, sounds , smalls and tastes of Autumn can be found here in poetry, of different formats including a haiku in which syllables need to be counted . Pupils are asked to consider the colour red and its synonyms and are encouraged to write poetry of their own. A poem about the wind is included which personifies this weather phenomenon and shows how nature can adopt human characteristics, sending shivers down our spines. This resource would be ideal to use during the Autumn term as a collection of poetry or to stimulate sensory exploration and creative writing about the seasonal changes. Suitable for ages 7 +

This animated Power Point resource looks at anxiety issues facing young teenagers today and shares tips on how to cope. Mindfulness is one tool to cope with anxiety as are talking therapies and artistic pursuits . A poem called “the room inside” is displayed which could be used as a starting point to a discussion about mental health. Students are asked to consider volunteering and doing something positive with their time once exams are over. An extract from Eleanor Morgan’s book “Anxiety for Beginners” is given and six plot ideas are given which relate to anxiety. Pupils are asked to select one of these to write about. Students are asked to think about the saying “every cloud has a silver lining” and to share strategies for developing resilience. A Power Point on mindfulness and how to deal with difficult and troubling emotions is included which could be used when problems and anxieties surface within a group situation. Especially useful at this time of year when the pressure of exams on the horizon is beginning to mount. Suitable for ages 12+

This animated Power Point resource tells a ghost story in the Gothic tradition. It is set in a grave-yard at midnight and uses such devices as owls hooting, wind howling and trees scratching against the window panes of a creepy church in order to make your blood run cold.Students are encouraged to see setting as character within the tale.The story is one of tragic loss: William Blythe is one of the thousands of young boys who lost their lives in a corner of a foreign field during the Great War. Sarah, his sister, remembers a happier time when they played as children on a warm summer’s day. Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is included as reference to a Victorian novel which could be classed as a famous ghost story and the character of Scrooge is brought to life with descriptive writing.Images are included of ghostly hands and tree silhouettes which could be used to inspire discussion and independent learning. This resource could be used to inspire creative writing or as a means to revise devices used by authors to create a ghostly atmosphere. The story reveals that William lost his life at Passchendaele and could be used to support studies of the effects of war on the family members left behind. As we look back over a hundred years of history, we are reminded of the sense of loss felt by the wider family left at home. Sarah is subjected to some of the same horrors that her brother would have endured on the battlefield.Opportunities for further reading and study are given. This resource could be used to support the study of novels by Dickens, Mary Shelley or Edgar Allan Poe. Suitable for ages 10+

This Power Point uses the techniques of mindfulness as a tool to combat anxiety. The audience is encouraged to observe their troublesome thoughts and deal with them, clarifying the mind and freeing it up for more reasoned thinking.Different scenarios are presented which evoke the senses and help the students focus on their breathing whilst thoughts and feelings are observed and compartmentalised. The purpose of this resource is to assist pupils at times of pressure and anxiety such as exam periods or when stress levels are running high.I include ideas for creative writing about anxiety attacks as a way of dealing with powerful emotions which can sabotage our best efforts. This resource is suitable for all ages but is most relevant to those aged 12+ Other resources regarding anger issues and mindfulness can be found in my shop.

This animated Power point resource describes a day out at the sea-side for the Lute family who think they know all about pollution and yet show that their knowledge is as shallow as the sea lapping up against the litter with which they have decorated their sandcastle. The audience are requested to think how the family could have behaved differently and to question what their own families do on days out at the coast. Included is the famous riddle about St Ives and so the pupils can see how a small problem can be multiplied and that we should be all doing our bit by picking up the plastic one piece at a time. Ideal as a discussion starting point on the effects of pollution especially in a coastal setting and as the Summer holidays approach, a cautionary tale! This resource will stretch reading and comprehension skills as well as providing an opportunity to demonstrate maths skills at the same time… recommended for ages 8+

This animated PowerPoint uses five extracts from J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as a focus for punctuation. Pupils have to insert the missing punctuation and make sense of the passages which are chosen to highlight such things as the use of proper nouns and apostrophes, a letter format, dramatic dialogue, colloquialisms and dialect, questions and exclamations and much, much more. The answers will magically appear and will inspire further discussion on how Rowling uses punctuation effectively to create tension and drama and a sense of character in her writing. Pupils are required to answer questions about each extract at the end in a short quiz. This is a fun way to check pupils' understanding of punctuation which will also encourage further reading and discussion. Similar resources based on the series of Harry Potter books can be found in my shop. This resource is suitable for ages 10+

This animated Power Point takes three extracts from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and asks pupils to spot deliberate spelling errors. The spellings are common words but are set in inspiring passages by J.K.Rowling, so as the pupils hunt for the mistakes they are also learning about informal letters, sports reviews and character descriptions. Pupils are required to demonstrate they know how to use homophones such as witch/which and aloud/allowed. They are required to make muggle words out of enchantments to stretch their powers. Finally they are asked to write a piece of their own : an informal letter from Sirius Black to Harry or an exciting review of a Quidditch match. This resource will make spelling activities more fun and will inspire further reading and writing in one fell swoop. Included is a resource about the development of the racing broom for Quidditch enthusiasts. Suitable for ages 10+

This animated Power Point asks pupils to examine extracts taken from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and try to spot deliberate spelling mistakes. Pupils split into houses as if in Hogwarts and answer questions from the extracts. Finally they choose between two writing challenges. One is to invent their own recipe for Butterbeer and write instructions on how to make it. The other is to write a descriptive piece , explaining how to make a spell using Neville's mimbulus mimbletonia, a sinister looking cactus-plant whose stinksap smells of rancid manure. This resource is intended to be used to encourage further reading, whilst also revising spelling. The extracts chosen will inspire pupils to write their own descriptive pieces. Other Potter based resources can be found in my shop. Suitable for ages 10+

This animated Power Point takes extracts from J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter and the half-blood Prince and asks students to spot deliberate spelling mistakes. The spellings are ordinary words hidden within extraordinary passages. The answers will magically appear. Students are asked to show-case their knowledge of homophones such as witch and which and include as many as they can in a paragraph of their own. They are required to make "Muggle" words out of the letters within some of the characters' names. Finally they have the chance to write their own creative piece involving a hex which glues your tongue to the roof of your mouth, a jinx which makes your toe-nails grow alarmingly quickly or a muffliato spell which causes mayhem by means of the victim experiencing an unidentifiable buzzing sound in their ears. I include another resource about dragon breeds with comprehension questions and answers. This resource is intended to be used to reinforce spelling, punctuation and grammar in a fun way as well as encouraging wider reading . Suitable for ages 10+

This animated Power Point comprises a fun quiz where the audience choose between three options as to how to help a friend in a tricky situation. A short story follows about Amy who struggles to make friends at school. Comprehension questions are included which ask the students to think about Amy's words and actions and what she could have done differently. Students are asked to think about a time when they have responded well in a challenging situation. Finally the students are required to choose between two options to write about: what qualities do they look for in a friend? Is there a member of staff they admire and who has given them some good advice when trying to solve a problem at school? This resource could be used all year round but would be particularly useful during anti-bullying week and would and help pupils to consider how we are all different and yet all equal. Words which have -ie in the spelling are included and pupils are required to put them in sentences to show their meaning. This resource would be ideal to use if friendship problems are an issue and could be used as a starting point for wider discussion. I include a supporting word document which could be used as a homework task or alongside the Powerpoint. Suitable for ages 7+