Aimed at low ability KS4; differentiated analysis charts included.

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 2 - begins with a hunt for insect/creature metaphors; builds to students creating a mimed version of the scene to explore the tension and relationship between the Macbeths. Designed for a top set, G+T class.

Macbeth Act 3 Scene 1 - ‘Spirals of Violence’ - Made for more able/ G+T top set - will need scaffolding down appropriate to group; final analysis task would need a checklist of skills/PEAL/PETAR writing frame

Aimed at KS4; using a picture of the Maunsell Forts and a specific emotion card, students will generate a piece of descriptive writing with the aim of creating a certain emotion/tone. This powerpoint includes both simple tones/emotions and a trio of more advanced concepts (alienation, rapture, melancholy) that can be adjusted to suit the group. Best used later in a descriptive writing SOW.

Building an analysis of the characterisation of Phil; discussion of evidence choice, key word ‘zooming in’ and analytical paragraph model.

Revision booklet on the character’s of DNA.

Lesson on ‘Flag’ by John Agard - aimed at a low ability set 5, but has differentiation and challenge available. Students are put into small groups and must do a deep analysis/annotation of a given stanza. There are prompting questions/.checklists and a ‘challenge’ card they can use as well. This is followed by a ‘PEAL’ style writing task that can be easily adapted.

A homework task and follow up peer assessment lesson. It’s an AQA Paper 2 Section B style task (letter to council on knife crime) written at home, and then peer assessed in lesson, then redrafted as even more homework! Peer assessment is based on a checklist chart that could be adapted to suit the needs of your group/suit the common language used in your department. Use of the peer assessment chart must be modeled for this to work effectively! Made for a high ability Year 9 group for an AQA style unit on ‘Crime and Punishment’ (the theme, not Dostoevsky).

Lesson on Imtiaz Dharker’s The Right Word - aimed at Year 7, part of a larger poetry unit looking at marginalised voices. Could easily be adapted up for Year 8 or 9.

Resource that includes copies of Macbeth’s first and last soliloquies with prompts for annotations. Students are then to consider how Macbeth’s character changes between these two extracts. Could be competed in pairs and used as the basis for class discussion.

Whole mock Section A (Modern Literature) for OCR spec Part A - Comparison between DNA and White Boy Part B - Where else in the play is leadership challenged?

Combination of knowledge recall, quote memorisation, extended reading, extract annotation, and finally, written analysis, all in one handy-dandy worksheet! Powerpoints be damned!

A simple but effective revision task that has students craft opening statements about a variety of topics in The Great Gatsby.

Act by Act quizzes for Twelfth Night - quite difficult and may need to be adapted to support younger students! Includes: Fill in the blank summaries and ‘who said it’ and ‘to whom’ questions. Best for those studying TN at a deeper level/KS4/KS5.

A fun speech writing lessons that can easily be adapted up or down for Year 7-11. Some background knowledge of logos, ethos, pathos and rhetorical devices needed. Otherwise, this will need to be embedded into the lesson or taught before hand.

A workbook that support the study of TTTH - good for long term cover, homework, or as a mini SOW. Adaptations encouraged.

A resource that outlines the main ways Shakespeare’s language is confusing to a modern reader. May need to be slimmed down for less confident or younger students.

A first week’s introduction to the themes and societal context of the play DNA by Dennis Kelly. Resource adapted by me from another.

Great set of worksheets on OMAM that have them answer reflection questions on themes followed by comprehension tasks. Excellent for cover in a pinch!

Quick little activity on matching up 1930s slang terms used in OMAM, along with an answer sheet.