I am a Co-Founder and Director of Curriculum for a charity called Park Street Education. I also run my own tutoring agency called 'The English Tutor'. I take a ton of pride in the creation of my resources and I hope that they will save you precious planning time as well as engaging your students.
Please download some of my FREE resources to see the quality of my material. If you don't see a resource you need, then get in touch - I take commissions! My email is samanthajayne13@live.co.uk
I am a Co-Founder and Director of Curriculum for a charity called Park Street Education. I also run my own tutoring agency called 'The English Tutor'. I take a ton of pride in the creation of my resources and I hope that they will save you precious planning time as well as engaging your students.
Please download some of my FREE resources to see the quality of my material. If you don't see a resource you need, then get in touch - I take commissions! My email is samanthajayne13@live.co.uk
A lesson on an extract from ‘The Woman in Black’ (Whistle and I’ll Come to You) from the Edexcel iGCSE English Language Anthology. The PowerPoint includes analysis, discussion questions and homework activities.
**Banned Books Scheme of Work: Engaging and Thought-Provoking Lessons for KS3/KS4 English **
This comprehensive scheme of work explores the theme of censorship through the lens of banned books, offering a series of interactive and engaging lessons for KS3 and KS4 students. The resource covers a variety of controversial and thought-provoking texts, including Fahrenheit 451, I Am Malala, Alice in Wonderland, The Hate U Give, Harry Potter, and many more. Each lesson is designed to encourage critical thinking, empathy, and a deeper understanding of societal issues.
What’s Included:
10 Complete Lessons: PowerPoint presentations that guide students through each text with a blend of discussion prompts, extracts, historical context, and multimedia resources.
Diverse Themes: Lessons cover a wide range of topics such as freedom of speech, race, gender, mental health, and the impact of literature on society.
Engaging Activities: Each lesson incorporates activities like group discussions, debates, creative writing, and presentations, helping students develop their analytical and expressive skills.
Presentation Project: The final lesson encourages students to create their own presentations on a banned book, fostering independent research and public speaking skills.
**Why This Resource? **
Perfect for English teachers looking to inspire curiosity and promote critical engagement, this scheme of work not only aligns with curriculum objectives but also brings real-world relevance into the classroom. It offers structured lessons with all the necessary resources, including videos, extracts, and comprehension questions, to make implementation easy and effective.
Keywords: KS3, KS4, banned books, censorship, literature, English lessons, critical thinking, debate, social issues, freedom of speech, book challenges, interactive learning.
This engaging and thought-provoking scheme of work ensures students connect literature with the world around them, making for a powerful addition to any English curriculum.
A comprehensive resource pack on Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’. Assessments are tailored towards the OCR A level English course, however, could be adapted for a number of other exam boards. There are a number of practice assessments with model answers.
Book Report Challenge: Engaging Independent Learning for KS2/KS3
This comprehensive Book Report Challenge resource is designed to foster independent learning and critical thinking in KS2 and KS3 students. Ideal for term-long projects, this resource guides students through the process of reading a book and completing a variety of fun, creative tasks based on their chosen text. Whether you’re working on developing students’ love for reading or encouraging them to take ownership of their learning, this resource has everything you need to inspire and challenge your class.
What’s Included:
Step-by-Step Guidance: The resource provides a structured pathway, starting with students selecting a book and offering reading tips to help them manage their time effectively.
10 Creative Challenges: Students are tasked with completing three out of 10 engaging challenges, such as writing a sequel, redesigning a book cover, creating a social media profile for a character, or even designing a board game based on the book. These activities encourage creativity and critical engagement with the text.
Reading Recommendations: Suggested reading lists are provided, featuring popular titles like The Wrath and the Dawn, The Red Queen, Holes, The Book Thief, and more, while also giving students the freedom to choose their own books.
Final Project Ideas: Students can wrap up the project by delivering a book review, a presentation, or even creating an alternative ending to the story.
Why This Resource?
This Book Report Challenge is perfect for encouraging students to read independently while developing key literacy skills. It’s versatile and adaptable, allowing teachers to integrate it into the classroom as a long-term assignment or a summer reading project. The creative tasks ensure students remain engaged, and the wide range of book choices helps cater to different reading levels and interests.
Keywords: KS2, KS3, independent learning, book report, creative writing, reading comprehension, book projects, English lessons, literacy, book recommendations, critical thinking.
A lesson on The Explorer’s Daughter by Kari Herbert - Edexcel iGCSE English Language Anthology. Full PowerPoint with analysis, discussion questions and a creative writing homework activity.
Lesson Summary: Young and Dyslexic
This lesson explores Benjamin Zephaniah’s article Young and Dyslexic? You’ve Got It Going On, where he reflects on his experiences growing up with dyslexia and how he transformed this challenge into a strength. The lesson guides students through an analysis of how Zephaniah uses language to connect with his audience and convey his message of resilience and empowerment for dyslexic individuals.
Lesson Objectives:
Understand Zephaniah’s perspective on dyslexia and how he uses his experience to inspire others.
Analyse the use of language, tone, and anecdotes to connect with the reader and convey a positive message.
Reflect on the broader implications of the education system and societal views on learning differences.
Activities:
Group discussions on personal challenges in learning and the perceptions of dyslexia.
Guided reading to identify and interpret key literary techniques, such as metaphor, tone, and anecdote.
A creative task where students design a poster summarising Zephaniah’s message, aiming to challenge the stigma around dyslexia.
Skills Developed:
Analytical reading and interpretation, focusing on non-fiction texts and the author’s use of language and structure.
Empathy and understanding through the exploration of learning difficulties and the importance of resilience.
Creative expression through visual and written tasks that engage students with the material.
The Hunger Games Scheme of Work: 13 Engaging Lessons for KS3 English with Creative Final Assessment
This comprehensive 13-lesson scheme of work is designed to immerse KS3 students in Suzanne Collins’ thrilling novel The Hunger Games. Through detailed analysis of characters, themes, and literary techniques, students will explore the deeper meanings behind the text while participating in a variety of creative and analytical activities. The scheme culminates in a unique final assessment where students design their own version of the Hunger Games and participate in an interview-style reflection.
It was designed during the pandemic for online learning but can easily be adapted for classroom use.
What’s Included:
13 Complete Lessons: Each PowerPoint lesson covers specific chapters and themes from The Hunger Games, with structured activities such as reading comprehension, discussions, and group work.
Character and Theme Analysis: Lessons focus on key themes like survival, inequality, and rebellion, alongside character studies of Katniss, Peeta, and other significant figures.
Literary Devices and Techniques: Exploration of techniques such as symbolism, foreshadowing, and narrative structure, helping students develop a deeper understanding of how the novel is crafted.
Creative and Analytical Activities: Varied tasks such as creative writing, role-playing, debates, and group presentations ensure that students engage actively with the text.
Contextual Studies: Lessons connect the dystopian world of The Hunger Games with real-world issues, such as political oppression and media manipulation, making the content relevant to students’ lives.
Final Creative Assessment: Students design their own Hunger Games as part of the culminating assessment. This task challenges them to create a new arena, rules, and tributes, followed by a reflective interview where they discuss their design decisions and the moral implications of the games.
Exam and Assessment Preparation: Opportunities for students to practice analytical writing and respond to GCSE-style questions, preparing them for future exams.
Why This Resource?
This scheme of work is perfect for KS3 teachers who want to engage their students with a modern literary classic while fostering key skills in critical thinking, creative expression, and literary analysis. The creative final assessment provides an opportunity for students to apply their understanding of the novel in an imaginative and reflective way, making it both an enjoyable and educational experience.
Keywords: KS3 English, The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins, literature analysis, dystopian fiction, creative writing, final assessment, design your own Hunger Games, critical thinking, exam preparation.
This engaging and versatile resource ensures students not only explore the novel in depth but also express their creativity through a unique final assessment, helping them connect with the story on a personal level.
A detailed unit of work for ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ including lots of articles and extracts for wider reading. There are PowerPoints for each chapter and suggested assignments throughout.
The bundle includes:
A full unit of work on the core text ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’
Practice questions for the critical appreciation component of the course
A Greek Myth Collection:
An Introduction
Prometheus and Pandora
Demeter and Persephone
Theseus and the Minotaur
The Golden Fleece
Heracles
Perseus
Orpheus and Eurydice
Lesson Summary: A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat
This lesson explores Emma Levine’s travelogue extract “A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat,” which describes a donkey race in Karachi, Pakistan. The lesson engages students in analysing how Levine uses language and structure to create excitement, build tension, and provide a humorous account of cultural experiences. Students will examine literary techniques such as metaphor, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia, and discuss their effects on the reader.
Lesson Objectives:
Analyse how language and structural choices create excitement and build tension.
Understand and identify literary devices such as metaphors, similes, and personification.
Explore the cultural and social context of the narrative to deepen comprehension.
Activities:
Group discussion on the extract’s themes, including cultural differences and the appeal of unusual sports.
Identification of literary techniques and their impact through guided reading and annotation exercises.
Creative writing task where students craft their own sports commentary using similar devices to those found in Levine’s writing.
Skills Developed:
Critical analysis of text and understanding of authorial choices.
Empathy and cultural awareness through the exploration of diverse experiences.
Creative writing skills by applying learned techniques to original stories.
This booklet contains a variety of unseen passages for the unit on ‘The Immigrant Experience’.
Texts include:
‘American and I’ - Anzia Yezierska
‘Exit West’ – Mohsin Hamid
‘Brick Lane’ – Monica Ali
‘Enemies: A Love Story’ – Isaac Bashevis Singer
‘The Assistant’ – Bernard Malamud
‘The Namesake’ – Jhumpa Lahiri
‘The Buddha in the Attic’ – Julie Otsuka
‘The Lonely Londoners’ – Sam Selvon
’The Road Home’ - Rose Tremain
‘Terrorist’ – John Updike
‘My New American Life’ – Francine Prose
‘The Fortunate Pilgrim’ – Mario Puzo
‘The Association of Small Bombs’ – Karan Mahajan
‘Black-Eyed Women’ from ‘The Refugees’ - Viet Thanh Nguyen
‘The Secret River’ – Kate Grenville
‘The Third and Final Continent’ from ‘Interpreter of Maladies’ - Jhumpa Lahiri
’Call it Sleep’ - Henry Roth
‘A Long Way Home’ – Saroo Brierley
‘The Blue Between Sky and Water’ – Susan Abulhawa
‘Shantaram’ – David Gregory Roberts
’Eva’s Story’ - Eva Schloss
‘Girl in Translation’ – Jean Kwok
‘Café Scheherazade’ – Arnold Zable
‘Brooklyn’ - Colm Tóibín
I set ‘The Blue Between Sky and Water’ as a Mock Examination so I have included indicative content for this which would work as a mark scheme and two model answers for ‘A Long Way Home’ and ‘Brooklyn’.
A full scheme of work on Jasmine Warga’s ‘Other Words for Home’, a novel written in free verse about a Syrian family who flee the war and move to the US.
Piano by D.H. Lawrence: A Comprehensive GCSE Poetry Lesson
This detailed GCSE lesson on D.H. Lawrence’s Piano is designed to help students analyse the poem’s themes, language, and structure while building essential skills for their English Literature exams. Through a combination of close reading, literary analysis, and contextual exploration, students will gain a deeper understanding of the emotional power of the poem and its reflection on memory, nostalgia, and the passage of time.
What’s Included:
Stanza-by-Stanza Analysis: A detailed breakdown of Piano, examining how Lawrence uses memory and music to evoke the speaker’s emotions and reflections on childhood.
Focus on Literary Techniques: Exploration of key literary devices, including imagery, symbolism, rhyme, and rhythm, highlighting how they contribute to the poem’s mood and deeper meaning.
Historical and Biographical Context: Insight into D.H. Lawrence’s life and the societal context of the poem, helping students understand the personal and historical influences behind the text.
GCSE Exam Preparation: Structured questions and tasks modelled on GCSE exam-style prompts, helping students practise analytical writing and engage with the poem on a critical level.
Creative and Analytical Activities: Activities such as reflective writing, comparison tasks, and close reading exercises, encouraging students to connect the themes of the poem to their own experiences of memory and emotion.
Why This Resource?
This resource is perfect for GCSE English Literature teachers looking to equip students with the analytical tools necessary for their exams. It provides structured lessons that promote both literary analysis and personal reflection, helping students develop a comprehensive understanding of Piano and its emotional impact.
Keywords: GCSE, Piano, D.H. Lawrence, poetry analysis, literary devices, memory, nostalgia, GCSE English Literature, exam preparation, stanza analysis.
This resource offers all the tools needed to guide students through a detailed exploration of Piano while preparing them for their GCSE English Literature exams.
Lesson Summary: Chinese Cinderella
This lesson explores an extract from Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah, focusing on her experiences growing up in a wealthy yet emotionally neglectful family in 1950s Hong Kong. The lesson guides students through the analysis of how the author uses language and imagery to convey her feelings of isolation, fear, and hope. Through discussion and structured activities, students will deepen their understanding of autobiographical writing and the historical and cultural context of the narrative.
Lesson Objectives:
Analyse how Adeline Yen Mah uses literary devices and imagery to convey her emotions and experiences.
Understand the cultural and familial context influencing the author’s upbringing.
Engage with autobiographical writing to identify its typical features and explore its purpose.
Activities:
Group discussions exploring students’ own experiences and cultural perspectives on family expectations and education.
Guided reading focusing on identifying and interpreting language techniques such as metaphors, similes, and allusions.
Creative writing task where students compose a diary entry from Adeline’s perspective, capturing her emotions after learning she will study abroad.
Skills Developed:
Analytical reading and interpretation of autobiographical texts, focusing on language and structure.
Empathy and cultural awareness through examining familial dynamics and societal expectations.
Creative expression through writing tasks that encourage personal engagement with the text.
A lesson on a poem called ‘Lockdown’ by Brother Richard about the coronavirus pandemic. The critical terminology is quite advanced but could be adapted to suit younger year groups. I taught the lesson to a group of students in China and their responses to the poem were amazing!
ADDITION TO LESSON: I’ve now included a PDF of a poem I wrote as a homework activity.
Lesson produced for Park Street Education.
https://parkstreetedu.com/
In celebration of Terry Fox day this Sunday, our students will be combining History and English as they learn the history behind Terry’s Marathon of Hope and examine the persuasive writing used in his letter to Adidas for sponsorship. Terry Fox’s determination, hope, and belief in miracles is unparalleled and inspirational to Canadians across the country.
This is a comprehensive lesson on an extract from the poem ‘Out of the Blue’ by Simon Armitage, a poem about 9/11 written for Park Street Education: https://parkstreetedu.com/
The lesson includes: context, discussion questions, images from the attacks, a video clip, a line by line analysis and two options for homework activities.
This is suitable for Grade 8 and above, though could be adapted to suit a younger audience.
As the lesson contains distressing content, it is advised that teachers and parents assess the suitability of the material based on the individual students they will be teaching.