A task introducing students to the idea of the Great Exhibition, which outlines a research activity and a 'Great Exhibition' of their own. I have used as an introduction to 'The Ruby in the Smoke' by Philip Pullman, but could be used for any 19th century text. There is also some focus on the similarities and differences between society then and now, which is a gentle way in to the AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2 based on Narrative Viewpoints and Perspectives. This activity took my students three lessons to introduce, to research and to present back.

Guided questions on a web-based article about free-running. I’ve used in conjunction with ‘Rooftoppers’ as the non-fiction link and given pairs a different section of the article to explore before feeding back in larger groups. PowerPoint acts as a lesson plan.

Using the events from the opening of Pullman's novel, the activity gets students to consider newspaper articles taken from 1872 in terms of language and style. It leads to a creative piece, where students create their own newspaper. An hour long lesson.

An overview of the historical and literary influences on Modern Literature and the transition from the Victorian Period. I have used this after students have researched the area themselves as a way of summarising key ideas and findings rather than 'information overload' on the slides themselves.

A visual resource guiding students through writing a description of people and of characters. Suitable for Key Stage 3.

An introduction to Mikhail Bakhtin's ideas about the carnivalesque elements of literature.

This presentation takes students through the planning process for comparing the presentation of Romeo in Luhrmann's film version of 'Romeo and Juliet' with Shakespeare's presentation of his character in the play. It is not a scaffold and does not tell students what to write, it is more a guide for how to plan and structure a comparative response.

A PowerPoint presentation aimed to encourage independent responses to unseen poetry. Can be used in KS3 and KS4 - it is not poem specific, allowing you to use your choice of poem/poems and to differentiate. Includes opportunity for paired discussion and independent writing.

A useful resource for revision of Romeo and Juliet. Includes a worksheet for students to complete who said what and when in the play. Also includes answers which could be displayed for self assessment.

An outline of Act 3 Scene 4 in the form of a comic strip grid for students to complete. Focus is on key quotes and plot.

A lesson which guides students to work in groups to write responses to examination style questions for the new specification English Language Paper 2 Writing task. Tasks are included in PowerPoint to make it easier for you to print on A3 and to display on screen. Would be useful as both an introduction and as a revision activity.

A collection of 22 anagrams of challenging vocabulary to use as lesson starters. Each slide includes the definition of the word, an example and some synonyms. Could be used in English or even in form/tutor time as a wider literacy initiative.

A unit of work overview for Philip Pullman's 'The Ruby in the Smoke', aimed at year 9 with links to GCSE English Language and Literature (AQA new specs). Includes teacher notes for themes and wider reading links, an activity sheet for evaluation the ending (GCSE Paper 1 style) and an exam style question 2 (Eng Lan). The other resources can be found in my shop, or alternatively, you could buy the bundle, which includes these resources and more.

A PowerPoint introducing a 'character project' for 'The Color Purple' . An outline of each character is provided and a list of criteria to include in a presentation. Comparisons with 'A Streetcar Named Desire' are included, but these could be easily deleted or replaced with your own comparative text. (Created with AQA A Level Specification in mind).

A selection of quotes from a range of modern novels, presented for display. I've used PowerPoint as it is the most user friendly to print without interfering with format/font etc. (just print whole page slides) The resource has 11 slides, so 11 pieces of A4 in colour for display. Many quotes link well to love and loss, so might make a good stimulus for A Level English Literature. Novels include: Stay With Me, The Go Between, The Miniaturist, The Way I Left Her, The Invention of Wings, The Secret Life of Bees, The Glorious Heresies.

Created for A-level ENGLISH LITERATURE A (7712/2B) Paper 2B: Texts in Shared Contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the Present Day , Option 1, this is an example modern unseen extract taken from Carter's 'The Magic Toyshop' and includes a question on the extract itself, and the follow up question where students need to compare prose and drama. Could be tweaked for the other options on the paper. The extract is a little longer than students would be given in an exam, but I will be using it as a tool to teach Magic Realism in the modern novel. You may also like my resource 'Male Dominance in A Streetcar Named Desire and The Color Purple', which takes students through the approach to the second question on this paper.

An activity where students create a Mandala for 'The Ruby in the Smoke'

To use just as a PowerPoint, or to print as worksheets to use alongside the PowerPoint, this resource visually presents the changing nature of the relationships during the course of the play. I use as an ongoing resource alongside the teaching of the play. A good plenary for the end of each act. Suitable for Key Stage 3

A short PowerPoint, guiding students through Act 3 Scene 2 of the play. It’s focused on analysis and is question based to encourage independent thought. Only 7 slides long, so not a long one, but might save you a job! Final slide is a writing task based on the scene.

Quick quiz on chapter 14 with answers, I’m making them do it from memory, but could also be used alongside the text as a comprehension activity.