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.
Emergent and newly independent writers will enjoy thinking up describing words to write on the swirly, little lines on their cloud. Think up some together first, e.g. - fluffy, puffy, white, grey, floaty, soft, light, high, drifting, quiet, slow, pink, dark, stormy, woolly, silky, silver, whirly, swirly or candy floss.
Here’s a published poem of mine about clouds on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EOKVIktMh10
Let children sound out the words, whether or not correctly, to sustain flow and build confidence. See my other weather writing frames, including harder version of this: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/weather-poetry-bundle-ks1-11974784
This tea table has some tasty dishes - and some inedible ones too! The challenge is to clear away the unsuitable ones, such as the old boot, clock and paper, by reading the words to identify them and crossing them out. This humorous activity takes the fear out of reading and will motivate able and hesitant readers alike to read or sound out all the 15 words. Designed for Year 1, but will also serve older children for reading practice. Can they create a tea table conundrum of their own? Early Years children will also enjoy picking out words and colouring in the picture.
Plurals s, es, ies and unusual variations are all addressed in the 3 varied challenges here. There’s an odd-word-out game (s/es), some practice words for ies plurals with a line for children to think up their own, and a list of single nouns with unusual plurals (all different) to be provided, including some tricky ones like fungus and antenna. Recommended for Years 4-6, with support as needed. Fun to do and share; handy lesson enhancers and gap-fillers. Two sheets.
3 attractively illustrated creative writing sheets, guided. There are two graded squirrel sheets - harder + easier versions, and a pond picture-poem with lots of writing opportunities to complete or choose between. Fun, familiar topics with plenty of rich writing potential. Great price too!
A lively little story brings meaning to grammar here. When to write “it’s” and when to leave out the apostrophe and just put “its”? That’s the burning question in this fun activity. The plentiful illustrations, the large, soft-blue script and the engaging narrative all add to the appeal, and the key words stand out bright and clear in bold red for simplicity. A summary of the grammar rule involved is given at the top of the two-sheet resource, with example phrases for both “it’s” and “its”. A few answers and tips are also given at the end for extra guidance. Children are then invited to compose two sentences of their own (lines provided), to illustrate “it’s” and “its”, to consolidate the concept. Best for Yrs 5 and 6 and able Yr 4s.
Story: Rashid’s robot has gone crazy, but Ella finds a solution - recharging it! Seeing the robot enjoying its “tea”, they go off to have their own - including ice cream sundae!
This cheerfully illustrated poetry frame prompts simile ideas for the colour red and encourages description with gaps for two adjectives per item. The first idea is given (tomato) - perhaps juicy, ripe, squashed, bright, squishy, garden, fresh or round. The other lines leave the object open to thought and choice. This would tie in with my other colour-themed poetry frames and rhymes - see catalog.
The ocean bed is a mysterious place, and this light-touch poetry frame invites children to dream about the possibilities, and describe their imaginings as they wish. The given structure, meanwhile, helps to focus minds and get pens rolling. The two-page resource includes a page of guidance notes for the teacher’s reference, with an example poem to share with the class.
The poetry frame promotes creative writing, and literacy generally, while also drawing attention to the wonders of the sea.
Literacy and castle studies are brought alive by these attractive sheets and their fascinating writing opportunities. There are two versions of this illustrated “CASTLE” acrostic frame, one with short lines for single words (describing words recommended), and one with longer lines for phrases, sentences or extended descriptions and similes. The Examples sheet provides suggestions to prompt for, for each version. Perhaps read some out to fire other ideas. The sheets allow room for a castle sketch below.
Suitable for all juniors, with support as needed.
Planets, Castles, Active Lifestyles and Healthy Eating feature in this collection of acrostic poem frames, with easy and hard versions and examples for teachers.
Great for National Poetry Day, World Book Day, and your school’s poetry week - and for literacy boosts and fun fillers any time! For higher/abler Juniors.
Shooting stars, planets & aliens feature in these space-themed Literacy activities. There are two action rhymes for EY/KS1 + 3 graded versions of a star picture-poem; for confident/older writers there are 2 fun, illustrated poetry frames of planet and alien respectively. Guidance notes for all.
These are my own designs and rhymes, home-produced, hand-illustrated, successfully tested in schools.
This 5-sheet resource comprises a castle picture-poem, easier/harder, and a castle-characters picture-poem in 3 graded versions.
These are attractive sheets with lively, hand-drawn illustrations of old, cobwebby, crumbling castles, the graded ones featuring characters such as a ghost, king and queen. Children have the fun of writing directly onto the castles - a particularly vivid experience in the ‘My castle is’ activity. Describing words are invited on each sheet.
These writing frames are self-explanatory, having starter phrases followed by thick lines for writing, with increasing opportunities for imaginative, expressive input on the graded character sheets.
For ‘My castle is’, prompt for describing words such as: old, crumbly, tall, spooky, dark, haunted, spidery, cold, windy, grand, royal, huge, hard, rat-infested, ghostly, scary, massive, golden, fine, splendid, stone, rich, ancient, mysterious, creepy, abandoned, damp, shadowy, candle-lit, and ruined. On the Castle Characters graded sheets, encourage a range of personality attributions for the ghost, king and queen, such as kind, mean, cruel, crazy, gentle, friendly, and various colours. The ghost might be see-through, floaty, spooky or dancing.
This is principally a Literacy resource, though it also offers scope for expressive art through colouring, and an intriguing window onto the past.
This autumnal poetry frame inspires creative descriptions of falling, flowing, colourful leaves. The illustrations spur the imagination, and the wavy lines encourage words to reflect the leaves’ whirling movements. The 2-verse format invites moving words - gliding, floating, spinning, dancing, etc., with space for similes - like graceful dancers, bright flames, birthday candles, colourful butterflies, etc. Descriptions of the sky are also called for, and the poem ends with a colour simile opportunity.
Tips - let your class watch leaves falling first. Catch, study and imitate them together. Build a bank of action-words for the leaves, and discuss simile ideas, then briefly share ideas for the sky. Encourage free-flow writing, with rich vocabulary. This is not a rhyming poem, though rhymes within lines could be effective (riding and gliding, whirling and twirling…).
‘Juicy Fruit Queen’ is the fun title of this lively, rhythmic poem. Clap and swing along to it with your class, to liven up your healthy eating guidance and encourage fruit-eating.
As a published children’s poet, I’ve written this multi-verse poem specially for TES users. It’s versatile for a range of applications and age groups, also serving as an introduction to poetry-writing, rhyme fun or discussion, or as an action rhyme to get your class up and moving.
Healthy Living + Literacy combine in these 6 activities. Healthy eating, fitness, physical education and movement are supported through poetry, with rhymes + poems to build, enact and write. Word bank for Healthy Eating poems included. Adaptable across primary stages, teacher-led for younger. Fun, accessible, easy to use.
A bonanza of crazy, comical, punchy 4-line rhymes for children. 5 sheets, 4 rhymes on each. Written by well-published children’s poet.
These rhymes encourage reading for pleasure; also sharing and discussion. They lift spirits and bring the warmth of humour and cheer. Topics include animals, supernatural creatures, food, school and more.
Here’s a longer, published funny poem,
Liam is Lost: https://youtu.be/-gtNTg6xcd8
Phonics reading + writing sheet, illustrated, featuring ‘e’ in ‘egg’ and ‘eggs’, with extra ‘e’ letters below. Pastel shades to write over, with clearly presented letters.
One of the 2 pictures can be coloured or decorated; the 2nd pic. shows pretty blue eggs in natural nest setting. Space for child to draw their own egg too.
Also included, a photo of a fallen bird egg, with ‘egg’ label.
If you like the writing sheet, see my others in this series at my shop. (Click ‘recent’ option.)
This ghost, in its spooky castle poetry frame, will get your young writers hooked, and the 2 graded versions cater for different ability levels. The clear and spacious gaps for description, and the atmospheric illustrations, will inspire expressive language, as they describe the ghost’s movements through a castle’s passages, dungeon and stairs - and further perhaps. The accompanying Guide Sheet provides an example version of the poem to read out or refer to for prompts. Preparation suggestions for the activity are also given.
Tried and tested with success in many schools.
NB: 2 differentiated frames; guidance notes.
Writing inside a picture is great fun, and brings the words alive for children. This stack of picture-writing frames features clouds, stars, ladybirds, snakes, castles, leaves and seasides, some with graded variations. This bundle will inspire imagination, fire enthusiasm, develop skills and boost confidence.
My star is… This opening phrase below the star picture offers an infinite scope of possibilities. Prompt for describing words such as shiny, pointy, gold, silver, tiny, pretty, sparkly, glittery, twinkly, friendly, kind, far away, high up, twitchy, spiky, mysterious, magical, shooting, smiling, hot and cold. Colour words may also be popular - red, blue, yellow, etc. Colouring in could be presented as a reward for the writing effort. Children will learn about space as they work.
Bring castles to life for your Infants with this varied mix of fun rhymes, thought-provoking picture-poems, simple reading challenge (on a castle scene) and an atmospheric castle picture (also available separately). The 3 rhymes come with guidance and embellishment tips. The picture-poems comprise a castle picture with lines for describing words, and 3 graded versions of 'In the castle lives a … ghost, king, and other characters.
Doing Dragons at all? This demo video might be handy? https://youtu.be/1NLutDY2zVQ