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
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 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.
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok: An Engaging Lesson for KS3/KS4 English
This comprehensive lesson is based on Jean Kwok’s novel Girl in Translation, offering KS3 and KS4 students the opportunity to explore themes of immigration, cultural identity, and resilience. The resource provides detailed analysis, discussion prompts, and creative tasks, helping students connect with the novel’s powerful themes while developing their critical reading and writing skills.
What’s Included:
Close Textual Analysis: A thorough examination of key passages from Girl in Translation, focusing on how Kwok uses language and structure to explore themes such as identity, cultural conflict, and family.
Discussion and Comprehension Questions: Engaging prompts encourage students to critically reflect on the protagonist’s experiences, stimulating meaningful class discussions.
Creative and Analytical Activities: A range of tasks, including creative writing and group work, allowing students to deepen their understanding of the novel and relate it to their own experiences.
Contextual Background: Insight into the novel’s historical and social context, helping students understand the challenges faced by immigrants and the importance of cultural identity.
Exam Preparation: Structured activities designed to develop skills in close reading, literary analysis, and essay writing, ideal for preparing students for their English exams.
Why This Resource?
This resource is perfect for KS3 and KS4 English teachers looking to engage students with a contemporary novel that deals with relevant social issues. It promotes critical thinking, empathy, and analytical skills while providing a rich understanding of the text and its themes.
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.
A lesson on an extract from ‘A Long Way Home’ by Saroo Brierley. The memoir has been adapted into a film called ‘Lion’. The extract takes place when Saroo arrives at his new home in Hobart, Tasmania. The lesson includes discussion questions, language analysis, a video clip from the film and a homework activity.
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 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.
A poetry lesson on the speech ‘All the World’s a Stage’ from ‘As You Like It’. The PowerPoint includes a line by line analysis and homework activities. Can be adapted to suit various age groups.
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.
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.
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.
