An exam paper based on an extract from 'The Ruby in the Smoke' (Section A, Paper 1 GCSE English Language AQA new spec) Could be used with Key Stage 3 in preparation for GCSE or at KS4 as an accessible Language paper.

A worksheet designed to take students through exploring language in a poem. Could be used as unseen poetry practice, or could be used after to teaching the poem to assess learning. Questions are suited to Key Stage 3 or lower ability Key Stage 4.

Created with the new AQA English Language Paper 1 in mind, this is a whole lesson (or more) giving students opportunity to practice the evaluation skills required for Question 4. Includes four fiction extracts, a PowerPoint presentation with lesson details and an activity sheet.

An in depth PowerPoint leading students to explore the opening six chapters of the novel with a focus on character and theme. Designed with the new AQA English Literature A Level Specification in mind. Enough material for several lessons here.

A selection of metaphors and similes taken from Rundell's 'Rooftopppers' and a suggested activity for students to begin to analyse language

An informative PowerPoint presentation, which offers an overview of the factors, both historical and personal, influencing Walker's writing of the novel. To keep the slides student-friendly, there is additional information on the notes section to supplement teaching and to encourage students to make notes. Includes some suggestions for further research and reading. Some discussion tasks, but largely informative. Created for AQA English Literature at A Level, but includes no specific references to Assessment Objectives etc. so versatile enough for different specs/exam boards.

Four possible writing tasks for the 'Writing' section of Paper 2, with an accompanying PowerPoint taking students through the Assessment Objectives, planning and then writing a model paragraph.

A very visual activity which takes students through comparing the imagery of the two poems. Focused on student discussion and interpretation and leading to a short writing task. An hour long lesson. Created for AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 2

A practice paper based on an extract from Pullman’s ‘The Subtle Knife’ as well as a lengthy PowerPoint presentation taking students through the paper. Several lessons-worth of material here. I’m using with Key Stage 3 as preparation for the GCSE skills, but could be used at Key Stage 4 too, particularly with a lower ability group.

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 Delillo’s ‘White Noise’ and includes a question on the extract itself, and the follow up question where students need to compare prose and drama.

Created with the new AQA English Specification in mind, these resources should give you a number lessons of student research, group discussion and debate. Includes: Comparison with Othello, Character study activity, Analysis activities for the opening and ending and a plot overview, detailed exploration of chapters 16 and 17, Pre-reading activity, narrative perspective task and a comparative lessons which compares the novel with the AQA Poetry Anthology. Several hours of teaching material here!

Designed with the new AQA GCSE English Language Specification in mind, this resource takes students through writing a description based on a picture stimulus and provides a group based activity for writing descriptions.

PowerPoint taking your class through the ending of the novel by prompting discussion of key moments.

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.

Some discussion questions and tasks for A Level English Literature teaching of the novel. One slide includes a task to compare with the poetry anthology.

Fun little end of term/topic quiz. 20 quotes from either Taylor Swift or The Great Gatsby. Answers included!

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.