Dive into the intriguing world of Elizabethan literature with “Unraveling the Mystery of Shakespeare’s Authorship,” an engaging educational resource designed for secondary school students. This comprehensive guide challenges the widely accepted notion that William Shakespeare of Stratford wrote his famed plays and poems. Through a series of thought-provoking tasks and activities, students will explore alternative theories suggesting that Christopher Marlowe or Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, might be the true authors. Featuring detailed information sheets, interactive media, and critical thinking exercises, this resource fosters analytical skills and a deeper understanding of Elizabethan history and literature. Perfect for classroom use, “Unraveling the Mystery of Shakespeare’s Authorship” inspires curiosity and debate, encouraging students to form their own conclusions about one of literature’s greatest mysteries. Engage with historical contexts, evaluate compelling arguments, and become a literary detective in this captivating journey through time.

A task to support students with introducing Sherlock Holmes.

Full scheme of work and extra lessons/resources to support reading this novel.

A range of lessons to support a reading of The Little Mermaid

A template to support with long term planning for English units of work.

This unit introduces Year 7 students to the essential skills of reading, analysing, and writing non-fiction texts. It covers a wide range of non-fiction materials and uses reciprocal reading strategies to help students build confidence in understanding and evaluating these texts. A key focus is on how writers use language to convey meaning and structure their work to create impact. Students will also learn to produce various styles of non-fiction writing, using analysed texts as models. Key Skills • Systematically track texts using reciprocal reading strategies. • Select appropriate evidence. • Make inferences. • Use the ‘suggests’ formula for analysis. • Focus on reading skills: select, retrieve, and evaluate information. Key Concepts • Author’s purpose • Transactional writing • Summarise and synthesise information Assessment • Praising Stars assessment focusing on evaluative skills and detailed feedback on ‘Craft of the Writer’ questions. Weekly Breakdown Week 1: Identifying Non-fiction Text Types • Learning Outcomes: Identify differences between non-fiction text types; explain language techniques used. • Activities: Buzz and go activity to name non-fiction types, carousel tasks for text type identification, group presentations. • Support and Challenge: Mixed ability groups, language analysis. Week 2: Understanding Author’s Purpose • Learning Outcomes: Identify accurate evidence; explain the author’s purpose. • Activities: Discussions on video games, comprehension activities using reciprocal reading (RR) strategies. • Support and Challenge: Sentence starters, modeling predictions and summaries. Week 3: Analysing Language Use • Learning Outcomes: Analyse language use; independently identify information. • Activities: Debates on gaming addiction, tracking articles with RR strategies, writing responses to language questions. • Support and Challenge: Sentence starters, zooming in on language. Week 4: Craft of the Writer • Learning Outcomes: Explain the author’s use of language; identify appropriate evidence. • Activities: Discussions on heroism, RR strategies, writing ‘comment evidence this suggests’ paragraphs. • Support and Challenge: Predicting, clarifying, questioning, summarising strategies.

Full Scheme of Work - perfect to prepare students to move on to GCSE level analysis. Complete scheme that contains Power Points, reference to key scenes and worksheets. Covers creative writing, speaking and listening and language analysis. VISIT MY SHOP HERE FOR ALL NEW RESOURCES: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/AndrewJ056

A summary of the whole play to aid students’ revision.

To help with analysis and revision of a novel.

A lesson designed for students to understand the extract question by creating their own. Students can use the planning sheet to create their own questions and then they can swap with their peer so they can practice the question.

A great activity for securing knowledge of key narrative techniques using the quiz, quiz trade activity.

A 14+ slide Powerpoint, covering 3 to 4 lessons, on the poem ‘James Honeyman’ with analysis of the structure, language and the form. A range of handouts help secure understanding of this challenging poem.

This extensive collection of educational resources is meticulously designed to support a comprehensive reciprocal reading scheme of work for Year 7, Year 8, and Year 9 students. The materials include a variety of PowerPoint presentations and Word documents tailored to engage students and enhance their critical reading skills through a structured and diverse curriculum. Year 7 Reciprocal Reading: Content and Topics: “I’m A Celebrity” - Engages students with popular culture references. “Sponsorship of Cricket by KP Snacks” - Explores the intersection of sports and commercial sponsorship. “Harambe the Gorilla” - Discusses animal conservation and media portrayal. “Alice Coachman Davis” - Highlights the achievements of a notable historical figure in athletics. “Storm Ciara” - Examines natural disasters and their impact. Formats Available: PowerPoint presentations for interactive lessons. Text-only documents for focused reading activities. Goals: Enhance comprehension and critical thinking skills. Encourage discussion and analysis of diverse topics. Year 8 Reciprocal Reading: Content and Topics: “Protect Your Brain” - Focuses on mental health and neuroscience. “Barbie: Are They Tough Enough?” - Challenges societal expectations and stereotypes. “Athletes on the Brink” - Looks at the pressures faced by athletes. “Alan Turing” - Celebrates the contributions of a pioneering mathematician and codebreaker. Formats Available: Editable presentations for customised lessons. Text-only documents for in-depth reading. Goals: Develop higher-order thinking skills. Foster a deeper understanding of complex issues. Year 9 Reciprocal Reading: Content and Topics: “The American Dream and Poverty” - Explores socio-economic themes. “What Really Happened to Madeleine McCann” - Encourages critical analysis of a high-profile case. “Recycled Fibres: Are They Really Sustainable?” - Discusses sustainability and environmental impact. “Thwaites Glacier: Text Only” - Provides insights into climate change and geography. Formats Available: Comprehensive PowerPoint presentations. Detailed Word documents for thorough reading exercises. Goals: Prepare students for advanced critical reading and writing tasks. Cultivate an awareness of global and environmental issues.

Introducing an expertly crafted, full scheme of work for Year 9 English Literature centred around Barry Hines’ classic novel, “A Kestrel for a Knave.” This resource provides a robust, seven-week unit designed to deepen students’ understanding of the text, its themes, and its historical context. With two lessons per week, this scheme ensures thorough coverage and engagement with the novel. Key Features: 1. Literacy Focus & Assessment Objectives: • Emphasis on developing critical reading, comprehension, and analytical skills. • Alignment with key assessment objectives (AO1, AO3) ensuring targeted learning outcomes. 2. Engaging Weekly Themes: • Week 1: Context and Local History, exploring the novel’s setting and historical background. • Week 2: Language and Dialect, analysing how accent and dialogue contribute to character development. • Week 3: Class and Social Attitudes, examining themes of oppression and discrimination. • Week 4: School Life and Corporal Punishment, comparing past and present educational practices. • Week 5: Personal and Character Analysis, focusing on key characters and their development. • Week 6: Physical Education and Impressions of Mr Sugden, analysing the portrayal of school experiences. • Week 7: Assessment and Reflection, culminating in a comprehensive assessment and class discussions. 3. Varied Lesson Plans: • Context-Based Activities: Utilising images, film trailers, and active reading to introduce the novel’s background. • Interactive Tasks: Turned discussions, translation tasks, and dictionary skills to enhance comprehension. • Creative Homework Projects: Encouraging independent research, artistic expression, and reflective writing. 4. Linked Texts for Comparative Analysis: • Integration of complementary texts such as John Agard’s “Checking Out Me History” and Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” to draw thematic parallels and enrich understanding. 5. Assessment and Plenary Activities: • Structured tasks to reinforce learning and prepare students for assessments. • Plenary sessions to summarise lessons, encourage reflection, and solidify key concepts. 6. Homework Project: • A comprehensive, multi-faceted project that includes historical research, creative writing, and artistic tasks, with incentives for the best submissions. This scheme of work provides educators with a detailed, step-by-step plan to guide students through “A Kestrel for a Knave,” ensuring a rich and engaging learning experience. The resource is designed to foster critical thinking, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for literature, making it an invaluable addition to any Year 9 English curriculum.

This unit of work aims to develop students’ reading skills and develops their ability to respond to GCSE style questions for English language. Students will develop their select and retrieve skills (English Language AO1). Students will learn how to select accurate evidence from the text and will practise writing up their responses in a timely manner. Explaining the effect of the writer’s choices will be another key focus throughout the unit, with an emphasis on creating ‘quality comments’, allowing students to gain higher marks for AO2 style ‘how’ questions. Students will also be taught how to analyse the author’s choices of language using accurate subject terminology. Students will be introduced to a range of non-fiction texts and how to evaluate a writer’s viewpoint as presented in a text (English Language AO4). Students will also be given the opportunity to develop their narrative and transactional writing skills, with the focus being on developing depth and detail in their writing.

Unlock the potential of your Year 9 students with this comprehensive non-fiction reading scheme of work. This expertly designed programme includes a series of engaging lessons focused on key skills such as information retrieval, the craft of the writer, synthesis, and comparison. Each lesson is meticulously planned to foster critical thinking, analytical skills, and a deep understanding of non-fiction texts. Key Features: • Detailed Lesson Plans: A sequence of 10 structured lessons, each with clear learning objectives and outcomes. • Interactive Activities: Diverse starter activities like search and find, synthesis, and comparison tasks to captivate students’ interest. • PowerPoint Presentations: Visually appealing slides for each lesson to guide teaching and enhance learning. • Worksheets: Comprehensive and differentiated worksheets to support students’ practice and assessment. • Assessment Focus: ARE (Age-Related Expectations) aligned activities and assessments to monitor and track student progress. Highlights of the Scheme: 1. Information Retrieval: Teach students how to effectively locate and record key information from texts. 2. Craft of the Writer: Develop students’ ability to analyse and understand the techniques writers use to persuade and engage readers. 3. Synthesis and Comparison: Equip students with skills to summarise information and compare viewpoints from different texts. 4. Persuasive Writing: Guide students through the process of identifying and evaluating persuasive techniques in writing. Lesson Overview: • Lesson 1: Introduction to information retrieval through a search and find activity focusing on effective bullet-point use and sentence writing. • Lesson 2: Craft of the writer analysis, examining how language and structure are used to present information. • Lesson 3: Persuasive writing techniques, exploring how writers influence readers’ opinions. • Lesson 4: Detailed examination of argumentative texts, identifying key persuasive language. • Lesson 5: Analytical paragraph construction, focusing on evidence and comment techniques. • Lesson 6: Assessment of understanding through a crafted writer analysis task. • Lesson 7: Introduction to synthesis, comparing different texts’ viewpoints. • Lesson 8: Practising synthesis and comparison, focusing on summarising and contrasting main points. • Lesson 9: Advanced comparison tasks, integrating skills from previous lessons. • Lesson 10: Final assessment on synthesis and comparison, applying learned techniques to new texts. This scheme of work is designed to not only improve students’ reading and analytical skills but also to make non-fiction texts engaging and accessible. Perfect for secondary school educators aiming to enhance their English curriculum and boost student outcomes.

Unlock the full potential of your narrative writing with our comprehensive resource, “Enhance Your Narrative Writing: Descriptive Writing Tasks.” This PowerPoint presentation is designed to help students master the art of descriptive writing, a crucial skill for crafting engaging and realistic narratives. Key Features: 1. Importance of Description: Understand why descriptive writing is vital for creating immersive and believable stories. Learn how detailed descriptions can transport readers to the scene and breathe life into characters. 2. Writing Techniques: Discover practical tips for incorporating description into your writing. From spelling and punctuation to maintaining tense and proofreading, this resource covers all the basics. 3. Vocabulary Enhancement: Expand your vocabulary and learn how to use precise language to add depth and realism to your narratives. 4. Detailed Examples: Explore rich examples of descriptive writing that illustrate the effective use of sensory details. See how to describe scenes, actions, and characters vividly. 5. Interactive Exercises: Engage with interactive tasks that encourage you to apply what you’ve learned. Describe scenes from provided images, focusing on small details and realistic actions. 6. Character Interaction: Think about character behaviours and dialogue, and learn how to depict interactions in a detailed, step-by-step manner. 7. Proofreading Tips: Get essential advice on proofreading your work to ensure it is polished and professional. Whether you are a student aiming to improve your narrative writing skills or an educator seeking effective teaching tools, “Enhance Your Narrative Writing: Descriptive Writing Tasks” offers valuable guidance and practical exercises to elevate your writing to the next level.

This extensive scheme of work provides secondary school educators with a rich collection of resources to explore British literature, history, and social issues. From the significant role of the Poet Laureate to the intricacies of the British Monarchy, military history, and the poignant themes in Oscar Wilde’s works, this collection is designed to engage students in deep, critical thinking and creative expression. With a mix of PowerPoint presentations, worksheets, newspaper article assignments, and creative writing exercises, teachers are equipped to deliver a dynamic and interactive learning experience that covers essential historical events and literary masterpieces.

Embark on an imaginative journey with the “Stars in Your Eyes” Home Learning Project, designed to spark creativity and enhance various literacy skills in secondary school students. This project engages students in a series of exciting tasks where they envision themselves as famous personalities. Through these activities, students will develop their writing, presentation, and critical thinking skills while having fun. Project Outline: 1. Promotional Poster: • Task: Create a sensational promotional poster for yourself as a famous personality. • Skills: Use of presentational devices, sensational language. 2. Diary Entry: • Task: Write a diary entry detailing a day in your exciting life. • Skills: First-person narrative, chronological writing, use of time connectives. 3. Motivational Speech: • Task: Compose a motivational speech by your agent or mentor to get you focused before a big event. • Skills: Persuasive language, first-person perspective, use of exaggeration. 4. Formal Invitation: • Task: Write a formal invitation to a celebrity ball. • Skills: Layout design, use of formal vocabulary. 5. Playscript Scene: • Task: Imagine and write a scene at the celebrity ball, formatted as a play. • Skills: Scriptwriting, proper layout, stage directions. 6. Newspaper Article: • Task: Write a sensational newspaper article about the celebrity ball. • Skills: Newspaper layout, sensationalism in writing. 7. Celebrity Biography: • Task: Write a biography of your life, highlighting key or exciting events. • Skills: Third-person narrative, chronological order, use of time connectives. This resource provides a structured yet flexible framework that allows students to explore different genres of writing and presentation. It encourages self-expression and the development of literacy skills in a fun, engaging manner. Perfect for home learning, this project will keep students motivated and entertained while enhancing their educational experience.

This comprehensive six-week scheme of work, titled “Heroes and Villains,” is designed for Year 9 students, focusing on narrative writing, content organisation, and written accuracy. It includes detailed lesson plans, engaging PowerPoint presentations, and a variety of activities to enhance students’ creative writing skills. Week-by-Week Breakdown: Week 1: Archetypes and Adaptation • Texts: Robin Hood and King Arthur • Activities: Students will explore the archetypes of heroes and villains, focusing on what makes an epic story. They will write their own adaptation of either a Robin Hood or King Arthur story. • Objective: Understand and create epic narratives. Week 2: Children’s Stories • Texts: Jungle Book, Matilda, and Peter Pan • Activities: Students will rewrite a key scene from one of these texts from the villain’s point of view, focusing on narrative perspective. • Objective: Develop skills in shifting narrative perspectives. Weeks 3 & 4: Historical Fiction and Revolution • Texts: Hamilton • Activities: Through mini-writing exercises, students will write letters between Hamilton and Eliza, create a song/rap for a character, and write about the Battle of Yorktown from different perspectives. • Objective: Enhance creativity and engage the reader.