Phonic ‘o’ as in ‘dots’ and ‘spots’ is attractively presented for reading, recognising and over-writing, along with the letters around it, with coloured dots and spots to add to, for extra fun. The pictures and words bring meaning to the phonic for young children. See my various other phonics resources too, for a wider range.

Phonic ‘o’ as in fox and box - writing practice with pictures to colour. Simple, but fun and meaningful, bringing ‘o’ alive for young children. See my other phonics activities too, spread through my catalogue.

This funny, lively space rhyme supports all-round literacy. It’s simple, four-line verse can be varied to allow for different ideas, and each can be enacted or expressed with gestures, sounds or mime. Children will enjoy its catchy rhythm and be interested in the rhyme (space/face), also finding the tone cheerful and humorous. The resource offers embellishment for space topics, too, and encourages physical movement and expression. The tips below the rhyme include handy prompts for enacting, line by line, and also for eliciting alternative alien features. Using a simple, familiar tune, this verse could also be set to music.

A punchy, 4-verse rhyme about shells, with guidance notes for presentation and development, for use with young children. Can be chanted with hand gestures, with scope for more verses using children’s volunteered alternative describing words for shells. Supports speaking and listening skills, drama, presentation, self-confidence, seaside topics and more. The four rhyming verses describe sea shells in different ways, drawing attention to different types and their varying features, and the beauty and jewel-like quality of underwater shells, too. Video: Here’s me talking about shells, showing some, and reciting the poem, at a make-believe seaside: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wkeZ8K6iCfcFQneZ9 . Here’s a writing/colouring sheet to follow on with: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/shells-can-be-illustrated-writing-frame-guide-sheet-12099487

This lively action-rhyme consists of four couplets. Each tells of a spider’s movements, dangling, landing (on your head), running round your hair… running everywhere. The notes below it provide tips for acting out these different stages. The rhyme supports all-round literacy, including vocabulary, speaking and listening, expressive and creative presentation, and rhythm and rhyme development. It also teaches children about spiders and helps them to appreciate these delicate mini creatures, reducing any fears they may have of them. Tapping or shaking the beat will add to the punch and fun of this rhyme, while acting out provides an alternative approach. Perhaps do both by turn.

This two-verse ladybird rhyme has rhythm, rhyme and word fun. There’s ample scope for acting out, too, and the notes below the text provide a few tips for this. The rhyme supports all-round literacy, including vocabulary, rhyme and imagery (red as a poppy). It also develops awareness of insects and appreciation of their tiny, delicate features. Enacting the verses will encourage creative, expressive movement, and the cheerful tone will support mental wellbeing, too. You may also like my spider rhyme: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/rhyme-spider-12304548

Alphabet letters g, h, i, and their sounds, are presented here in pale colours for over-writing, alongside pictures of familiar things starting with those letters/sounds: gorilla, hat, igloo. The full words are left to the young reader to think of and sound out, bringing meaning and relevance to the letters, rather than baffling them with whole written words. This activity links up with my others in this style, so far a, b, c, d, and (recapping) c, d, e, f. You’ll find these and lots more simple phonics activities at my shop (search for ‘Phonics’ and ‘Phonic’). Also colouring to do. Tried and tested with success.

Simple writing and colouring autumn leaf sheet for emergent and newly independent writers. Children can either write on the lines (leaf veins), turning the paper round as need be, which is fun to do, or they can write their words in the gaps or round the outside of the picture. Suggested words to prompt for: yellow, brown, red, golden, curly, floaty, light, colourful, soft, thin, old, torn, spotty, pretty, flappy, delicate, crispy.

8 outdoor-classroom literacy ideas. Outdoor learning addresses obesity, fitness, mental wellbeing, brainpower, and pupil attitude, inspiring and stimulating through fun, fresh air and free movement. The change of setting from the classroom, and the sensual stimuli of outside influences brings learning alive for children. This ideas list for Literacy lessons will help you maximize use of your school grounds and environment for reading, writing, creativity and performance skills, motivating and stretching students of all abilities and ages.

National Curriculum word lists for Year 2 are represented, category by category, in these 2 spelling tests. Each comes with teacher’s version to read out and children’s child-friendly version to write. First test has 15 questions; second has 16. The children’s versions have gaps to fill; the teacher’s versions have words highlighted to instruct children to write in the gaps provided, as in SATs tests. Children’s papers also have stars to colour in at start and end. See also child-friendly word lists for reading practice and assessment: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-spelling-reading-assessment-practice-mid-level-12107263, https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-spelling-reading-assessment-practice-sheet-hardest-12107572 (mid-level + hardest).

24 hardest level KS1 words for practice and assessment of reading and spelling. Attractively decorated sheet with unconnected words, each type taken from the National Curriculum KS2 word list (2018) - wide range included. **See my two easier versions also in blue and peach: 3-letter word list (easiest), https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-reading-test-practice-3-letter-words-12107255 harder (mid-level) - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-reading-assessment-practice-harder-12107263

This KS1 reading/spelling assessment or practice sheet contains 28 words of low to mid difficulty. The word types are drawn from the National Curriculum Y1-2 spelling list, and include 2-letter vowels, as in cart and fur, long vowels, as in lake, double letter followed by ed/ing, consonants of 2 letters, e.g. ch, unusual spellings, as in call, and other spellings beyond basic phonics. A bright, cheerfully decorated sheet for practice and monitoring. See also KS1 reading test - simpler version (pale orange) - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-reading-test-practice-3-letter-words-12107255

Alphabet letters a-z are included in the 22 simple words in this decorative reading assessment/practice sheet. The vowels are all short, 1-letter ones, as in zip, pot and fun. There is one 4-letter word - quit - to include q. Suitable for early years and lower ability Yr 1 readers. See also - harder version also, in blue https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-reading-assessment-practice-harder-12107263

Bring Literacy, Space studies and Healthy Living to life with this hilarious writing sheet. How do Martians keep fit? By swinging from the moon? By running round black holes? By competing in floating races? The line-starters and prompts will fire up ideas and set pens rolling. See the accompanying guide sheet for examples and ideas to prompt with. Recommended for Yr 2 upwards. Pool ideas first - both for space features and keep-fit methods, and share ideas for filling the gaps before independent writing. SEE ALSO: Meals for Martians - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/meals-for-martians-fun-sheet-guide-12115040, and Funny Space Rhymes - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/funny-space-rhymes-12051967 . More space writing resources at my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/katewilliams_poetry?sortBy=newest&p=2 .

Children of all ages will love this inspiring, yet simple creative writing frame. The flowing lines between the gliding, twirling dragonflies offer infinite scope for poetic expression. IDEAS: Some children may like to fill the lines with adjectives (glittery, bright, fast, delicate…), others with verbs (darting, gliding, shooting, dancing…); others again might write phrases (like - dazzling dragonflies hovering in the silky blue), similes (fast as jets, bright as bows…), or rhymes (delicate dragonfly/in the azure sky/lightly, brightly zig-zagging by). PREPARE your class by building ideas and language, perhaps with the help of watching real ones, live or on a video, miming their movements and sharing language ideas. Supports Literacy, including poetry, vocabulary and creativity. Also supports topics: seasons & weather, mini-beasts, flight, animals, forces, travel, symmetry, colour, movement, environment, and more. **SEE ALSO: BUTTERFLY - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/butterfly-picture-poem-frame-eyfs-y1-guidance-notes-11885225 , LADYBIRD - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ladybird-picture-poem-frame-early-yrs-yr1-guidance-notes-11885212, SPIDER - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/2-spider-picture-poem-frames-guide-11887282 .

Writing about baby animals and springtime is fun and inspiring for young children. These three graded writing frames provide stimulating pictures and easy starting points for verbs and adjectives for baby bunnies, young robins and the fresh spring grass, with spare lines for more on the hardest version, and space for more on all three. There’s plenty to colour too. Preparation: before starting, lead children in imitating young animals, birds and insects that you see in the spring, focusing particularly on rabbits and robins. Elicit appropriate action words, e.g. bouncing, skipping, hopping, bobbing, dancing and playing, for the bunnies, and hopping, flapping, tweeting, singing, pecking, flying and fluttering for the robin. The grass might be tall, fresh, green, wavy, soft, bright, dewy or damp. Discuss how flowers and leaves open out too, as the days grow warmer.