A simple ZERO PREP 2-page task. Students start by checking their comprehension of some key language and then choose the correct answer from 2 options and then view the animation to check their responses. I've used this with mixed ability classes, including SEN and EAL. Why? It focuses their attention while they're watching and allows me to check their comprehension of the story. Use this: - at the end of a Peter Pan unit - for a cover lesson - after / before students tackle the original text Keywords: Peter Pan, movie, film, worksheet, prediction, comprehension, fun Image credit: Natsuko Suzuki ***All new products are launched with discounts for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!***

Develop reading skills, get your students discussing passionately and improve their capacity for learning - what's not to love? A perfect resource to develop your students' thinking skills any time. BONUS MATERIAL ADDED August 2016: An 'I Have Who Has?' activity to review key vocabulary in the article. This can be used in subsequent lessons to help students remember definitions. This bundle will grow over time, so grab it now before the price increases with each addition! OVERVIEW This lesson starts with an anticipation guide, and students reflect on their own beliefs about intelligence and learning. Following this, students read an original 2-page article on how the brain develops. It includes: * Information on intelligence as something to be developed, rather than fixed * The role of mindset in learning * The power of ‘yet’ They have a double-sided sheet to complete as they explore the text which practices: citing evidence; finding the main idea; recognising cause & effect; identifying the importance of a section as part of a whole; and synthesis. Discussion task cards have been provided as a follow up to the reading, so students can develop their ideas. Finally, students are asked to reflect on how this learning might impact their attitude and actions, setting specific goals to improve their learning. (A FREE optional resource comparing the brains of zombies and humans (Zombie Brains versus Human Brains) can be downloaded from my store, for those using this resource with my other zombie-themed lessons.) In the same way you might use a magazine or newspaper article for any grade level, this text is flexible in terms of who can access it. The online Lexile Analyzer gives an estimated reading score of 940L (based on the first 2 paragraphs only) and readable.io gives an average grade level of 9.1. In reality, I have used this with able and engaged 7th years; my 6th form students really enjoyed the article - and ensuing Socratic Seminar - that we held. Enjoyed this? Follow me to get notifications of other metacognitive English lessons. Keywords: learning, brain, metacognition, yet, mindset, Dweck, intelligence, resilience, reading, speaking, listening, CCSS, discussion, start of year ***All new products are launched with discounts for at least the first 48 hours! Interested? Just follow me and get notifications for when this happens!***

Save $$$ with this bundled pack to get you started on your spy genre unit, or simply to practice some critical thinking. Contained are engaging activities for reading, writing, speaking and listening. All are designed to engage students and link their thinking to previous knowledge (activate their schemata). Included: * Assassination Puzzle - The Spy Files * Observation Aptitude Test - The Spy Files * Equipment Assignment Logic Puzzle - The Spy Files * Know / learn / do grid (for students to activate their schemata and have voice and choice; exclusive to this pack) * Spy reading (getting started with literature circles or reading groups; exclusive to this pack) * Debrief (i.e. guided reflection writing; exclusive to this pack) The challenges demonstrate the need for them to really engage their brains, and put emphasis on teamwork, collaboration and THINKING. They also reflect the type of challenges protagonists in spy stories face, and how things can be far from what they seem before analysis. I have used this with mixed ability classes, including ‘gifted’ students, those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language – all (except the most extreme cases) can take part and contribute to feel they have had their say in their learning. Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop me a note below. I'm always happy to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!***

Designed for use online with Google Drive. Can be used with Google Classroom, OneDrive or offline with PowerPoint. See how these notebooks can be used on my Youtube channel here! LOVE THE IDEA BUT WANT A DIFFERENT STYLE? No problem! This file

See how these notebooks can be used here: http://bit.ly/thisdigitallife LOVE THE IDEA BUT WANT A DIFFERENT STYLE? No problem! This file contains the WORKFLOW theme. If you need something different, let me know your requirements. WHY DIGITAL NOTEBOOKS? These notebooks took me endless hours to design and perfect, but I'm glad I did! Digital notebooks, which are accessed via a device, solve so many problems that otherwise cause teachers to lose time and become stressed. These include: ***Printing hassle and costs. *** Students forgetting to bring their notebooks. *** Notebooks deteriorating over time as they are handled and moved in and out of bags. *** Poor organisation and presentation with illegible handwriting or stains from snacks munched over homework. With the innovation of digital notebooks, all these problems disappear. Students LOVE technology, and even in the extremely rare cases where my students forget to bring their laptops, they (or I) always have a device nearby they can access their notebooks on. This means: *** Students don’t lose any precious learning time and all their notes are in one place - they simply open the notebook from a bookmark and away they go! *** All the writing is legible as it is typed in a neat and clear font. *** Students engage with the tasks more willingly. *** There is scope for a greater range of responses including media other than text e.g. pictures, videos and hyperlinks. *** Digital notebooks never run out! Because you can continually add pages as needed, students have ONE place for ALL their notes throughout the year. *** Using my method of placing most recent work at the top of the file, there is no need to scroll (or flick) through lots of pages to find the one you want. WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT THESE NOTEBOOKS? These particular digital notebooks have been designed as a space for students to record responses to starters / warmers /settling activities at the beginning of a lesson. They are also used for short time-filling activities or tasks that require shorter or multimedia responses. However, these notebooks are not just a space for students to record responses to displayed prompts. Realising the fact we all do better with concrete examples, I have included no less than NINE different graphic organisers for students to record their responses. Updated 27th April 2017: Added 'index' template For a student instructional video, visit here: http://bit.ly/inbstudent Please note, this product contains templates. It does not contain the actual activities - the idea is that you display these or give instructions. The notebook is a place to respond to these prompts. If you are looking for starters to use with this email me or check out my store. Questions? I'd love to hear from you via roamingteacher@gmail.com

With this 11-minute commentary on Carol Ann Duffy's brilliant poem 'Mrs Midas', you can save your voice while still ensuring your students develop their skills with a solid analysis of the poem. With no less than 5 different ways to use this resource, you can bring in elements of rigour and creativity to best suit your particular students, while scaffolding their understanding and minimising their fear of poetry. Mrs Midas by the UK's poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, is one of my all-time favourite poems. Taking the Greek myth of King Midas, Duffy's poem is from the perspective of the never-before-heard-from Mrs Midas. This poem is recommended for highly-capable upper middle schoolers and high schoolers. Read it here. I am used to teaching mixed-ability classes including EAL and LS students. Within this resource, you will find: * download link to the MP3 audio file with illustrated instructions * printable transcript (2 pages) * teaching notes and ideas for activities to accompany the audio * link to downloadable, print-friendly PDF of the poem Looking for more highly engaging resources? Check out these packs for more figurative language and analysis ideas: * Exploring Texts Using Hyperlinks with Thinglink * Zombie Apocalypse Figurative Language in Songs Or how about a money-saving bundle to save you time AND $$$: * Mindset, Intelligence & The Power of 'Yet' * Greek Mythology * Gorgon Quest: Cooperative Greek Mythology Board Game * Zombie-Themed Pack * Agent Activation Pack Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop me a note via roamingteacher@gmail.com. I'm always happy to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts for at least the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!***

Mrs Midas by the UK's poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, is one of my all-time favourite poems. Taking the Greek myth of King Midas, Duffy's poem is from the perspective of the never-before-heard-from Mrs Midas. I am very happy to finally have this engaging pack ready to share. This poem is recommended for highly-capable upper middle schoolers and high schoolers. Read it here. I am used to teaching mixed-ability classes including EAL and LS students. Download this resource to receive 24 thought-provoking prompts to encourage comprehension and analysis of this brilliant text. Also included are lots of ways to use the cards to ensure you have plenty to choose from in finding the right fit for your classes. Within the materials, you will also find alignment to CCSS, GCSE and A-Level. It was first used with IBDP students, and is easily adapted for IBMYP too. Produced on printer-friendly paper, these task cards are sure to be a resource you use year on year. Looking for more highly engaging resources? Check out these packs for more figurative language and analysis ideas: * Exploring Texts Using Hyperlinks with Thinglink * Zombie Apocalypse Figurative Language in Songs Or how about a money-saving bundle to save you time AND $$$: * Mindset, Intelligence & The Power of 'Yet' * Greek Mythology * Gorgon Quest: Cooperative Greek Mythology Board Game * Zombie-Themed Pack * Agent Activation Pack Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop me a note via roamingteacher@gmail.com. I'm always happy to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts for at least the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!***

Save lots of $$$ with this bundle containing ALL my zombie-themed resources to date. As I add resources, the price rises so grab it now to get these - and all future additions - without having to pay a penny more! Take a look at the individual previews to see what's included: ** ADDED APRIL 2017** Zombie Apocalypse Reading Task Cards (Citing Evidence & Supporting Ideas) SET 2 * Zombie Apocalypse Reading Task Cards (Citing Evidence & Supporting Ideas) SET 1 * Zombie Apocalypse Writing Prompt Task Cards * Zombie Apocalypse Writing Prompt Task Cards * Zombie Apocalypse - Let Me In! * Zombie Apocalypse Figurative Language in Songs Who is this for? I am used to teaching mixed-ability middle-school classes with EAL students and all my students can rise to this challenge, from those who are below to those who are above grade level. (Please check suitability of the topic for younger students, although I avoid gory images and explicit mention of weapons such as guns.) Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop me a note below. I'm always happy to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just follow me and get notifications for when this happens!***

The first set of these cards was so popular with my students that I've made another. Here again, you will find 12 attention-grabbing reading extracts on the topic of zombies. Crossing a range of genres and practising various specific reading skills, these cards are sure to hook your teens' interest. These may be considered slightly more challenging than Set 1, but I have used both sets successfully with the same students. I've used this with secondary (middle school) students who tell me they really enjoy these short activities to focus on particular skills. I am used to teaching mixed-ability classes with EAL students and all my students can rise to this challenge, from those who are below to those who are above grade level. (Please check suitability of the topic for younger students, although I avoid gory images and explicit mention of weapons such as guns.) Produced on printer-friendly paper, these task cards are sure to be a resource you use time and time again. Included: * 12 different tasks at different levels, focusing on individual skills * answer sheet for students to record their responses (optional double-sided printable) * suggested answers This product is CCSS-aligned but would complement any reading skills development. ++This product IS included in my Zombie-Themed Mega Bundle++ If you like this, you might be interested in my other zombie-themed resources for reading, writing, speaking & listening: * Zombie Apocalypse Reading Task Cards (Citing Evidence & Supporting Ideas) SET 1 * Zombie Apocalypse Writing Prompt Task Cards * Zombie Apocalypse - Let Me In! * Zombie Apocalypse Figurative Language in Songs Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop me a note below. I'm always happy to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!***

‘Would You Rather...?’ questions prompt students to evaluate options and make choices, so they are useful for encouraging critical thinking skills. To make this thinking visible, students can share their justifications or reasons for their choices. Some cards result in lots of laughs and some in furrowed brows, but they all generate lots of discussion! +++WAIT! Did you already pay for my Greek Mythology Bundle? If so, this item is included so just go to your 'My Purchases' page and re-download the bundle to get this for free!+++ This resource contains 36 unique ‘Would You Rather...?’ cards based on Greek Mythology. They reveal the values and events of many myths, and are a great introduction or review of the stories. Print the cards onto thick paper before dividing them into 4s. I recommend you use the ‘fit to page’ option, but if you have any difficulties, please get in touch with me - roamingteacher@gmail.com Try this! Place the cards face down in a pile in front of a team of students. They take turns to lift a card and discuss the options, before explaining what they’d choose and why. Try this! Put students in pairs. They turn over a card and write down their choices with reasons. They also try to predict what their partners would do and get extra bonus points if they can work out the reasons too. Try this! The teacher reads a card aloud and students move to one side of the room or the other, depending on their response. They then discuss why they have chosen that option with those around them. Try this! Once students understand the concept, ask them to create their own cards using the template provided at the end of the pack. ***All new products are launched with discounts for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!*** If you are looking for more mythology resources, you might be interested in: ***NEW! (Added March 2017) Greek Mythology Bundle (Still Growing!) Or you can buy items separately: * Myth Quests 1 * The Olympic Games * Demeter & Persephone: The Story * Icarus & Daedalus: The Story * The Minotaur: The Story * The Olympian Gods Any issues, comments or questions please get in touch; I'm here to help! Keywords: mythology, discussion, cards, Greek, fun, activity, task cards, questions

Use these cards to check your students' knowledge of the Greek myths. It can be used before a unit to see what they already know (as answers are on each card), or after a unit to see what they've retained. WAIT! Did you already pay for my Greek Mythology Bundle? If so, this item is included so just go to your 'My Purchases' page and re-download the bundle to get this for free! This item is also available in Gorgon Quest Greek Mythology Cooperative Board Game BUNDLE In this pack, you'll find: * 24 Q&A format cards* * 24 multiple choice format cards* * 24 ‘Battle’ cards (more challenging) * teaching suggestions for how to use the cards *Note that these question sets are the same; only the format differs. In total, there are 48 unique question cards. Interested in other mythology-themed resources? Click on the 'Mythology' category in my store for more mythology teaching materials. The Minotaur: The Story The Olympian Gods Greek Mythology Quiz Cards Greek Mythology: Would You Rather...? Cards Gorgon Quest Greek Mythology Cooperative Board Game BUNDLE Any issues, comments or questions please get in touch; I'm here to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!*** Keywords: mythology, quiz, cards, Greek, fun, activity, task cards, questions

This bundle contains most of the Greek Mythology products from my store. I intend to keep adding products as they become available, so buying the bundle now means you never again pay for any items added (as the price rises). This money-saving bundle contains: ***NEW! (Added March 2017) Myth Quests 1*** ***NEW! (Added March 2017) Greek Mythology: Would You Rather...? Cards*** * The Olympic Games * Demeter & Persephone: The Story * Icarus & Daedalus: The Story * The Minotaur: The Story * The Olympian Gods Any issues, comments or questions please get in touch; I'm here to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts off for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!***

After much testing and refining, it's finally here! Gorgon Quest sees your students set out on an adventure as a team, to defeat the Medusa. They can test their knowledge of Greek Mythology (or any other content you choose). My students love this game and the more they play it, the deeper their learning goes. They will need all their wits about them if they are to succeed. Please note this is a cooperative (not competitive) game where the students all work together to succeed. The concept of cooperative gaming really appeals to me and you can find out why on my blog here: http://bit.ly/togetherbetter Included in this pack: * Greek Mythology Quiz Cards BUNDLED * Teacher guidance notes * Gameplay instructions for students * Item tokens * HP scoresheet * A3 printable game board REDUCED PRICE FOR LIMITED TIME ONLY!. GET THIS RESOURCE NOW FOR 50% OF THE USUAL PRICE! All game components can be printed in colour or black and white as you prefer. If you are short on time, there is no need to cut anything out - alternative instructions are included, so this can be a print-and-go activity too. Interested in other mythology-themed resources? Click on the 'Mythology' category in my store for more mythology teaching materials. Icarus & Daedalus: The Story The Minotaur: The Story The Olympian Gods Greek Mythology Quiz Cards Greek Mythology: Would You Rather...? Cards Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop me a note below. I'm always happy to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!*** Keywords: greek, mythology, boardgame, board, game, fun, printable, activity, quiz, cards

This handy resource is designed as a start-of-lesson activity to get your students (back) into 'spy mode.' Students watch a short (6-minute) spy animation that is freely available online: link provided. The accompanying task sheet can be used as a short quiz activity or as inspiration for creative writing, as explained in the teacher notes. So whether you have 10 minutes or a lesson to fill, this resource will keep your students engaged in a topic they really enjoy. My students have a lot of fun with this one and it can inspire some great short stories! Questions or comments? Want more ideas on how to use this activity? Drop me a note (withreachhigh@gmail.com) and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I'm always happy to help! Follow me in Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/withreachhigh Follow my blog: www.learningtoempower.com

Does the idea of literary analysis leave your students nervous? Remove all fear by making use of Thinglink - an interactive multimedia tagging app available free online. Through using Thinglink (a free online site), students create an interactive version of their text to show their understanding. They can supplement their analysis with a wide variety of media from video to social network posts to audio, to name but a few possibilities. While the tool is out there for anyone to use, guiding students in using it meaningfully can be a challenge, hence this tried-and-tested resource. Students LOVE this lesson so much because it makes textual analysis so accessible for all. I've used it in mixed ability classes (including EAL) and always get outstanding results as students can use images, text, videos - basically any linkable media - to express their ideas. This resource includes: -full teacher notes -a model example -slides with directions for using the technology -a worksheet to guide students in their planning -a rubric -a customisable checklist Any questions or comments? Want to know more before you buy? Don't hesitate to get in touch so I can work though any issues with you - withreachhigh@gmail.com ***All new products are launched with discountsfor the first 48 hours! Interested? Follow me and get notifications for when this happens!*** Follow me on Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/withreachhigh

After much testing and refining, it's finally here! Gorgon Quest sees your students set out on an adventure as a team, to defeat the Medusa. They can test their knowledge of Greek Mythology (or any other content you choose). My students love this game and the more they play it, the deeper their learning goes. They will need all their wits about them if they are to succeed. Please note this is a cooperative (not competitive) game where the students all work together to succeed. The concept of cooperative gaming really appeals to me and you can find out why on my blog here: http://bit.ly/togetherbetter Included in this pack: * Greek Mythology Quiz Cards BUNDLED IN THIS RESOURCE FOR A REDUCED PRICE - LIMITED TIME ONLY! * Teacher guidance notes * Gameplay instructions for students * Item tokens * HP scoresheet * A3 printable game board All game components can be printed in colour or black and white as you prefer. If you are short on time, there is no need to cut anything out - alternative instructions are included, so this can be a print-and-go activity too. Interested in other mythology-themed resources? Check out my store for more teaching materials. Icarus & Daedalus: The Story The Minotaur: The Story The Olympian Gods Greek Mythology Quiz Cards Greek Mythology: Would You Rather...? Cards Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop me a note below. I'm always happy to help! ***All new products are launched with discounts for the first 48 hours! Interested? Just click on the star above to follow me and get notifications for when this happens!*** Keywords: greek, mythology, boardgame, board, game, fun, printable, activity, quiz, cards

More task cards for teachers who really want to engage their students! Students literally cheer when I pull out a set of task cards because they know they are going to have fun learning. These are perfect for mini-lessons, whole class teaching, cooperative learning, intervention groups, and literacy centers. 24 task cards in this pack can be used in a variety of ways, and the teacher notes offer no fewer than 5 unique activities to get the most out of your purchase. These task cards have been designed for use with ANY novel, in all genres, and can be used at any point through the reading, including post-reading. I have used these with students of all ages, including 11-year-olds to less-confident 18-year-olds, but I would say they are ideally suited to KS3 and KS4 (US Grades 6-10). The pack consists of: + full teaching notes + 24 high-colour task cards (for those who like bright colours)* + 24 low-colour task cards (for those who want to save ink)* + my unending support! *(Please note both sets of cards are the same.) If you like these, be sure to check out my ever-expanding collection of multi-use task cards in my store. Any technical problems just get in touch and I will be happy to help: roamingteacher@gmail.com Keywords; task cards, reading, literature, discussion, response, critical thinking, literature circles, reading clubs, fun, engaging,

More task cards! My students love when I pull out a set of these. Task cards are a great way to get your students engaged and focused, and their versatility makes them perfect for anything from starters to lessons to plenaries. This is a DIGITAL version of my printable resource of the same name and content. The printable version can be found here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/inference-task-cards-find-evidence-to-support-your-ideas-11380301 You will need access to online devices of some kind (smartphone, tablet, PC, Chromebook or other) to use this resource. If you have access to devices but are nervous about using the resource, please get in touch. I am happy to help! ____________________________________________________________________________________________ These cards have been used with students from Year 7-11 (Grades 6-10), but would also be suitable for challenging capable upper primary / elementary students. Be warned though: critical thinking and effort is required! Included is a script of how to 'think aloud' and model the thought processes of a good reader. On these cards you will find 32 extracts including original writing (from yours truly), classic literature, and nonfiction. Accompanying each short text is a question that asks students to dig deeper into the text, and pull out details that are not explicitly stated. These can be used for oral or written response. Setting them up as 'stations' around the room will ensure students are physically moving as they learn. You could use 1 card as a starter activity to get students using their inference skills before additional reading challenged. Alternatively, use the set with individuals, pairs or small teams. Ideas for how to use the cards are included in the teacher notes. Included in the pack: -links and QR codes to the 32 online task cards (in Google Drive) -'think aloud' script to model how to approach the cards for students -full teacher notes -a tracking sheet (online and printable) -an *optional* online response sheet for students to record their answers (requires Google account e.g. Gmail) Questions or comments? If you have ANY problems with these files, please get in touch with me via roamingteacher@gmail.com - I am always happy to help! Keywords: task, cards, task cards, fun, reading, inference, infer, read, plenary, starter, lesson, stations, station, GAFE, Google Apps, Drive, Google Drive, ICT, technology, online, differentiation

More task cards! My students love when I pull out a set of these. Task cards are a great way to get your students engaged and focused, and their versatility makes them perfect for anything from starters to lessons to plenaries. If you would prefer a DIGITAL (online) version of these task cards, please visit my listing here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/inference-task-cards-find-evidence-to-support-your-ideas-digital-version-11420441 These cards have been used with students from Year 7-11 (Grades 6-10), but would also be suitable for challenging capable upper primary / elementary students. Be warned though: critical thinking and effort is required! Included is a script of how to 'think aloud' and model the thought processes of a good reader. On these cards you will find 32 extracts including original writing (from yours truly), classic literature, and nonfiction. Accompanying each short text is a question that asks students to dig deeper into the text, and pull out details that are not explicitly stated. These can be used for oral or written response. Setting them up as 'stations' around the room will ensure students are physically moving as they learn. You could use 1 card as a starter activity to get students using their inference skills before additional reading challenged. Alternatively, use the set with individuals, pairs or small teams. Included in the pack: -sample card for display on projector -'think aloud' script to model how to approach the cards for students -32 task cards printed 4 to a page -full teacher notes -a tracking sheet -a sheet for students to record their answers Questions or comments? Please get in touch with me via roamingteacher@gmail.com Keywords: task, cards, task cards, fun, reading, inference, infer, read, plenary, starter, lesson, stations, station