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.
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 .
Lead your class into the wonderful, wild woods with this rich and varied array of descriptive words, similes and creature references. Draw from it for your own use and to prompt more suggestions from your students. This comprehensive list provides for every sort of wood, from damp and soggy to misty and mysterious, sparkling and scented, and twitching with animal life. The last column lists hints of creature and plant activity - squawks, squeaks, prickles and stings… Let your young writers roam this absorbing concept-bank to build their own ideas for creative writing, drama, art, music or speaking.
Firework writing frames, excitingly illustrated, for all ages - Reception to top Juniors - able writers using sheets as launch pads to independent poetry or descriptive writing.
Five writing sheets altogether:
2 graded ones for EY/KS1, 2 graded ones for Y2 upwards, and one for all ages - word gaps within an image of fireworks, inspiring expressive words and onward creative development.
This bundle supports: poetry, literacy, seasonal studies, celebrations, night and day, outdoors, colour, creativity, PSHE, and more.
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.
Literacy, Animals, Environment, Nature and Seasons supported in these 3 differentiated poetry writing sheets. Wild creatures abound in the lively, illustrated creative writing frames. The easier, mid-level and harder versions all invite describing words for a robin and another creature for writers to choose, harder versions eliciting more - an action word for squirrels, describing words for the trees and, in the hardest, a simile. This topic-rich resource fires imagination and creativity while developing writing skills. Successfully tested.
Children love animals, so your emergent and newly independent writers will love thinking up words to describe robins and more here. The bundle contains 3 versions of the same basic writing frame, ‘simple’ being the lowest level, and 'mid-level- the hardest. See my 'hardest version for your able or older pupils. There’s plenty to colour here too. The resource supports work on animals, woods, environment, nature and seasons, as well as firing creativity and developing writing skills.
This simple, illustrated writing sheet is fun to write and colour in. The text invites a describing word for a robin, and another woodland animal of the writer’s choice, with a describing word. The various creatures illustrated, and the forest background, will provide young children with an incite into life inside a wood. The resource promotes writing, reading, colouring skills, and understanding and appreciation of the natural environment. Try my harder version too.
This great heap of writing and colouring sheets on woodland animal themes will keep your EYFS and KS1 children busy and happy for weeks, learning about nature and developing their literacy and fine motor skills as they go. They’ll also develop colour sense, creative expression and respect for the natural world. Contents: 9 styles of writing sheet, 2 with graded variations, and 4 colouring-only sheets. Animals featured: squirrel, hedgehog, robin, rabbit, frog, butterfly, spider, ladybird, others also appearing in illustrations.
Nature poems to read and write, with trees and woods as central theme; also colouring sheets - trees and woodland animals, and a midnight wood picture for inspiration. A big bunch of green environment activities - and big savings!