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 attractive ocean picture and simple phrase-starter will inspire young children to get writing and colouring. The Ideas Sheet offers suggestions for warm-up, word-prompting, similes and further development from this simple resource.
See also my Phonics in the Sea - 10 big, bright words to read on a seaside photo: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/phonics-in-the-sea-10-words-to-read-12112315
This large and varied list of rhyming words will provide the backing you need for class dragon poems. See video for extra ideas + song!
Select your favourite words, or those best suited to your group, and read out some of the example verses on the next page, to build your class poem, or help children concoct their own, in pairs or individually. These words and examples offer funny, exciting, mysterious and crazy possibilities, opening up the potential for inspired creativity. Your pupils will love this activity. Watch your reluctant writers and hesitant speakers come alive as the activity takes off! With young children, make up your own, leaving a word gap for contributions, or concoct a simple couplet together. Clap the beat to ensure a punchy rhythm. Now, how about some illustrations?
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.
Dragon Haiku
Haiku poems are fun to write. This 2-page haiku-writing guide is dragon-themed, for open-ended creativity. It contains a handy GUIDE - for teacher, pupils or both - and a** SHEET** of partly written haiku with gaps to complete. Your class will then be ready to compose their own, in groups, pairs or individually.
Dragons can be whatever the writers likes - fierce, brave, crazy, funny, mysterious… Share ideas first. They can move in a myriad different ways too - prowling, pouncing, leaping, flying, dancing… The scope for dragon imagery is boundless too, but fitting a concept into a 17-syllable haiku can be tricky!
Space studies and writing practice are both brought to life with these fun acrostic poem frames.
Give the easier, shorter-line version to younger/less able writers, and the long-line version for confident writers. With the first, ask for a single describing word to tie in with each letter down the page; for the second, ask for a phrase or sentence on each line, again tying in with the letters down the page. See Examples sheet for ideas to prompt for - supplied for each version.
There’s space for an extra letter below each. Perhaps suggest making PLANET into PLANETS, for a line starting with S, or suggest they give their planet a letter name, e.g. Planet G or Planet H. Then they can think of a word/phrase starting with that letter too.
Space is provided on each version for student’s own illustration.
Supports Literacy (vocabulary, phonics, creative writing, poetry, hand-writing and presentation), and Space studies.
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
This fun reading card supports teaching of the “oo” phonic and spelling. Newly independent readers will enjoy sounding out the 3 animal-themed sentences and making the creature noises -
The dove says coo.
The cow says moo.
The owl says twit-twoo.
An adult can point out the “oo” sounds and prompt a discussion about the sounds and picture, developing phonics, reading, speaking and listening skills simultaneously. See the others in this series.
Beginner readers can sound out the words “Hooray! I can play today”, with adult help as needed, and identify the “ay” sounds, again with support. Supports phonics-learning and reading, also offering a discussion point. See the others in this series.
Fifty word pairs (and threes) that sound the same or similar but are spelt differently, e.g. bear / bare, here / hear and wait / weight, divided into ‘Easy’, ‘Intermediate’ and ‘Hard’ categories.
Useful teaching resource for selected spelling focus and testing.
NB: word definitions are not given. This is a straightforward bank of same-sounding words for flexible use. Older children will be able to check the word meanings themselves.
See also my ‘Which is Witch?’ spelling games:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/spelling-grammar-games-yrs-4-6-11913259 and other word banks and assorted writing resources.
Newly independent readers will enjoy sounding out the words in this sentence - “The gold dragon blows smoke for a joke��� and looking at the picture. They will also be interested to notice (with adult prompting) the number of “oe” sounds, as in “no” or “go”. Can they think of any more? This resource promotes phonic-learning, reading, speaking and listening. See the others in this series.
Beginner readers will enjoy sounding out the words in this question - “Do you like these nice, white mice?” and pointing to the picture. Adult support may be needed, both for sounding out the sentence and for identifying the “iy” sounds. How many are there? Discuss mice and their characteristics with the reader, using the picture as a talking point, developing speaking and listening skills too.
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’.)
Two lively, colourful jungle pictures, hand-sketched and coloured, to bring a lesson to life. It could be a lesson about jungles, animals, seasons, countries, adventure, travel, danger, colour, plants, saving the world, or just a creative writing trigger. I use them for the last.
These 8 lively, colourful pictures offer inspiration for story-writing, poetry-crafting, newspaper report inventing, and enhancement of the topics they reflect, which include: wild woods, migrating birds, ocean, sunset, jungle, wild animals (British and tropical), dragons, magic carpet rides, transport, myths and more. NB: I sketched and coloured the pictures by hand, adjusting them slightly with basic computer software, so expect spontaneity rather than professional artwork or machine neatness. I use them for all primary classes.
Haiku poetry frames and guidance for a range of topics. Trees, butterflies, oceans, birds and dragons feature in this bundle.
The haiku’s 3-line, 17-syllable format is more tricky to use than it looks, but it offers an engaging challenge that older children enjoy trying and sharing, with syllable-counting and a bit of adding up, as well as ideas and language to select. These frames, starter lines, prompts and warm-up recommendations will ensure constructive fun for all.
Rhyme banks for Space, Dragons, Castle Characters + Ocean (sailors, pirates, more), with Examples for all, PLUS Seabed Rhymes to complete. Fun for whole class, together, in groups or pairs, or individually. Literacy made fun! Themed information, topic study, & creativity scope incorporated. Huge discount!
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.
5 space writing activities and support resources: funny rhymes, acrostics, slotting words into a space picture, space rhyme bank, and a simile poem to write - IN a planet! Guide notes provided where handy. Approx. Y3-6.
7 activities (1 free) combining seaside and literacy, featuring shells, sea and under the sea. The attractive, illustrated sheets offer phonics and reading practice, creative writing opportunities and environmental learning. Shells and fish sheets have accompanying suggestions for teachers.
