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Spagbag

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A teacher and tutor with more than thirty years' experience working in both mainstream and independent schools. I have an Honours degree in English Literature and Linguistics from UEA and have written a dissertation about encouraging children to write. I am a mother of three and interested in all things green. I am in the process of setting up my TES shop and hope to launch my "Spagbag" resources which are suitable for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.

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A teacher and tutor with more than thirty years' experience working in both mainstream and independent schools. I have an Honours degree in English Literature and Linguistics from UEA and have written a dissertation about encouraging children to write. I am a mother of three and interested in all things green. I am in the process of setting up my TES shop and hope to launch my "Spagbag" resources which are suitable for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.
comprehension: bio-luminescence in marine creatures
jlimbjlimb

comprehension: bio-luminescence in marine creatures

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This Power Point explains what bioluminescence is and explores in particular how the firefly squid exhibits this strange phenomenon. Detailed information is given in a fifteen slide presentation. Pupils are asked questions about the information given and asked to make further investigations, including drawing diagrams to show where the photophore cells might be found on the squid or, more generally, about Japan itself. This resource will promote discussion and further scientific exploration whilst testing comprehension skills. Included is a worksheet to aid independent research. Suitable for ages 10+
Punctuation and letter writing practice with Potter
jlimbjlimb

Punctuation and letter writing practice with Potter

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This power Point takes extracts from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, removes the punctuation, and asks the audience to rewrite the paragraphs inserting the necessary capital letters and punctuation marks to bring them back to life again.Pupils will need to consider paragraphing, capital letters and question marks. They will need to insert speech marks and apostrophes for contractions. They will need to think about starting a new line when a different character begins speaking. The perfected passages do magically appear and will inspire pupils to read and explore further for themselves. Formal and informal letters are looked at from the hand of J.K.Rowling and pupils are asked to write either a formal or informal letter for themselves. The formal letter explains why Harry Potter is to be expelled from Hogwarts; the informal letter is written by Harry himself explaining to his beloved Snuffles about the terrible week he's been having at Hogwarts.Pupils are given a further task of inviting either Neville, Draco or Hermione to a special event at their own school and are asked to consider why they wish this character in particular to attend. This resource is intended to support the practice of perfecting punctuation in a fun way and also examine the skills of letter writing. Pupils will be inspired to read more widely from J K Rowling's novels, whilst also revising their writing skills. Suitable for Potter fans of all ages. This resource will add an extra dimension to revision.
A Halloween Special revising adjectives, adverbs and apostrophes.
jlimbjlimb

A Halloween Special revising adjectives, adverbs and apostrophes.

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This animated powerpoint comprises eight slides celebrating the spooky spectacle of Halloween. There are plenty of exercises involving adjectives, adverbs, fronted adverbials and apostrophes as well as poetry which could be used as a starting point for creative writing. This resource would be ideal to use on the run up to half term as a means of revision or as inspiration for writing when trying to conjure up a spooky atmosphere. This resource is intended to be used with pupils from 7 to 14 years.
Remembrance Poem and ode to Autumn
jlimbjlimb

Remembrance Poem and ode to Autumn

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This animated power point presentation is of a poem written by a 15 year old about remembrance. November is the time of year to remember lives lost in war and this poem compares late autumn to this sense of loss in a very poignant way. The audience is asked to focus on particular words and phrases which the poet uses to compare the decaying leaves and the perforated bodies of the battleground. Pupils are also asked to consider the symbolic significance of poppies. This resource would be ideal to use when studying war poetry or reflecting on Remembrance Sunday. This resource is suitable for students aged 11 to 16 years. I include puzzles which will aid the revision of poetry such as Keats' ode to Autumn as well as Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade.
Easter egg activities with Potter and poetry
jlimbjlimb

Easter egg activities with Potter and poetry

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This animated Power Point resource is ideal for the run up to Easter. It includes a short story about a visit to a free range egg farm and comprehension questions to check understanding of the humorous nuances. The differences between free range and caged hens eggs could be used to inspire further independent investigation and research.A passage from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone is included which describes the birth of Norbert a baby dragon. A poem is included about a dragon birth and students are invited to write descriptively about the birth of a dragon as it bursts from its shell. Lots of ideas and explorations here around eggs and the symbolism surrounding them. Ideal for Potter fans . Suitable for ages 8+
Chinese New Year story
jlimbjlimb

Chinese New Year story

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This Power Point presentation tells the story of how the animals took part in a race across a river in order to impress the Emperor with their physical prowess and skill. As the animals splashed and scrambled around in the water , the Emperor decided which animal was worthy to represent each year. Not only will the students enjoy the story but also they will be required to work out which animal represents year 2020 in the Chinese Zodiac. Pupils are required to think about their own strengths and weaknesses and to set goals in order to improve on their own capabilities in 2020. Suitable for ages 7+
space week Saturn and Cassini mission comprehension and descriptive writing
jlimbjlimb

space week Saturn and Cassini mission comprehension and descriptive writing

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This animated Power point showcases data about Saturn and the Cassini mission to discover more about the planet. Pupils are then presented with fourteen questions to test their powers of comprehension about what they have read. Links are provided to enable further independent research. Answers are provided to the comprehension for ease of marking.Finally pupils are presented with a short poem about space exploration and are asked to produce some descriptive writing of their own about visiting a planet of their own choosing. This resource would complement studies during Space Week and also poetry linked to space exploration. Suitable for ages 8+
poetry and descriptive writing : Autumn environment
jlimbjlimb

poetry and descriptive writing : Autumn environment

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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 +
Building confidence in spelling, punctuation and grammar bundle 5
jlimbjlimb

Building confidence in spelling, punctuation and grammar bundle 5

4 Resources
This bundle of four Power Point presentations aims to build confidence in spelling, punctuation and grammar.Emphasis is placed on homophones and using prefixes to form opposites.Pupils are given advice on how to structure a story with paragraphs and how to develop descriptive writing techniques.One of the resources focuses on the use of awesome adjectives and nouns. Answers are provided to quizzes for ease of marking, saving valuable teaching time. This is one of a series of bundles which can be found within my shop which focus on different aspects of English language learning. Suitable for ages 8+
Building confidence in spelling, punctuation and grammar bundle 6
jlimbjlimb

Building confidence in spelling, punctuation and grammar bundle 6

4 Resources
This bundle of four Power Point presentations aims to build confidence in spelling, punctuation and grammar. It is one of a series of bundles to be found within my shop which focus on different aspects of English language learning. This bundle places emphasis on letter writing skills and gives opportunities for both informal and formal letter writing activities. The dragon breeds presentation and the address and letter writing resources take inspiration from J K Rowling and will appeal to Harry Potter fans in particular. Suitable for ages 8+
Building confidence and resilience bundle 2
jlimbjlimb

Building confidence and resilience bundle 2

4 Resources
This bundle of four Power point resources allows students to think about the impact of their words upon others whist also honing their writing and grammatical skills. There are comprehensions, quizzes and suggestions for how to deal with anger issues.There is a resource about mindfulness and how, with practice, students can learn how to cope with difficult and powerful emotions which can distract them from their studies. This is one in a series of bundles to be found in my shop which focus on different aspects of building confident, independent learners and creative thinkers. Suitable for ages 10+
Ghost story; Gothic novel setting as character Dickens
jlimbjlimb

Ghost story; Gothic novel setting as character Dickens

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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+
Punctuation practice with Potter and the Goblet of Fire
jlimbjlimb

Punctuation practice with Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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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+
Spelling activities Potter style
jlimbjlimb

Spelling activities Potter style

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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+
Spelling quiz and writing tasks based on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
jlimbjlimb

Spelling quiz and writing tasks based on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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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+
Spelling games and writing opportunities based on Harry Potter and the half-blood Prince
jlimbjlimb

Spelling games and writing opportunities based on Harry Potter and the half-blood Prince

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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+
Quiz and design task based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
jlimbjlimb

Quiz and design task based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

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This animated PowerPoint presents a short quiz based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The audience is presented with three possible answers to each question. The correct answer will magically reveal itself. Pupils are required to make as many Muggle words as possible out of the letters contained within the Hogwarts' house names. Finally students are presented with information texts describing two different breeds of dragon. Their task is either to design a meal which will tantalise the taste-buds of a Peruvian Vipertooth or else design a matching shield and gauntlets set made from the skin of the Swedish short snout... This resource will appeal to Potter fans of all ages. Prior knowledge of the text is not vital.
Descriptive writing with the Prisoner of Azkaban
jlimbjlimb

Descriptive writing with the Prisoner of Azkaban

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This animated Powerpoint asks pupils to improve sentences by adding adjectives. They are asked to identify adjectives within a paragraph and then to alter the tone of the paragraph by supplying different adjectives to the ones given in the original version. Colour synonyms need to be sorted into those associated with red, blue, yellow and green and pupils are then given objects and scenarios to describe using these more unusual words.Two poems are showcased one about the changing colours of the sea and one about the colour red. Lastly an extract taken from J.K.Rowling’s The Prisoner of Azkaban is displayed and pupils are asked to consider how she appeals to different senses through her descriptive techniques. A worksheet is included in word format to accompany the Powerpoint and to explore further creative writing activities as well as a further Power Point which takes extracts from The Prisoner of Azkaban and asks students to identify spelling errors. Answers will reveal themselves as if by magic. Suitable for ages 8+
Proper nouns
jlimbjlimb

Proper nouns

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This power point explains the use of proper nouns and asks students to supply the missing capital letters in well known people, places and things. A more challenging activity is provided where the students are given a passage regarding Victorian theatre and are required to re-write it identifying all proper nouns. This resource will make an ideal revision tool when revising grammar but also when studying information texts regarding Victorian Britain. Included is a more general spelling, punctuation and grammar quiz where proper nouns is just one of the topics featured. This resource is suitable for ages 10+
Punctuate with Potter in The Chamber of Secrets
jlimbjlimb

Punctuate with Potter in The Chamber of Secrets

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This animated Power Point asks pupils to punctuate passages from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The selected passages will test knowledge of proper nouns, apostrophes for contraction, hyphens, colons, brackets, speech marks and much more besides. The answers will appear as if by magic. There is an activity to invent muggle words from some of the characters' names and a bonus question to test knowledge of the book. Pupils are asked to write a formal letter to Harry complaining about inappropriate use of his wizarding skills. This is an ideal way to test knowledge of punctuation and encourage reading at the same time. Suitable for ages 10+