This resource contains a lesson on using CLAPS (content, language, atmosphere, poetic devices, structure) as either a way of ordering an exam response or using it as a checklist. There is an example response on Remains to read and then several slides asking students to add a linking sentence to the example in order to answer the given essay title. Then groups can work on aspects of CLAPS to produce a response to a question on War Photographer to practice both the concept of CLAPS as a way of responding to a poem and the importance of linking ideas back to the question. An assessment on War Photographer (on conflict) is included, along with a Key Stage 3 marking and feedback sheet which could be used if desired. This feedback sheet contains prompts to help students to DIRT their answers.
This is a booklet that can be used to analyse the characters of Beatrice and Benedick in the following key scenes of Much Ado About Nothing:
Act 1 Scene 1
Act 2 Scene 1 & 3
Act 3 Scene 1
Act 4 Scene 1
Act 5 Scene 2 & 4
Each Act’s tasks should take approximately two lessons, giving around 10 hours of tasks to complete. Thorough investigation into their characters through extracts from key scenes and related tasks. Possible assessment question provided, taken from an AQA’s English Literature Paper 2.
This is a set of revision tasks which takes students through all three acts of the play, looking at characters, the theme of responsibility, younger versus older generation and Priestley’s message.
Activities include match up the quotations to the characters, multiple choice answer quiz on Act One, order the plot for ‘Gerald’s bit’ in Act 2, analyse Mrs Birling’s refusal to accept responsibility for her actions and write on her metaphorical wall, highlight an extract for evidence of the difference between the younger and older generation and match up the statements with the evidence to confirm Priestley’s message.
Copy of An Inspector Calls needed for the Mrs Birling wall task.
This is the first four lessons aimed at Y7 or 8 for working in pairs or groups to create their own theme park. Lessons 1 and 2 include some engaging activities to consider the idea of themes and look at examples of existing theme parks. They watch clips, name rides and create 3 rides for a blank dinosaur theme park. Lessons 3 and 4 are geared towards them creating their own theme park map after looking at Chessington World of Adventures’ example and answering some questions to illustrate the importance of a clear and informative park map.
Aimed at Y7 and 8, this short scheme aims to introduce KS3 pupils to 6 of Shakespeare’s famous characters/speeches. Ideal for introducing Shakespeare or one of his plays. Students are guided to act out conversations or deliver monologues. All resources included. Would probably take 3 1 x hour lessons in total. Could be extended. Includes Beatrice & Benedick, Malvolio, Lady Macbeth, Don John, Seven Ages of Man and Romeo and Juliet.
A short unit covering Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening. Could be used as a whole class unit of work, or small literacy group. Mixed ability but could be differentiated up or down. Extracts (all provided) from Robinson Crusoe, Life of Pi, Lord of the Flies. Real life survivor account analysed for descriptive writing techniques. Students invent their own survivor scenario and write diary entries and descriptions based on the example extracts and trailers shown in lessons. Opportunity to create class island map and use as stimulus for writing. Some lessons may take slightly longer than an hour so I estimate this unit is between 4 and 6 hours of lessons, depending on the pace.
These are a selection of activities to compliment the reading of this wonderful book by Mark Lowry. I did this with my LA Y8s and they really loved it. I would say that Y7 and 8 would be most suited to this book and these activities. Mark Lowry cleverly works in poetry to this story so it is ideal to dip into poetry alongside enjoying this story of two brothers. Included are activities on Haiku and Limericks, plus some non-fiction relating to dolphins and persuasive writing.
Two female poems looking at the use of Nature in poetry of WW1 to contrast perspective. Falling Leaves looks at the futility of war and A Girl’s Song looks at how difficult it can be to accept a loved one has died. Both poets deliver these ideas by personifying nature. Starter is a fill in the blanks activity then looking at Cole’s actual language choices. Then, look at A Girl’s Song using a table to infer how natural imagery shows the poets ideas. Plenary is a paragraph comparing their use of nature to show attitudes towards death in war.
A positive view on the consequences of war, through Kathryn Tynan’s poem ‘The Broken Soldier’ and Agnes Herbertson’s 'The Seed Merchant’s son. Aimed at middle to high ability, there is some focus on structure and rhyme, along with general poetic techniques to build towards some analysis.
Example TEAL paragraph given (Technique, Evidence, Analysis & Link to question) before students asked to write their own analytical paragraph. This could be adapted to fit a different structure.
Plenary asks students to compare the two views of war presented in both poems.
There are 3 Q2 style summary questions (English Language Paper 2) that ask pupils to read two short sources linked by a theme and then answer the summary question that follows. The themes are: New York, Australia and UK holidaying and each source for all topics uses perspectives from different centuries. Suitable for upper KS3 and KS4. Please see other mini tasks available.
Complete lesson for students to consider the pros and cons of having the death penalty.
Pros - examples of 2 killers from different countries, one of whom was given the death penalty and another who wasn’t.
Cons - story of a man who was wrongfully convicted and spent over 20 years on death row with serious consequences to his life.
Final task is to plan for an essay debating the pros and cons.
LA KS3 - GOES THROUGH WHAT A RECIPE IS AND HOW ZEPHANIAH HAS USED METAPHOR IN HIS POEM. INCLUDES A WORD BANK AND A WRITING FRAME FOR A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF METAPHOR. PUPILS THEN ASKED TO WRITE THEIR OWN METAPHOR POEM OF BRITISHNESS.
Aimed at KS3, this scheme takes you through the morning after a girl called Ellie disappears from her home in the night. There is a village meeting, a bag found at the station containing items that Ellie has lost (giving possible clues to her disappearance), a group effort to put up missing posters, mime to the Beatles’ track She’s Leaving home and much more. Students really enjoy this scheme. Hope you do too!
This lesson is a general introduction into the artists and poets of the Romantic movement. Starts with a look at paintings by Turner and Constable, then moving onto 6 key Romantic poets - Wordsworth, Shelley, Coleridge, Keats, Byron and Blake. Ends with task to illustrate final stanza of Frost at Midnight to focus on presentation of Nature by Coleridge.
THIS LESSON COMPARES HELENA’S JEALOUSY OF HERMIA IN ACT 1 WITH HERMIA’S JEALOUS OF HELENA IN ACT 3 SCENE 2. THE EXTRACTS CAN BE USED TO EXAMINE THEIR CHANGING FRIENDSHIP AND TO EXAMINE SOME OF THE METAPHORS USED TO INSULT EACH OTHER.
Two lessons on Mary Robinson’s Gothic Romantic poem about a murderous fisherman shipwrecked on an island. Use of images at the start to predict mood and plot, followed by vocabulary match ups, questions and information related to the first five stanzas, consolidatory activities at the end of each lesson (including writing a message in a bottle) and a bonus extra task.
2 X LESSONS
Students will look at Victorian society and the rise in crime rates that triggered the rise of the police force. They are then introduced to Jack the Ripper and encouraged to think how the context of the time actually enabled Jack the Ripper to commit his crimes so successfully / why the police were unable to catch him. Plenary tasks asks why detective fiction may have been popular at this time.
Students look at the history of detective fiction, beginning with Poe / Murders at the Rue de Morgue. A focus on the character of the detective and detective conventions, testing knowledge by applying knowledge of conventions to extracts from The Sherlock Holmes Tale ‘The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire.’ Then, students look at images of Holmes study (Sherlock Holmes museum) and deduce ideas about his character. Lesson ends with fun observational skills competition where students spot the hidden animals in the pictures.