This animated Power Point collates several pieces of writing about hurricanes. There are informative texts, diagrams, eye-witness reports as well as poems about hurricanes. There are before and after descriptions as well as a transcript of a public radio announcement broadcast before a hurricane strike. Having absorbed and discussed the varied texts, students are then given the option of writing either a news report, an appeal leaflet or a poem inspired by this fascinating phenomenon. I include a resource about wild wind which would be useful when discussing poetry and in particular personification. Suitable for ages 10+

This animated PowerPoint consists of 25 slides and is intended to accompany the reading of Patrick Ness’ novel, A Monster Calls. Students are asked to consider what constitutes a nightmare and how our senses can feed into our subconscious mind. They are required to consider elements of a Gothic novel and how atmosphere is created both in terms of the words and the illustrations here. What is the significance of the ancient yew tree and how does this relate to modern day cancer treatments? Pupils are asked to list what they can glean about the major characters and to examine where their own sympathies lie. Finally they are required to write their own review of this memorable novel and are invited to do their own independent research about Herne the Hunter and the techniques the illustrator used to ensure this novel became a multi-award winning one. I include a resource about mindfulness as a tool to help with anger issues and difficult emotions which Conor might have benefited from as he coped with losing his mother. Also included are other word documents which display information about the mythology of the Green Man and a poem which is a call to the Green Man, which will be useful when discussing wider symbolism and environmental issues.There are worksheets on which pupils can record character sketches for both major and minor characters within the book, as well as explore Conor’s emotional struggle in graphic detail. Suitable for ages 12+

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.

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+

This animated Powerpoint presents pupils with information about the endangered leatherback sea turtle and highlights the problems faced by this creature as its numbers decline. One of the problems it faces is plastic pollution which is all too prevalent in our seas and oceans. Plastic bags are mistaken for the jelly-fish that the turtles love to eat. Worrying statistics are given about the growing problem of plastic in the ocean environment and a quote from Sir David Attenborough is displayed to highlight the need to act with some urgency before it is too late. The resource will prove useful alongside clips from the Blue Planet series and should inspire further research, provocative posters and persuasive writing. I include information in a word document which could be easily used as a homework task or for further research on sea turtles. The planet patrol wordsearch contains over twenty interlocked words in a grid concerning conservation issues and could be easily differentiated to suit different abilities. All answers provided. Included is a word document about the problem with plastic waste and includes some advice from Greenpeace. Students are invited to contribute ideas of their own and to design a poster conveying this problem in our marine environments. Suitable for ages 8+

This animated Powerpoint presents pupils with information about the wandering albatross and the problems it faces with fishing boats and plastic waste. Pupils will learn about this endangered bird with its enormous wing span and how it glides across the Southern Ocean for huge distances in search of food. Pupils are asked to consider the challenges this creature faces in its quest for food and hear David Attenborough's warning about pollution in our seas and oceans as brought to our attention in the Blue Planet series. Students are asked to create their own eye catching poster and to use their persuasive writing skills in order to redress the problem of plastic waste. I include a puzzle entitled Planet Patrol concerning conservation issues as an added extra. All answers are provided.A word document is also included concerning the problem of plastic waste and includes some advice from Greenpeace. Pupils are asked to contribute their own ideas by adding to the list. These resources are intended to promote discussion and will encourage independent research and further investigation. Suitable for ages 8+

A resource aimed to improve grammar skills. Adjectives, adverbs, common nouns, proper nouns and verbs can be revised and revisited whilst a story unfolds set in a Victorian Manor House. These resources can be used as stand alone lessons or as homework to reinforce literacy skills. The story builds and unfolds to keep pupils engaged and interested, wanting to know what happens next. For the complete animated story see The Waverley Manor Mystery. Suitable for ages 8+

Resources to promote thinking about anger issues, autism, animal welfare and loneliness in the elderly. Suitable for ages 10 to 14.

This animated powerpoint consists of nine slides and is a collection of different examples of writing about Autumn. There are slides containing informative writing such as signs to look out for that the season is changing and also an instructional text on how to make vegetable stew. There are three poems on an Autumnal theme, one about adjusting the clocks, one in the form of a Haiku and one about spider webs. This resource is suitable for pupils aged 7 to 11 and could be utilised in any Autumn themed activity.

This animated Powerpoint resource comprises ten slides explaining the techniques of persuasive writing. It uses the mnemonic A FOREST to help students remember the features of persuasive writing and tests their knowledge with multiple choice questions. The students are asked to write either a speech to help the elderly people in their community or organise an event to raise money for a new skate park. I include "In the Basement of the Goodwill Store" a poem by Ted Kooser and questions which will make students reflect upon their attitudes and behaviour towards the older generation. This resource is aimed at pupils between 12 and 16 years.

This powerpoint tells the story of six blind men and an elephant. Each man believes he knows best about what an elephant is like, however they end up in an argument. A wise woman explains to them that they each encountered a small part of the creature in the cave and that they need to learn to see the bigger picture and listen better to one another. A useful resource to use in assembly . Suitable for audiences of 5 to 10 years of age.

This animated powerpoint examines extracts taken from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and asks pupils to provide the missing punctuation. The correct answers will magically appear! This resource tests knowledge of commas, apostrophes, question marks , colons, brackets , inverted commas, ellipsis and using capitals to add emphasis. One of the extracts requires pupils to set out an address correctly. Another extract is a heated dialogue and could be used as an example of using other words for said. At the end there is a quiz to test comprehension and other grammatical knowledge such as similes and alliteration. Pupils are asked to set out their own formal letter addressing it to Harry Potter himself. I include another resource which gives information about different breeds of dragon and affords pupils the opportunity to write a letter applying for a job as a dragon trainer. This resource will appeal to Potter fans of all ages.

This animated Powerpoint showcases three topical news items which contain deliberate spelling errors . The pupils have to identify these errors and then are faced with a report about school gym facilities which is riddled with mistakes. The pupils are requested to re-write the report correctly. The homophone errors in the final report are ones such as there/their, too/two, your/you’re which are commonly made and require a grammatical understanding of the text. I include a resource about the problems of policing groups of teens who gather in public spaces and become labelled as hoodies or chavs. Pupils are required to answer questions related to the newspaper article and to respond with an article of their own. Also included are two articles, one about da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, an oil painting which achieved the highest auction price for any work of art and the other about space exploration and how this has become the playground of rich men. These articles are intended to inspire debate and further discussion. This resource is suitable for use with pupils aged 10 to 14 years.

This animated Powerpoint gives advice on how to make a persuasive speech by following five simple steps. The AFOREST acronym is used to remind students of the features of persuasive writing.Pupils are required to write speeches of their own , putting themselves forward for election as head boy or head girl in the form of Ronald Dump who wants to build a wall in the school gym or , alternatively, as Angela Smirkle who advocates an open door policy. This resource is ideal for revising persuasive writing techniques in light of the current political shananigans and is suitable for students aged 11 to 16.

This animated power point is an informative profile about bats with related questions. It includes a short poem which highlights why some people find bats scary creatures. This resource would suit a younger audience and would be ideal to use around Halloween. Hopefully the audience will realise there is nothing to be scared of at all. Suitable for ages 5-7

This animated Power point showcases the features of persuasive writing and then provides advice on how to use the powers of persuasion to win an audience over. The features are recorded in a way which will make the techniques memorable. The students are asked to put their writing skills to the test by choosing to write a leaflet about the dangers of smoking or, alternatively, writing a speech about taking up a new hobby which does not involve a screen. I include a resource which explains how to build a speech rather like building a sandwich and has an activity where students need to identify rhetorical devices within a short passage; ideal for homework or revision purposes. This resource is suitable for pupils aged between 11 and 16.

This Power- Point presentation takes Scrooge as its initial focus and then questions our notion of Christmas and how it has changed from the idyllic view of the Victorian era to the modern day commercial excesses. With reference to the migrant crisis and the quest to feed the world in challenging circumstances this presentation will make audiences think about the true meaning of Christmas and what issues should really be at the forefront of our minds at this time of year. The Australian bush fires are brought to mind with flaming imagery. This resource could be used as an assembly piece or to initiate a debate or discussion with the audience. This would be particularly useful for those students who are studying Dickens or other Victorian novelists. Global warming as an issue that affects us all, both rich and poor, at this time of year. Suitable for ages 7+

This power point presentation gives an overview of what a Victorian Christmas was like including customs of the day such as The Christmas Tree, Parlour Games and Festive Food. Particular emphasis is given on how Dickens' novels A Christmas Carol and The Pickwick Papers helped to make Christmas more popular with the general public than other festivals. This resource will prove useful when studying Dickens' novels and thinking about historical context. Suitable for ages 10+

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+