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Spagbag

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A teacher and tutor with more than thirty years' experience working in both mainstream and independent schools. I have an Honours degree in English Literature and Linguistics from UEA and have written a dissertation about encouraging children to write. I am a mother of three and interested in all things green. I am in the process of setting up my TES shop and hope to launch my "Spagbag" resources which are suitable for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.

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A teacher and tutor with more than thirty years' experience working in both mainstream and independent schools. I have an Honours degree in English Literature and Linguistics from UEA and have written a dissertation about encouraging children to write. I am a mother of three and interested in all things green. I am in the process of setting up my TES shop and hope to launch my "Spagbag" resources which are suitable for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.
Punctuate with Potter in The Chamber of Secrets
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Punctuate with Potter in The Chamber of Secrets

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This animated Power Point asks pupils to punctuate passages from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The selected passages will test knowledge of proper nouns, apostrophes for contraction, hyphens, colons, brackets, speech marks and much more besides. The answers will appear as if by magic. There is an activity to invent muggle words from some of the characters' names and a bonus question to test knowledge of the book. Pupils are asked to write a formal letter to Harry complaining about inappropriate use of his wizarding skills. This is an ideal way to test knowledge of punctuation and encourage reading at the same time. Suitable for ages 10+
humans vs computers
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humans vs computers

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This animated Power Point presentation discusses the evolutionary future of the human race and the part modern technology plays in that futuristic landscape. Obesity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes are the big killers. Has our sedentary lifestyle and addiction to screens caused our brains to work in different ways? Will computers ever achieve consciousness? This resource is suitable for audiences aged 16+
Writing for effect
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Writing for effect

4 Resources
This bundle contains four resources aimed at improving writing skills. Students will learn how to appreciate the tools writers use to create an effect, how to vary the length and type of sentence so that it suits its purpose and how to write an argumentative piece of their own based on animal testing. Suitable for 12+
Spelling with Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and writing skills
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Spelling with Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and writing skills

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This animated Power Point takes five extracts from J'K'Rowling's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and asks students to identify deliberate spelling mistakes. The answers will magically appear. One of the extracts has punctuation removed and requires the students to re-write the dialogue between Harry and Sirius Black, inserting the correct punctuation. Finally, inspired by the passages they have read, pupils are required to split into houses to perform their own writing challenge. They can choose from writing a review of a lesson from a student teacher who can transform into an animal of his own choosing, a report of a Quidditch match, an argument about how Harry's parents died or a descriptive piece about the discovery of an invisibility cloak. This resource will prove useful when revising aspects of spelling and punctuation and will inspire the writing of reviews and reports in particular. Included is an informative resource about the development of the racing broom for Quidditch enthusiasts. Suitable for pupils aged 10+
identifying sentence types: simple,complex,compound and minor.
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identifying sentence types: simple,complex,compound and minor.

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This animated Power point examines four different sentence types: simple, complex, compound and minor. Pupils are given examples of how sentence structure might differ according to the intended audience. Later they are given examples of how sentence structure might differ according to the effect an author is trying to achieve. Finally students are asked to discuss the sentence structures found in an extract taken from a crime novel: M.J. Arlidge's Eeny Meeny. I include a resource which requires students to demonstrate their knowledge of punctuation by inserting a range of punctuation in lengthier paragraphs as well as allowing them to show off their own descriptive writing skills by describing someone they admire. This resource is suitable for audiences aged 10+
Punctuate with Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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Punctuate with Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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This animated Power Point presents pupils with five extracts taken from J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and asks them to provide the missing punctuation. The extracts selected will test knowledge of proper nouns, speech-marks, colloquialisms and colons in particular. The extracts will also require knowledge of how to write a formal letter and how to compose an advertisement. Pupils can be divided into Hogwarts' Houses and answer questions from each extract. Answers will magically appear. Finally, students are challenged to write their own advertisement for a super-charged broom of their own invention. This resource is suitable for ages 10+ and is intended to test knowledge of punctuation as well as comprehension . Moreover, it will encourage further reading and develop writing skills.
Spelling and punctuating with the prisoner Potter style
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Spelling and punctuating with the prisoner Potter style

3 Resources
This bundle of Harry Potter themed resources will give a new twist to grammar lessons as the exercises are based on the Prisoner of Azkaban story. A more general quiz is included for good measure. Students can test their knowledge and will hopefully be inspired to widen their reading as they dip into passages written by J.K.Rowling. Suitable for ages 10+
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Quiz
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Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar Quiz

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Start the term with another quiz to check understanding of plurals, tenses, prefixes,suffixes, homophones, alphabetical order and much more besides. Answers are provided for ease of marking. Each section of the quiz can be tweaked to suit specific needs within your group. This is one of many similar quizzes to be found in my shop which can be used on a rotational basis when revising spelling and grammar. Suitable for ages 10+
Adjectives and nouns and  revision quiz
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Adjectives and nouns and revision quiz

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This Power Point looks at adjectives and nouns. Pupils are given animals and adjectives which describe them using the same initial letter. Students are asked to match adjectives and nouns with the same initial letter and then with different initial letters. Pupils are asked to make adjectives out of nouns ending in -ful and -ous. Examples are given when several adjectives are used to describe and so pupils need to use commas to separate. Students are required to think of different scenes such as being a football match or in a supermarket and think of five things that might be in that particular environment. This resource should prove useful when revising nouns and adjectives and the use of commas in a list. I include a more general spelling, punctuation and grammar quiz in which adjectives feature . All answers included. Suitable for ages 7+
bundle of writing skills : informative, descriptive, persuasive
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bundle of writing skills : informative, descriptive, persuasive

5 Resources
I have bundled together five resources which explore the techniques of writing to inform, persuade, describe and entertain. These resources explore different formats and structural devices and give ideas for students to write and develop their own style to suit various real life scenarios and a range of different audiences. Suitable for ages 10+
Spelling Quiz bundle
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Spelling Quiz bundle

3 Resources
This bundle comprises three resources: one of the popular spelling, punctuation and grammar quizzes, a resource about the peculiar phrases found in idioms and proverbs of the English language and another resource about tricky spellings which contain silent or unexpected letters. This resource should prove useful when revising spelling strategies in particular. Suitable for ages 10+
Spelling, grammar and perfecting punctuation
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Spelling, grammar and perfecting punctuation

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This Power Point resource is one of a host of similar quizzes to be found in my shop. This one tests understanding of punctuation, spelling rules, conditional phrases, using prefixes and suffixes and identifying root words, homophones and alphabetical ordering. Pupils are required to decipher a weirdly worded passage and translate it into standard English. Answers are provided. This resource is suitable for ages 10+ and is ideal for revision purposes.
Informative writing
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Informative writing

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This animated Power Point is about writing to inform and explain. Students are asked to think about the structure of their writing, how to organise it logically with sub-headings or bullet points, how to include facts and statistics and how to maintain a formal tone throughout. Finally students are requested to write a piece of their own and may choose to write a report to the head teacher about an accident in the science lab, a leaflet to eleven year olds explaining how to cope with an asthma attack in PE or explain how to make a healthy meal from scratch to people with no previous cooking experience. This resource is suitable for ages 10+
Descriptive writing and figurative language including pathetic fallacy
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Descriptive writing and figurative language including pathetic fallacy

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This animated Power Point discusses how descriptive writing is used in travel brochures and autobiographies to describe places and events. Extracts are taken from works by J.K.Rowling, Anthony Bourdain , Susan Hill and Mary Shelley and pupils are asked to focus and discuss how techniques such as similes, metaphors, personification and pathetic fallacy are used for effect. Students are reminded to use Point, Evidence and Explain when commenting about an author’s writing. Finally, pupils are asked to match examples of figurative language to explanations and examples. They are required to provide examples of their own such as a metaphor to describe the moon or alliteration to describe a ticking clock in an examination. Worksheets are available show-casing these extracts which could be used alongside or separate from the Power Point. This resource is suitable for 14+ years (one of the extracts is quite graphic and describes the slaughter of a pig)
Alliteration and onomatopoeia
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Alliteration and onomatopoeia

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This animated Power Point discusses alliteration and onomatopoeia and asks pupils to identify these techniques within extracts from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as well as other sources. Pupils are given phrases which they need to sort and also decide on an example which shows both these devices. Students learn that writers will try to appeal to different senses in descriptive passages and this resource focuses particularly on the sense of sound. Students are given a provocative image and are required to describe it using both techniques. This resource will be useful when encouraging descriptive writing and identifying techniques authors use to build characters and settings. Suitable for ages 10+
identifying sentence form and structure: statements, questions, commands and exclamations!
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identifying sentence form and structure: statements, questions, commands and exclamations!

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This animated Power Point comprises twelve slides and analyses statements, questions, commands and exclamations. pupils are asked to consider how these kinds of sentence are used in articles, reports, reviews and persuasive texts. Examples are given of how authors might vary the length of their sentences to convey the passing of time or because they are trying to appeal to different audiences. Pupils are shown how , by rearranging the order of words in a sentence, greater emphasis can be placed on a particular phrase. They are reminded to not only identify such techniques but also to analyse and explain the effect on the reader.Students are required to discuss two texts; one extract from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the other is an advertisement for a Lunchtime Laughter Club. I include a resource in which the onset of an anxiety attack is described in detail and the situation escalates to feeling out of control. Suggestions for a longer written task are given where pupils are required to describe a difficult situation such as the first day at a new school, or the moment you realise something embarrassing is circulating on social media. Suitable for ages 12+
news reports, articles and informative writing
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news reports, articles and informative writing

5 Resources
I have bundled together five resources which should prove useful when learning about writing articles for different audiences. Students learn that an awareness of audience is key plus how to spot features. There is plenty here to inspire students to write some informative pieces of their own and some guidance on how to improve their spelling and grammar in the process. Suitable for ages 10+
Victorian Literature: historical context
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Victorian Literature: historical context

2 Resources
I have bundled together three resources which I think will be useful when studying Victorian literature. Two are over views of the period as a whole and give a broad brush stroke of the times. Thomas Hood's Poem brings the focus down to a walk through the smog on a cold November day. This bundle will provide useful background information and a sense of context when studying the Victorian novel or poetic works of that time-frame. Suitable for ages 10+
Newspaper articles
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Newspaper articles

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This animated Power Point gives a brief history of the newspaper and its evolution to the present day. Students are alerted to the tricks that publishers resort to in order to maintain their readership. The freedom of the press is something we need to preserve in this day and age and pupils are asked to compare tabloids and broadsheets to note their differences in style and content. User generated content is referenced as modern technology enables us all to act as journalists and report news as it happens. Students are asked to match ten definitions to key terms such as byline and exclusive. Finally, students are given the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice and write their own newspaper article, either about the stabbing of a teenager in a local fast food outlet, or an international affairs event which sees Trump and Putin arm wrestle for ownership of the Arctic Circle. This resource is suitable for ages 12+ and it would be useful for students to have copies of tabloid/broadsheet newspapers to investigate along with highlighter pens to identify features.
Writing for an audience
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Writing for an audience

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This animated Power Point advises students how to write for specific audiences. They are asked to consider the tone, style and register of what they are writing in order that these match the audience. Audiences might be determined by age, gender, expertise and the relationship to the author. Pupils are advised to TAP before writing: in other words consider the topic, audience and purpose of their writing. Finally they are given three options to write about: a speech aimed at Y6 explaining what to do about cyber-bullying; a letter to a newspaper editor arguing for or against expensive international travel or a leaflet advising young adults how to establish healthy sleep patterns. Suitable for ages 10+