Poetry & literacy resources by published children's poet.
I also lead poetry workshops for UK primary schools.
Website: katewilliamspoet.com
Book news - Squeak! Squawk! Roar! Animal poems - out 9th January '25. Publisher: Otter-Barry Books.
Poetry & literacy resources by published children's poet.
I also lead poetry workshops for UK primary schools.
Website: katewilliamspoet.com
Book news - Squeak! Squawk! Roar! Animal poems - out 9th January '25. Publisher: Otter-Barry Books.
A lively, familiar town scene, with mum, child and dog, for young children to colour. The varied items in the picture are clearly represented and outlined, and will engage your Early Years or KS1 class. It also encourages critical thinking about colour choices and helps develop fine motor skills. Will support cross-curricular topics to do with the environment, family, transport, houses and more.
This serene scene will appeal to your children’s imagination, as they put themselves in the place of the happily gliding children. With the ocean, palm trees and setting sun below, and the soft, clear sky around them, this fantastical image will inspire your class to write, draw, discuss or enact the concepts conveyed. It could be used in combination with my magic mat poetry-writing sheet, for instance, available in my shop here. It will also brighten up a dark corner, of course!
An imaginary castle can be any sort you like - fairy-tale pink or iron grey, for instance, so your children can have fun with this sheet, thinking what their castle could be like as well as thinking up effective similes for them. The two blank lines at the end are for totally free expression. Some children might like to add further similes, others might like to add a warning, or a comment about the castle’s inhabitants, or a rounding-off rhyme, or even a metaphor (the castle is a …). The example sheet can be read out to demonstrate the simile concept and trigger ideas. Recommended for lower juniors, and older writers as a starting point for individual poem-crafting.
These four funny, punchy rhymes are about animals (elephants, monkeys and slugs) + a witch. Easy and fun to read, building confidence and nurturing the invaluable habit of reading for pleasure. Great for reading alone or out loud, for listening to, sharing and discussing. Develops rhyme and rhythm sense and encourages writing of rhymes too.
For more, see my others with similar covers.
Young children will enjoy colouring in this rabbit picture, including the grass, sun, bird and flowers in the scene. The activity promotes fine motor skills, colour differentiation, design skills, creativity, and an understanding of the natural world. The picture also offers a focus for discussion.
Four more daft, comical rhymes for school children, each 4 lines long, with punchy rhymes and familiar, popular topics. They offer reading incentives to able and struggling readers alike, promoting all-round literacy. They also raise spirits and encourage communication and sharing.
For more, see my others with similar cover design, including 3-for-2 bundle:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/12-funny-rhymes-12289724
This attractive colouring sheet features a boat on a wavy sea, with a waving sailor (female), beautiful fish below, plus shells, seaweed, birds, clouds, sun and kite. A cheerful, stimulating and informative picture, with wide scope for colouring and discussion.
Supports study of seaside, ocean, seabed, seasons, holidays, travel, colour and more. Develops fine motor skills and colour differentiation.
**SEE ALSO: ** - Yr 1 Phonics - UNDER the SEA https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/yr-1-phonics-under-the-sea-11912400, UNDER THE SEA graded picture frames - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/under-the-sea-picture-poem-frames-ey-ks1-11927198, POND COLOURING SHEET - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/pond-colouring-sheet-12047603 , + SEASIDE WRITING + COLOURING SHEET - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/seaside-writing-colouring-sheet-simple-12099515 .
This 3-for-2 stack of punchy, comical rhymes will get children reading. Each sheet offers four 4-line crazy, humorous little rhymes that children can relate to.
They support reading, listening, linguistic and general literacy skills, as well as raising spirits and encouraging communication.
They are written by a published poet (website: poemsforfun.wordpress.com) with years of experience in breaking barriers to literacy for children through poetry workshops, often incorporating fun, rhythmic rhymes to get everyone of all abilities on board.
Four funny, punchy, 4-line rhymes by the author. These four are all about supernatural creatures: aliens, giants and fairies. Easy, fun and cheerful reading material, encouraging children to read, and to write their own rhymes too.
For more rhymes in this style, see:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/4-funny-rhymes-12289613
and
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/funny-rhymes-2-12289686
This lively picture will engage young children, with its interesting details and colouring scope. The resource supports autumn, nature, animals, movement and colour studies, as well as developing fine motor skills and artistic expression. See my Hedgehog and Leaf colouring sheets and squirrels/woods writing frames for more autumn wood activities.
Young children will enjoy thinking up a word or more to complete the phrase - This frog is…, and having a go at writing it on the line provided. More words can be added below, as wanted. Encourage sounding out and emergent writing, rather than accuracy, with this writing activity, to build confidence in independent writing. Perhaps prompt for - green, hoppy, wet, patchy, jumpy, friendly, smiling, splashy or croaking, if ideas are needed. See my other simple writing sheets on wildlife themes for more variety.
An attractive picture of a ladybird with leaves and flowers, for colouring. Young children will enjoy colouring the spots red, and selecting colours for the other parts of this cheerful, natural picture. Develops fine motor control, colour sense, understanding of mini-beasts and the natural world, and more.
I also have a butterfly colouring sheet: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/butterfly-colouring-sheet-12043732
Seasonal fun activity to stretch language and creativity! Beautiful autumn leaf picture to write on, with prompts and writing lines. Colouring potential too. Great for wall display. Let children gather, inspect and play with leaves, then write these sheets freely. Prompt for colour words, textures, movements - gliding, spinning, twirling through the sky. (What sort of sky?) Similes invited. Lots of poetic and expressive scope. Promotes calm and joy.
Four humorous 4-line rhymes that children can easily relate to. They’re all about food, spills, mouldy food remains and similar. Through the fun, children will naturally exercise their reading or listening skills. They can also develop their sense of rhythm and rhyme. The lightly humorous tone also promotes relaxation, cheer and joy of reading.
Dragon Rhyme Ideas video: https://youtu.be/iQhtFko3Y4U
Mental wellbeing, inclusiveness, self respect and confidence are supported in this poem, besides literacy and performance skills. Boost students’ self-esteem and motivation with this upbeat rhyme and its positive message about individualism. Through simple words, rhymes and rhythm, it celebrates the fact that everyone is different, just like the leaves of a tree. Written specifically as a PSHE resource by myself - a well-published children’s poet, after seeing the need for confidence boosts in children of all backgrounds.
My poem, ‘My Town at Night’ is exciting and atmospheric, stretching imaginations and language, and offering a spur for creative writing. I’ve used it very successfully with Year 3 classes upwards, together with pictures and discussion of the colours, shapes and mysteries of lit-up streets.
Now on YouTube with sound & pictures! https://youtu.be/BNzvD31flwo
The poem has been published twice over by https://theschoolmagazine.com.au/The School Magazine, Australia - .
This lively seaside picture has two wavy line spaces for describing words for the sea: “The sea is … and …”, and there’s a whole line below for further ideas. Young children will enjoy thinking up two words or more to describe the sea and having a go at writing them, before colouring in the waves, sea creatures, sand, bucket and spade and more. Children in my poetry workshops use the sheet with enthusiasm, for both writing and colouring. See my two harder versions too, plus Shells writing sheet: - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/seaside-writing-frame-r-y1-12099509, https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/seaside-writing-frame-y2-3-12099502 (free) and https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/shells-can-be-illustrated-writing-frame-guide-sheet-12099487 .
Video (looking at shells) https://photos.app.goo.gl/wkeZ8K6iCfcFQneZ9
Four activities for younger/less confident KS1 readers, with adult support. Contents: 2 fun word games; one seaside picture with describing words spread over; 1 colourfully decorated reading test with simple words using the whole alphabet. Handy for pre-test practice and assessment, and as year-round reading spurs.
Phonics and reading practice with seaside theme and picture. Ten simple describing words, clearly highlighted in red boxes over a beautiful seaside photograph. Words: wet, fun, cool, bubbly, wavy, splashy, shallow, fresh, calm, sandy.
See also: Seaside Writing & Colouring Sheet: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/seaside-writing-colouring-sheet-simple-12099515, and Boat on Sea Colouring Sheet: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/boat-on-sea-colouring-sheet-12096606 .
7 activities (1 free) combining seaside and literacy, featuring shells, sea and under the sea. The attractive, illustrated sheets offer phonics and reading practice, creative writing opportunities and environmental learning. Shells and fish sheets have accompanying suggestions for teachers.