I'm an English Teacher based in Northern Ireland, with extensive experience of delivering the CCEA Specification for GCSE and A-Level Literature and Language. I'm passionate about making resources that are effective, engaging and lesson-ready.
I also teach a little bit of KS3 Maths!
I'm an English Teacher based in Northern Ireland, with extensive experience of delivering the CCEA Specification for GCSE and A-Level Literature and Language. I'm passionate about making resources that are effective, engaging and lesson-ready.
I also teach a little bit of KS3 Maths!
This fun activity allows KS3 students to practice fractions of a quantity in a real-world example of a bargain hunt.
Students are presented with 5 shops that have 5 discounted items in each. The students must work in groups to work the discounted price and the saving, while determining the best overall deal in each shop (the highest saving).
This enjoyable activity has been used successfully at the end of a study of fractions at KS3 level.
This detailed 18 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Heaney's "Had I not been awake" to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Seamus Heaney (AO3)
-Context on "Had I not been awake" (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Themes of Grief and Loss, Self-Discovery and Poetic Inspiration.
This detailed 18 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Frost’s “For Once, Then, Something” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Robert Frost(AO3)
-Context on “For Once, Then, Something” (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Theme of Self-Discovery
This detailed 18 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Heaney’s “The Railway Children” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Seamus Heaney (AO3)
-Context on “The Railway Children” (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Themes of Childhood Experiences
This detailed 23 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Frost’s “Gathering Leaves” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Robert Frost(AO3)
-Context on “Gathering Leaves” (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Themes of Rural Life, Nature and Work
This detailed 18 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Heaney’s “The Peninsula” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Seamus Heaney (AO3)
-Context on “The Peninsula” (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Themes of Nature, The Creative Process and Journeys
This detailed 30 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Heaney’s “The Summer of Lost Rachel” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Seamus Heaney (AO3)
-Context on The Summer of Lost Rachel (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Theme of Grief and Loss
This detailed 15 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Farjeon’s “Easter Monday” to Literature students. This poem features in the CCEA GCSE Conflict Poetry Anthology.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Eleanor Farjeon (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Possible thematic connections to other poems in the Conflict Anthology
This detailed 21 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Sheers’ “Mametz Wood” to Literature students. This poem features in the CCEA GCSE Conflict Poetry Anthology.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Owen Sheers (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Possible thematic connections to other poems in the Conflict Anthology
This detailed 20 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Tennyson’s “The Charge of the Light brigade” to Literature students. This poem features in the CCEA GCSE Conflict Poetry Anthology.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Alfred, Lord Tennyson (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Possible thematic connections to other poems in the Conflict Anthology
These introductory activities are aimed at allowing pupils new to secondary level education to reflect on their own personal identity and express it through designing a Coat of Arms.
Also included is an interview for pupils to use with their parents/guardians to discover what it was like when they were at school.
This interview worksheet prompts junior pupils to interview their parents/guardians and discover what school was like for them. They then present their findings to the class and discuss the differences in schools between then and now.
This cover sheet has been developed to ensure that pupils maintain a consistent quality of writing when comparing and contrasting two poems in an essay.
Pupils are to use this checklist to tick off all of the essential elements of a successful answer, paragraph by paragraph, as they write it and present it when they submit their essay.
This ensures that pupils remain focused in presenting consistently analytical paragraphs.
I have used this successfully with both GCSE and A Level pupils.
This fun quiz tests pupils on their knowledge of famous literary characters.
One pupil sits facing the class, with their back to the screen. They then ask the remainder of the class a maximum of 20 questions in an attempt to determine the identity of the character on the screen.
This can be used for events such as World Book Day, International Reading Week, Book Week or for a fun introduction or conclusion for a unit on fiction.
This detailed 16 page A3 size document has been developed to assist both students and teachers in their understanding of the characters in “Of Mice and Men".
Each character is designated 2 A3 sheets, with comprehensive lists of interpretations, notes and quotes. Each character has been split up into relevant themes and topics to assist in revision. (Carlson and The Boss share a single page).
There are also approximately 5-10 exam questions for each character to help pupils apply the notes, quotes and their own understanding.
As this document goes through every character, there will inevitably be some overlap.
An A4 PDF version of this document has also been included for easier printing.
Characters/Topics/Themes include:
George: Treatment of others, Relationship with Lennie, Lennie’s Death, Dreams, Loneliness/Isolation.
Lennie: Dreams, Relationship with George, His mental state, Loneliness/Isolation, Physical description/Strength, Interactions with others, His death.
Slim: Physical description / Skill as a worker, Friendship, Power/Influence, How others view him, Views/Values/Beliefs, Treatment of others.
Candy: Dreams, Loneliness/Isolation, Friendship, Treatment of others, Power/Influence/Position on the ranch, Physical description.
Crooks: Dreams, Loneliness/Isolation, Friendship, Power/Influence/Position on the ranch, Prejudice/Discrimination, Physical description/his room.
Curley: How others react to him, Power/Influence, Physical description, Relationship with his wife, Treatment of others.
Curley’s Wife: Dreams, Loneliness/Isolation, Discrimination/Prejudice, Treatment of others, Physical Description, Relationship with Curley, Her death.
Carlson and The Boss.
This detailed 15 page A3 size document has been developed to assist both students and teachers in their understanding of the characters in “An Inspector Calls”.
Each character is designated 2 A3 sheets, with comprehensive lists of interpretations, notes and quotes. Each character has been split up into relevant themes and topics to assist in revision.
There are also approximately 10 exam questions for each character to help pupils apply the notes, quotes and their own understanding.
As this document goes through every character, there will inevitably be some overlap.
An A4 PDF version of this document has also been included for easier printing.
Characters/Topics/Themes include:
The Inspector: Responsibility to others / collective responsibility, Responsibility for actions, How the Birlings respond to the Inspector, Approach to the investigation, Views on Social Class, Physical Description
Mr Birling: Relationship with his family, Responsibility, Sheila’s engagement to Gerald, Reaction to the investigation, Social Class, Treatment of Eva / his workers, physical description.
Mrs Birling: Relationship with her family, responsibility, Treatment of Eva/Daisy, Reaction to the Investigation, Social Class, Initial description.
Gerald: His relationship with Sheila, Responsibility, Relationship with Eva/Daisy, Reaction to the Investigation, Social Class, View of women, Physical Description.
Sheila: Responsibility, Relationship with her family, Relationship with Gerald, Reaction to the investigation, Social Class, Treatment of Eva, Initial Description.
This board game has been designed to support students in their revision of Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”.
The game is for 2-4 players and will require counters and a dice. The rules to follow are clearly documented at the bottom of the page.
It focuses on character, theme, quotes, plot, setting etc.
There are 96 tasks, including:
Plot retrieval
Inference
Debate topics / justifying arguments
Generating quotes relating to character / theme
Similarities / differences between characters
Character relationships / values
Movement tiles
This A3 document has been uploaded as a PDF for easier printing and a word document if teachers wish to tweak certain parts to suit the needs of their students.
I’d recommend printing it in colour and laminating it.