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.
This fascinating castle picture will lure your emergent readers into sounding out the ten words that describe it. The bright, bold lettering is easy to clear and attractive, and the words are intriguing, yet simple, comprising: old, cold, dark, big, grand, still, spooky, crumbly, stony and webby. Fun and motivating for older readers too; also for younger children to look at. Handy for quick revision, testing and general reading practice. Also supports castle and history studies.
Learning colours is easy with fun, snappy, rhymes, referencing familiar topics. Red, blue, green, pink, yellow, orange, purple, silver, gold, black and white are all highlighted in these rhymes, with grey featuring too. An extra rhyme - Colourful Dragons - brings a whole bunch of them together. They can be read aloud, chanted and clapped together, enacted, discussed and added to.
Ideal for Early Years - Year 2, but also fun and thought-provoking for KS2 pupils.
Watch/listen to
‘What Colour am I?’
https://youtu.be/JGKvOUDyXmk
+
‘Rainbow Glow’ -
https://youtu.be/qAq3CfoRaaE
Snow is … This simple, one-line picture poem will tempt any emergent writer to have a go at a word or more to describe snow, especially if they’ve just been out in some!
Encourage with simple suggestions, such as soft, cold, fluffy, fun… For more adventurous writers, encourage interesting words like - smooth, gentle, swirly, floating, peaceful, pure white, white as icing sugar, calm, exciting, magical, twinkly, crunchy.
See also my harder version:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/snow-writing-ys-1-3-12466490
These 7 simple stories are inviting to read, and simple enough for new readers to enjoy unaided, or with minimal adult support. Those just below this level will need a little help in sounding out words and making informed guesses to work out the words and follow the drift of the stories.
A mix of phonics and short, familiar words are used, with basic punctuation.
Large, clear print and light illustration help the reader along and add to the fun.
See my Phonics sheets, too.
Fun in the Snow - this is a simple, 40-word story, lightly illustrated, about a boy enjoying the snow and making a snowman.
There is an extra page highlighting a few words from the text - in different colours for extra fun.
Engages young children, encouraging sounding-out and ‘have-a-go’ reading.
See my other stories and also Phonics sheets, for more simple, fun reading.
FIREWORKS picture poem writing sheets - easier/harder,
for Reception, Yr 1, lower Yr2, plus YouTube demo, full of ideas!
Large, clear firework pattern to colour in, with line(s) inviting describing word and more. See also my higher level firework sheets.
Supports creative writing, inspires enthusiasm and confidence in writing, develops artistic skills and colour sense, enhances understanding of fireworks, provides relaxing, calming activity.
Two poems of mine, published in The School Magazine, Australia:
What is a Cloud? and Puddle Pictures.
(Both on one sheet.)
What is a Cloud? is a metaphor poem, presenting different cloud moods with simple images.
Puddle Pictures shows, in a fun, simple way, how a puddle reflects then dries.
Both poems promote nature appreciation and a love of poetry.
Also recommended for PSHE, being gentle, calming and upbeat.
8 lively, punchy rhymes to clap, chant, add to and act out. (One of the 7 sheets contains 2 rhymes.) Tips and ideas for use are provided in ‘Notes’ under each one.
These rhymes support all-round literacy, including aspects of poetry, vocabulary, speaking and listening, drama, expressive presentation and creativity.
They also support mental wellbeing and confidence, being reassuringly punchy, repetitive, meaningful and fun, with upbeat messages.
Their capacity for enacting supports physical education and fitness.
The rhymes will also enhance topic work on:
minibeasts, our world, space, oceans, the local environment, transport, sound, movement, colour, weather and more.
This simple, two verse rhyme invites ideas, with accompanying describing words, for what you might find under the sea. A list of suggestions to prompt for is provided below it, in the Notes section.
This resource offers multiple learning and development benefits. It supports all-round literacy, including vocabulary, rhythm and rhyme; it supports seaside topic work and awareness of the wider world; its cheerful, punchy style and personal touch (‘what could there be… for me?’) supports mental wellbeing, and , as the notes point out, it also offers opportunities for physical movement and dramatic effects. The intriguing, open question that runs through the rhyme - what could there be for me under the sea? - also opens up thrilling possibilities for young children, and with adult support, this could be extended to include all sorts from sea flora and fauna to ship wrecks, pirate treasure and messages in bottles.
Ten fun, simple reading and writing sheets with pictures.
Topics - from traffic lights to ships and sharks, from dogs to dragons, from cooking to Lego, and more!
Supports phonics and word recognition, handwriting, spelling, and motivation for learning.
Brings meaning to the written word for young children.
This attractive dragon sheet has three describing words - red, hot, spiky, to be written over and copied below, as well as the title word - dragon to over-write.
It’s fun to write words around a picture, especially dragon words! Yet the words are simple to sound out and clear to write over and copy, for children with a basic or partial grasp of phonics.
The dragon - who’s flying over a castle - can then be coloured in.
What other words could be used to describe a dragon? Able writers could add an idea or two of their own. Perhaps prompt for fiery, magic, mad, big, fast or kind.
Five fun phonics writing sheets, illustrated, with simple words to sound out and write over. A range of familiar topics are presented, such as animals, weather and colours, with colouring opportunities too.
These engaging, meaningful sheets bring phonics and the written word alive for young children. All are home-made and used with pleasing results.
Bright colours abound in this stack of simple colour rhymes and colour-linked pictures to shade in. Poems and rhymes can be chanted, clapped, sung, enacted and associated with available objects of the relevant colours.
Contents: 11 rhymes and 4 printable colouring sheets (robin, butterfly, autumn leaves, frog).
See my colour poem videos:
Similes, metaphors, haiku, a recipe for the sea - all sorts of ocean and seaside themed poetry frames here, with lively, inspiring illustrations and presentations, encouraging even the most hesitant writers to engage and have a go, while confident poets can take off and sail out.
Bargain bundle!
Are oceans or related themes on your teaching agenda? Or trying to enthuse your class in poetry? Or just trying to get them to put pen to paper or put their hand up to volunteer an idea? Then this is for you!
Recipe poems are fun, quick and mind-stretching to concoct. They get everyone on board, instantly enhancing literacy skills and lateral thinking. Share ideas in a whole-class recipe, or hand out copies this relaxed-style, hand-illustrated sheet for individual, paired or group input. Then invite everyone to read out a line for one gigantic, beautiful, bonkers, thrilling, sparkling ocean concoction.
First decide what sort of sea it’s for, e.g. stormy, summer’s day, night-time, mysterious or undiscovered.
I’ve started you off with a spoon of, but that could be crossed out and changed to pinch, bowl, dish, ladle, teaspoon, handful, or other measurement. Below, add more, perhaps branching out into non-kitchen measurements to fit your ingredients, e.g. - a fountain of splashes, a rainbow of colours, a peacock’s tail of turquoise, a volcano of danger, a serpent’s nest of hisses, a cool drink of refreshment, etc.
Have fun!
Sea monster food? What’s that? Rock roast? Splash salad? Fish and ships? The starter words here open up ideas and get children dreaming and writing - even reluctant and struggling writers! The guide sheet offers teachers ideas for prompting with. Tip: think up sea features together -from fishes to mermaids and pirate ship wrecks - then combine with human dishes, like roasts, sandwiches and pies, perhaps bringing in alliteration (Killer Whale Crisps, Treasure on Toast). Best for KS2, or KS1 as a whole-class, teacher-led game.
SEA ALSO: Treasure Map alliteration game: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/treasure-map-alliteration-game-yr1-6-guide-for-use-11887395 .
8 exciting writing sheets to get your whole KS2 class writing for sheer fun! Some are guided, some come with graded variations, all are illustrated and child-friendly. Assorted topics, including - Space, Dinosaurs, Jungles, Midnight Woods, Exploring, Inventing a Vehicle, and funny ones - Keep Fit Activities for Martians + Menu for Sea Monsters. Bargain Bundle!
Massive bundle of beautiful, inspiring, creative writing & colouring sheets, all environment-focused, with meadows, woods, jungles, and seaside. A few global warming poems thrown in too.
Age recommendation: Infants-Lower Juniors; climate poems for Juniors.
Less than half price!
Seaside writing + colouring sheet for young children. Starter phrase - "The sea is " with wavy line for writing on, and a spare line below for writing or drawing. Lots of seaside items to colour in - fish, boat, bucket and spade, sandcastle, waves, shells, sand, seaweed, etc.
Teaches about seaside flora and fauna, oceans and boats, while developing expressive writing, creativity, active vocabulary use, and fine motor skills.
See my Seaside Writing, simple, mid and harder levels, for differentiation.
These 10 rhythmic, rhyme-rich, accessible poems address nature, animals, and outdoor atmospheres, offering inspiration for creative writing and attractive introductions to poetry. Suitable for KS2, and some also for KS1.
Topics include clouds, trees, rivers, weather, seaside, day and night, community spirit, animals and birds.
Ten sheets, some containing two poems. Each sheet contains an illustration; some have coloured backgrounds too, as appropriate.
I’ve used a number of these poems in my poetry workshops to spur ideas.