If you’re teaching narrative or descriptive writing you could use this to help students gather sensory detail from a photograph or other image.

Thank you to TES user RichardGLamb for the texts. I’ve generated sample answers for each question in note form.

This crossword is based on the extract from novel that begins, ‘It was a dreary night of November’ down to ‘…black and comfortless sky’. Suitable for middle-ability KS3.

A PowerPoint that can be used to teach or revise AQA 8700 Language Paper 1, Question 2 - the 8 mark language question. The main question is based on an extract from George Orwell’s ‘1984’. If you purchase this resource, please be aware that you will need to source the extract for yourself. It is from the opening chapter of the novel, from ‘It was a bright, cold day in April’ down to, ‘Only the Thought Police mattered’. The entry task is based on a link to a YouTube video which outlines the plot of the novel. Learners listen out for the answers to 9 questions. After a short Q1-style task, the lesson then moves onto the main extract, which is accompanied by a sample exam question. Learners read and highlight the extract in relation to the question and then feedback. There are some key point on the language question to go through followed by a sample answer/WAGOLL. Learners then taken ten minutes to write their own responses and peer assess.

A full lesson on the extract from ‘The Prelude’ in the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology. The entry task is a short multiple choice quiz entitled ‘How Romantic Are You?’. The aim of this is for students to identify how closely their own ideas tie-in with those of the Romantic poets. Students then use a detailed context sheet to create a mind map of contextual influences on the poet Wordsworth. This is followed by an annotated copy of the extract and two questions on the poem: one just on the extract itself and one comparison question. I have provided a WAGOLL for the question on the poem itself. Finally, students peer assess their responses using success criteria. The whole PPT is likely to take more than an hour - probably more like 2 - and it aimed at higher ability learners.

A crossword that tests learners’ awareness of the following terms: foot quatrain enjambment blank verse tercet refrain sonnet personification iamb trochee stanza sestet A teacher copy with the answers is also provided. Could be used as a starter into an unseen poetry task. This document was last saved in Word 2016.

A PowerPoint that can be used to teach or revise AQA 8700 Language Paper 1, Question 2 - the 8 mark language question. The main question is based on an extract from Paula Hawkins’ ‘The Girl on the Train’. If you purchase this resource, please be aware that you will need to source the extract for yourself. It is the opening chapter of the novel, from ‘There is a pile of clothing…’ down to ‘…not a drop left’. The entry task is based on an extract from an 1888 article about Jack the Ripper. Learners examine the extract and think about how the writer has portrayed the subject of the article. This extract is then presented on slides 3-4 so it can be annotated. Two short excerpt from sample responses are then provided for comparison. Learners should identify which response would be likely to score more highly and suggest reasons why. The lesson then moves onto the main extract, which is accompanied by a sample exam question. Learners read and highlight the extract in relation to the question and then feedback. There are some key point on the language question to go through followed by a sample answer/WAGOLL. Learners then taken ten minutes to write their own responses and peer assess.

A PPT that enables an exploration of Shelley’s ‘Ozymandias’. As with many of my other Power and Conflict lessons, the emphasis is on independent learning, so you might wish to ask learners to work in pairs or groups for the activities. The content is aimed at upper ability groups. This lesson comes with a detailed context sheet and a modern translation of the poem.

A PPT that enables an exploration of ‘London’ by William Blake. The lesson includes: A true or false entry task that provides some hints about the context of the poem. A handout on the context of the poem with an accompanying worksheet. A guidance sheet to prompt annotation of the poem. 3 differentiated extended response questions. The lesson is aimed at upper-ability learners and should last 1.5-2 hours approximately.

A full lesson on Heaney’s ‘Storm on the Island’. It incorporates: A brief scansion entry task Learners then read the poem and form initial impressions, giving reasons for their interpretations. There is then a vocabulary task relevant to the context of the poem. Learners read a sheet entitled 'Different Interpretations of ‘Storm on the Island’ which provides a brief introduction to the political situation in Northern Ireland. Learners use this information to respond to questions on a worksheet. Learners can then annotate the poem using a guidance sheet. The whole lesson is likely to take 1.5-2 hours approx. It is aimed at higher ability learners.

A PowerPoint that enables an exploration of ‘The Emigree’ by Carol Rumens. Learners begin with an entry task that encourages them to think about some relevant vocabulary and then explore the poem’s context in terms of Rumens’ interest in the poetry of Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam. A series of questions are provided to prompt annotation of the poem - this could be done in small groups or pairs. Learners should them complete the comparison table, thinking about how ‘The Emigree’ shares similar ideas with ‘Kamikaze’. There is an opportunity to explore a related poem as an unseen poetry task. For this, you will need copies of ‘I am not one who left their land’ by Anna Akhmatova. This lesson is aimed at upper ability learners and is likely to take about two hours approx.

A four-week, fully-resourced unit of work on Roald Dahl’s ‘The Twits’. There are 12 powerpoints, each intended to last about an hour each. Each lesson is aimed at low ability Year 7 students but could be appropriate to a Year 5-6 group. It was designed as an end-of-year unit of work to be used by cover staff. Please note that the novel ‘The Twits’ is not included and will need to be obtained separately.

A 12-slide powerpoint that guides an exploration of ‘Kamikaze’ by Beatrice Garland in the AQA P&C anthology. After thinking about the meaning of the word ‘Kamikaze’, learners explore the historical context of the poem using a context notes sheet and accompanying worksheet. Learners explore the poem using a range of questions for each stanza. This could be done in pairs, groups or individually. The exploration of the poem is followed by a GCSE-style question that encourages learners to think about how ‘Kamikaze’ compares with ‘Remains’ in terms of the impact of conflict. There is a comparison table for learners to fill in (teacher answers provided) and then learners undertake the question. The lesson concludes with peer assessment using a mark scheme with indicative content for each lesson. The whole session should take approximately 2 hours. The lesson is aimed at middle-upper ability learners. If you choose to purchase this resource, please also ensure that you also download my free Power and Conflict Mark Scheme that is based on the AQA original: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/power-and-conflict-mark-scheme-11931715

This lesson provides an alternative to : https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/my-last-duchess-11887073 In this lesson: Learners use a context notes sheet and its accompanying worksheet to generate a collection of ideas about the historical context of the poem. There are links to two different video clips in which the poem is recited. Learners then discuss their answers to a series of comprehension questions on the poem. Teacher answers provided. Learners go on to annotate the poem using the context sheet and a prompt sheet. Learners will need their own copy of the poem. Slide 7 provides a glossary of the more unfamiliar terms in the poem. The final slide presents 4 different long-answer questions which can be explored in groups and used a basis for group presentations.

A 25-slide PPT that enables an exploration of Tennyson’s ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’. It covers the contextual background and the concept of dactylic dimeter. A series of questions are provided to prompt annotation of the poem. Suggested answers to the questions are included for those that may be unfamiliar with the poem.

I’ve endeavoured to create a mark scheme for the Power and Conflict poetry with indicative content, similar to the Language papers for AQA 8700/1 + 2. I’m not an examiner for this course so would be grateful for any constructive feedback.

A 217-slide PowerPoint that aims to teach article writing at KS3. Learners read a range of broadsheet and tabloid texts on the theme of crime and punishment and complete reading and writing activities based on each. The article questions set are oriented towards AQA 8700 Paper 2, Question 5 but could be adapted for other boards. Links to each article and report are provided. The whole unit covers about 8-10 weeks and was written with a high ability year 8 group in mind. This resource includes a ZIP file containing 44 files including the core PowerPoint. If there are download issues, please email me at SD English using the email address provided in my shop front.

A learning mat that summarises the basic layout of an article and an essay and the structure of a full paragraph. Sold separately here but will eventually become part of a KS3 unti of work on article writing, all being well. Suited to higher ability KS3.

A fully-resourced unit of work for SEN students who need a general understanding of the play before approaching the original text in KS4. The unit includes an adapted script in modern English. The PPT is just over 140 slides long and is intended to provide 8-10 weeks’ worth of work for low ability and SEN students. It guides students through the adapted Acts 1-5 and provides a range of comprehension and vocab exercises. It culminates in an assessment that makes use of both short-answer questions and one long-answer question on Romeo as a tragic hero. Suitable for teachers and non-specialists with a low ability KS3 group. If you would prefer to buy the adapted script separately, it is available here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/romeo-and-juliet-sen-script-11892212 NB. On slide 128, I’ve discovered that the multi-coloured text boxes look slightly out of place on different computers. If this is the case, it is simply a question of adjusting them slightly to put them back over the appropriate squares. UPDATE: Core PPT tweaked and 2 new starters added. Please email me with any queries.