A post-study lesson exploring the idea of censorship. LO: To reflect on the writer’s intentions and the context of the book’s publication The lesson explores both how censorship is presented IN Animal Farm as well as issues relating to censorship OF Animal Farm, recognising Orwell’s difficulty in getting the novella published.

A 5 lesson walkthrough of AQA Language Paper 2, section A on the topic of ‘Hunting’ (the Q paper itself is not my resource, and can be found for free, but the lessons are my own). Can be used for first time teaching of the paper as the lessons indicate how pupils should approach the paper, highlighting how each question builds onto the next, and ‘photos’ of teacher’s copy to model how to annotate their own extracts and prepare to answer. All questions come with model answers for pupils to mark against skill descriptors, with lessons culminating in pupils given the opportunity to ‘magpie’ ideas and improve their own responses. If you like these resources, please do leave a review, so other teachers can find my resources too - much appreciated :)

Straightforward lesson to introduce the use of foreshadowing in the play, focussing on the ‘Summer Sequence’ in Act 2. Resources include powerpoint lesson with starter, main task and ‘increasing challenge’ plenary . Main task comprises of worksheet (included) that annotates the lyrics to ‘Summer Sequence’ and requires pupils to look for positive / negative imagery. This culminates in pupils writing a PEA paragraph on Russell’s use of foreshadowing in this scene. I use this lesson with my year 7 classes and believe it would be suitable for LA GCSE classes.

Powerpoint resource on the assessment: ‘How does the writer use language in the text to present the character of Hyde?’ from an extract taken from CH. 1 of the novel. (Can easily be adapted to ask pupils to compare to the rest of the text too.) Included in the resource is: the assessment question with scaffold to remind pupils how to respond to the Q. a DIRT lesson that includes a model answer, a model annotation of a single quotation, and then a selected quotation for pupils to then annotate themselves (with the focus on, ‘a lot from a little’ ). Pupils can then rewrite new, improved PEA paragraphs based on the quotations selected for them, and the annotations made. A peer assessment task.

A lesson exploring the confrontation between the two mothers in Act 2, from the angle of exploring the power shift between the two mothers since Act 1.

A powerpoint introducing the Christmas Truce of WW1, exploring how the soldiers would have been feeling. This culminates in pupils writing a letter home, as a soldier, explaining what has happened and how they feel about it. Used in conjunction with studying WW1 poetry.

8 week’s worth of homework on Macbeth to support the study and revision of the play. Tasks focus on supporting vocabulary of pupils, linking vocabulary to our study of the play, as well as tasks on context, SPaG and a ‘Elizabethan pronoun’ challenge. All tasks have been designed so they can easily be marked in class either as self/peer assessment (to reduce teacher marking!) but also designed to be purposeful to student’s learning. Pupils will need to know the plot / summary of the play in order to complete these tasks (i.e. I always begin teaching Macbeth with context and summary / main plot, before studying in more detail).

A powerpoint which encompasses revision of key events of the whole play, mapping a timeline with key quotes, which all lend themselves to the theme of power, which leads on to a practice exam question which students began in lesson and completed for homework. Originally used as a 2 hour revision lesson prior to their mock exam (where they sat the June 2023 Macbeth Q).

A lesson that takes a closer, critical look at how Gerald’s account of his meeting of Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton is presented to the audience. The lesson includes relevant extracts taken from the play, set on one page for easy annotation. Students are guided to analyse multiple interpretations of Gerald’s dialogue - how Gerald is trying to present himself (positive), but then close lang analysis to examine the more cynical, negative aspects of what he is saying. For example: the excessive use of the pronoun ‘I’ to indicate he did what was best for himself, and his feelings, as opposed to Eva’s/Daisy’s; the use of imperatives such as ‘made’ and ‘insisted’. Have used this lesson a few times now for both first time teaching of the text and as revision and have found pupils really receptive to the lesson. JB Priestley - An Inspector Calls

Booklet to accompany study of Of Mice and Men (OMAM), considering the differences between dialect, accent and standard English. Can be used as part of a SOW on the text, but has also been successfully set as cover work too.

A homework activity to build pupil’s vocabulary when discussing characters and themes in An Inspector Calls. Task asks pupils to look up definitions for key vocab and then apply and find the links to characters in the play. This can then feed into lessons.

A lesson reviewing the events of Blood Brothers (post-reading) and exploring Russell’s intentions for the play.

A lesson introducing pathos exploring how we are lead to feel sympathy for Mrs Johnstone at the start of Blood Brothers.

Two lessons exploring the characterisation of Mr Lyons across the play, leading to an assessment task. Lessons are suitable for KS3 or lower ability KS4. Easily adapted for higher ability KS4.

An introductory lesson to explore the theme of Nature vs Nurture in Blood Brothers. Suitable for first time study of the play.

A homework sheet for pupils to completed, locating quotations / lines that reflect themes. Used in a LA set.

DIRT tasks for AQA Lang P2, Q2 & 3 - ‘Discoveries’ with model answers. Best used for after the class have attempted these questions for themselves. I set the questions as a mini in-class assessment and then used the following for DIRT. Included are example answers for Q2 &3 where pupils are to mark and annotate the examples, from a ‘expert’ checklist, and then use ideas from the examples to improve their own: ‘magpie’. PLEASE NOTE: cannot be credited as creating Q paper, but the model answers and the PP is my own)

Shakespearean language Starter activity - Thou, thee, thine and thy Activity Task, with answer slide.

Activities on ‘accept’ and ‘except’; ‘affect’ and ‘effect’. Have used for cover lesson. SPaG revision / adapt into starter activities

Info sheet to guide pupils on how to build strong metaphors.