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.
Literacy boost with exciting twists! Fun, inspiring spelling + vocabulary enhancer about pirates, treasure and oceans. Eight questions, including a rhyme, an anagram, a spelling choice, a type of gem, and more, on an attractive, illustrated sheet. Answers on accompanying sheet.
Supports multiple topics, e.g. ocean, pirates, weather, journeys, going for gold, the wider world, voyagers, and seaside, and brings literacy alive.
See also my other ocean/pirate lit. resources, e.g. Treasure Map: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/treasure-map-alliteration-game-yr1-6-guide-for-use-11887395 and Stormy Sea: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/stormy-sea-poetry-frame-guide-12043779 .
Fascinating creative opportunity for older/more able writers, depicting the sea as different entities or things. Format and starter lines for a sequence of verses are provided, with quality sample poem, written by myself (published poet) for the purpose. Tip: build up to metaphors by (1) discussing sea in different weathers, climates, times and seasons, enacting and sounding out; (2) elicit words and similes for the variations; (3) invite pupils to try taking out the ‘as… as’ or ‘like’ from their similes to form metaphors (e.g. ‘the sea IS a mirror’; (4) read the sample poem; (5) give out the frames and scrap paper for independent writers and let them write their own, personal versions.
See also my many other sea poetry frames in my catalogue, with sub-topics such as sea monsters, seabed mysteries, summer’s day sea, stormy sea and a pirate’s treasure map.
Reading/sounding out + learning about shells, seaside, nature and more. Eight describing words for shells for young readers (Reception - Y2), big, bright and clear, around a colourful photo of shells on beach. Words: shells, hard, curly, dry, shiny, hollow, sandy, wet. Help children turn sheet to read the words.
Watch my video on seaside shells:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wkeZ8K6iCfcFQneZ9
See my other seaside and phonics resources too.
This illustrated writing frame offers scope for imaginative input, while also stretching language skills. It can be used for a poem in its own right, or - for more able writers - a springboard for independent writing. The format calls for ideas for different park visitors and features, verbs to describe their actions, and adverbs to embellish them, e.g. ‘Dogs dashing wildly’. Ideas for variations, enrichments and extensions are included.
Black/white, PDF
This hand-illustrated, jungle-themed poetry frame sheet spurs young, independent writers to draw on their imagination and passive vocabulary to create an expressive poem about it, and its inhabitants. The line-starters invite description and similes, and the pictures offer inspiration. Ideas can be further explored through the colouring opportunities.
While intended primarily as a literacy support and creativity launch pad, the sheet also presents a window onto the natural world.
For best outcomes, prepare children first with discussion, pictures or a video of a jungle and the animal types featured here, and act out trying to make your way through a jungle’s exotic undergrowth - in the heat.
This poetry frame has been successfully tried and tested during my poetry workshops, as all my TES resources have to date.
Phonic short ‘a’ and others feature in these 4 illustrated reading and writing sheets. Large, child-friendly text and fun pictures with colouring scope. Words: cat, cat in a hat, bat, hats, bats and cats, and the letter ‘a’ repeated.
I offer similar style sheets for ‘o’ sounds. See:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/phonics-short-o-writing-sheets-12246709 ,
also available individually.
Gorgeous cat music by Rhodri Williams-Wandoch: https://soundcloud.com/rhodri-williams-wandoch/watching-the-cat
Have a listen!
Fourteen attractive phonics activities for young children, including a sheet of 3 phonics rhymes and a simple linking/sorting challenge, as well as lots of 3-letter words to sound out and write over the letters or below, with colouring opportunities along the way. Popular themes throughout, such as assorted animals, seaside, farmyard, stars, teddy, traffic lights, on/off switches for gadgets.
Every short vowel except ‘u’ plus 3 long vowels and a range of consonants are highlighted in this huge pack of phonics fun.
50% discount for this bundle!
Beginner readers will enjoy sounding out the words in this question - “Can you see the bee in the green tree?” and pointing to the bee in the picture. They will also like discussing the picture and the “ee” sounds with an adult. How many "ee"s can they find? Have they ever seen a bee? What can they tell you about them? This resource supports phonics-learning, reading, speaking and listening. See the others in this series.
Here’s a related ‘ee’ phonic lullaby, by Rhodri Williams-Wandoch:
https://soundcloud.com/rhodri-williams-wandoch/try-to-sleep
Phonics ay, ee, iy, oe (as in go), and oo feature in these 5 illustrated reading cards. Each contains a sentence or question with examples of the featured phonic. Supports phonic-learning, sounding out and emergent reading. The coloured, hand-drawn pictures also offer discussion points for speaking and listening skills development. Best for ages 4-6 approx.
Phonic ‘e’ is highlighted in these 3 simple, illustrated reading and writing sheets, with words - egg, eggs, red hens, and red pen given in pastel shades for writing over, plus extra ‘e’ letters too. Attractive, meaningful pictures, helping young children connect with the letters and remember them. An ‘ee’ reading card also included, to clarify the different sounds with the letter ‘e’.
Many other phonics activity sheets like this one at my shop. (Click ‘recent’.)
17 illustrated phonics activity sheets to read, most with pale letters to over-write and colouring to do. Numerous phonics represented, including most vowels, short and long, vowel combination sounds, and consonants b, c, f, m, p, s, and others. Some sheets have themes - stars, seaside, insects, cats, pigs, eggs… Some offer 3-letter words; others just initials with associated picture.
Save 60% with this big, bargain bundle!
This rich and varied bundle of literacy and colouring resources will delight your young class (Nursery-Yr 1 or ages 4-6). Reading, writing, acting out rhymes and colouring are all catered for in these nine lively woodland items (10 sheets). See my higher level variations for older/abler KS1s.
A generous wad of countryside phonics reading and writing activities, and simple, illustrated descriptive writing sheets - all on green themes: farm animals, wood and meadow animals and minibeasts.
Each activity helps bring words and letters alive for very young readers and writers.
This rosy garden apple picture poem celebrates nature, seasons and healthy eating.
The 5-line cinquain is simple and attractive to read, view and listen to.
Perhaps your class can make up a similar cinquain about apples or another fruit?
See my banana poem too, and my other Healthy Eating resources.
The poem and photo are by this author, Kate Williams.
Seaside poetry writing on a fabulous seaside photograph!
Line starters for free, expressive writing.
Example sheet provided, to inspire ideas of all sorts.
Flexible for all ages and abilities, written or out loud.
Text:
In the sea’s sparkly blue I find…
In the sea’s soft hum I hear…
In the sand’s ______ I feel…
Metaphors, description, long or short responses, literal or imaginary -
all sorts are welcome here!
See also my many other seaside and ocean resources!
A beautiful, inspiring, comforting poem about autumn leaves, their colours, movements and seeming free spirits.
Use as a starter for class poetry writing, to spur other ideas for language, imagery, movement and poem forms.
Help the children identify the rhyming words (gloaming/roaming, where/care/air, glow(ing)/low/go).
Who can spot the question? Any other questions to ask?
See my other autumn leaf resources for more inspiration and format ideas.
Autumn leaves words, similes and colouring fun offered on this beautiful picture poem frame for newly independent writers. Leaves go - sailing, flowing, dancing, spinning, gliding, skipping, drifting… They are as colourful as - jewels, flowers, butterflies, rainbows… Wavy lines to write on, reflecting the wavy leaves.
Let children gather and inspect leaves first, spinning and flying them. Discuss their movements and colours, and invite simile ideas.
See also my other autumn leaves resources and woodland writing sheets.
I’m ___ ing and ___ ing, like a __ , this poem starts, with a long, wavy line down the page for children to take off and fly with their ideas. The accompanying colour sketch will inspire ideas.
EXAMPLE: I’m sailing and gliding, like a leaf in the wind, free as the air and merry as sunshine… But now I’m tipping and tilting, like a boat on a rough sea. I’m spinning, spiralling, loop-the-looping. I’m a circus acrobat, vaulting the air… and now calmly cruising the fine, silky skies again.
Supports literacy, including vocabulary, writing fluency and encouragement, also weather, travel and transport studies.
**SEE ALSO - ** LAND OF L… magic land alliteration game - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/land-of-l-creative-alliteration-fun-12031118 .
These four lip-curling rhymes are all to do with activity and movement, from visiting a seaside to going on a world trip, as well as dancing and tree-climbing. These punchy, 4-line verses will engage independent readers of all levels, helping to nurture a love of reading. The rhymes can be shared and discussed, and may inspire rhyme-writing too.
For more, see my other 4-rhyme sheets (look out for similar cover picture).
Four more funny rhymes for school-aged children. These ones focus on school, in one way and another. Easy to read and understand, with punchy rhythms and rhymes to spot. Each rhyme is just 4 lines long.
More more, see my first ‘4 Funny Rhymes’ resource:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/4-funny-rhymes-12289613
Encourages reading and stretches vocabulary and rhyme sense.