Two speaking and listening activities to introduce the theme of crime and punishment in the novel Holes by Louis Sacher. These could be individual lessons to introduce the class to courtroom processes, decision making skills, ethics and morality, and speaking and listening skills in general. The first is a group debate where a list of crimes must be ranked and the class must come to a group decision about which are the worst crimes and which are least offensive, or offences at all. They include having mixed-race relationships, so open a historical (and *sigh* still apparently current) dialogue about racism and equality, useful for citizenship and PSHE. The second is a role playing activity where students set up a courtroom and put a young man on trial for stealing a pair of trainers. There are 9 different roles, including the judge and students can either take one role between two or the non-role-taking students could be the jurors. All PowerPoints come withe clear outcomes, starters, task instructions and plenaries. All you need to do is print one A4 sheet of role cards and/or a list of the crimes for each student (A5 works fine for these). This is a really useful lesson which students find really engaging and interesting, particularly if they are into mystery solving! As an extension activity you could ask them to report on the trial or debate for a newspaper/blog/TV news programme. The non-speaking characters could interview those who took part in the trial and use those quotations in their reports. A court scribe could also be used during the trial to make sure notes can be reviewed.

A variety of whole lessons reading lesser-known dystopian literature and tying these in with students' creative writing of a dystopian narrative. There is also a practice reading comprehension and a final reading comprehension assessment. This scheme of work is designed for middle to top set students at GCSE level. I found all the students really engaged with the topic and already knew loads of dystopian works of literature, films and computer games, so had to stretch them to read lesser known works. I've tried as far as possible to make this relevant to their interests and to be representative of a range of backgrounds instead of just the classic "dead, white males". My students really enjoyed this unit of work and I hope yours do too! Contains: Structuring narratives in interesting ways (very useful for getting A*s) Analysing and writing speech in ways that show originality and flair (as well as accuracy of punctuation) Creating original dystopian worlds Creating original dystopian characters Close analysis of individual words and basic PEE reading answers Improving and extending vocabulary Recognising satire and comedy in film and literature (Idiocracy and Harrison Vonnegut) because, frankly, all this dystopian stuff could get a bit depressing otherwise! A detailed and thorough comprehension of a (student-friendly version) of Stephen King's The End of the Whole Mess with optional scaffolding which should build towards GCSE style detailed essays covering plot summaries, close analysis, evaluation of word choice, structure, messages, themes, conventions, language features and more.

A wonderful lesson. Probably my favourite one ever. The kids enjoy the sense of mystery and the energetic, kinaesthetic lesson but it is based very solidly in seeing progression from them. This has worked for me at every school, with every ability and every year group. It's rare I get to bring up one of my favourite poets, Slyvia Plath, before 6th form, so I wanted to make sure they fell in love with her too. This poem is to her unborn child. The picture is painted pretty clearly in the imagery, so this is the overall puzzle the children have to solve: Who is she talking to when she says "You're". (Before this lesson is a great time to have a you're/your homework or starter.) At sixth form or for top set year 11 the students can work it out on their own or in pairs, but I have usually set it as group work in tables of four. This poetry lesson is also to get them to recognise different types of imagery, be able to analyse quotations and spot patterns in the imagery, making connections across the text. There is a second lesson attached which goes into much more detail about writing analytical paragraphs giving examples of other students' work. This could very easily become a mini-essay even at year 7. There are a range of different activities to suit each type of learner, so simply select the slides which are best for your class. Enjoy!!

15 full 90 minute lessons with all resources for a huge Fantasy SOW! There are resources for creating fantasy world, creating characters, designing a quest and writing stories with each part clearly explained for all abilities with fool-proof explanations. There is also a large focus on active reading and comprehension tests for all abilities so the students see modeled examples of well-known and less well-know authors. I have also included resources for use before, during and after watching The Never Ending Story (which worked well with my low ability group and high ability group) to demonstrate story structures. This is part 1 of 2

Resources for Drama work on Sweeney Todd. The script has been edited down to the bare essentials with only a few songs. Backgrounds are to be projected in the classroom to set the scene. Performance assessment proforma included.

An active and engaging poetry lesson on Annabel Lee. There are a range of activities including a crossword with secret message, questions and activities to draw out ideas about characters, genre, structure, form, themes and meanings as well as an AFL plenary and engaging starter. The worksheet attached has a lower ability option with word bank provided and a higher ability option which asks students to work out and then create their own hidden message from the characters. There are also questions to get them thinking on this sheet. The main development of the lesson is built around De Bono's Thinking Hats so will support students' speaking and listening skills and could be assessed as a group discussion. This would make an excellent one-off lesson for or as part of a wider SOW on * Poetry * 19th century literature * American Literature * Gothic Literature Enjoy!

An all-in-one poetry lesson on the poem For Heidi With the Blue Hair by Fleur Adcock. A fantastic poem for KS3 and 4, dealing with themes of teenage life: friendship, rules and rebellion at school, and bereavement as well as hair! It is simple enough for any class to understand and enjoy. The resource focuses largely on understanding the events of the poem and how the personas feel, but also asks a range of questions about language and structure and guides students through annotating the poem. There is a peer- or self-assessment checklist to help students gain higher grades and a message ranking activity at the end. This is a set text for the CIE Songs of Ourselves iGCSE English Literature. It's a lovely poem to study and students understand its relevance to them and their lives. Enjoy!

Potential interview or cover lesson? I love Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. Reading extracts from books I love always makes for more interesting lessons and revisting book 1 will keep me going until April when the new season starts! There are enough activities on the PowerPoint to easily cover a 2-hour lesson, though it could be cut down to an hour without difficulty. Activities include: learning new vocabulary; guided reading; drama; a short video clip for comparison and consolidation (caution: it uses the word "bitch" while talking about dogs, but is clearly also a joke at Tyrion's expense about his promiscuity); helps assess their ability to find quotations and read for basic meaning (Who is saying what? How do authors blend descriptions of people and places?); an assessment of their reading skills with questions focused on characters and relationships; differentiated from bottom sets to top sets with a range of questions; answers are included for those questions. Phew! I hope this is pretty much fool proof! I have tried it with all of my sets (bottom = levels 2 - 4; middle = 4 - 6; top = 5 - 8) who found it challenging (good!) but also showed some of their best work. Bottom set were able to complete the questions with short answers in about 20 minutes. My top set were still working after an hour, giving much longer answers with quotations and analysis of language. Obviously, some activities are more suited to some groups and lessons than others, but there is enough variety here to keep everyone interested. I would love to know how you get on with this! Please let me know, particularly if you use it for an interview. (Remember your relevant outcomes/objectives!)

EVERYTHING YOU NEED! This is a very academic scheme of work, designed to see rapid progress in reading skills based around Gothic literature. No filler, all killer ;D. I initially created this for my English department to use so it is completely comprehensive and should mean all you have to do is print (sometimes) and go! The students I've taught this SOW to (more than 90 different ages, abilities and backgrounds) found the subject matter really engaging and the assessments challenging, but achievable. There are a wide variety of abilities catered for (from set 1 to set 7). I have taught this at KS3 and introduction to GCSE in year 9. Foundation lesson plans are provided for each lesson as well as worksheets or assessments, a PowerPoint for each lesson and homework assignments. This is going to save you tonnes of time and energy. 8 different narratives are covered including poetry, short stories and extracts from novels. These include: * The Raven * The Mummy * The Red Room * Call of Cthulhu * Wyrd Sisters * The Graveyard Book * Harry Potter * Jekyll and Hyde The SOW focuses on reading skills including reading for meaning; understanding characters and motives; genre, themes, conventions and author's messages; language features and analysis; structural techniques and tension building; analytical writing scaffolding structures at sentence, paragraph and whole essay level. There are at least 9 weeks' worth of lessons covered, though it could easily be shrunk or extended to suit your students and the available time. I always aim to give you more than you could possibly need, so only select what is right for you.

This sequence of lessons spanned about 10 weeks but these were the powerpoints I used to structure the first 6 lessons. After this, rehearsal took on a larger role. These 6 PowerPoints include starters relevant to the dramatic skills the students should practice, introductions and with clear objectives and activities to develop students’ abilities and play with the text. There are also plenaries beyond just comparing themselves to the objectives. I performed this version of the script (the pdf is included for your ease here. It is not my work but is freely available) with year 7 and it has more than enough drama with none of the swearing or racism. The lessons themselves have activities for a range of abilities and ages and would be easily adapted to any other text. They work on voice, showing status through body language, symbolism, memorizing lines, teamwork and characterization, among other topics. This play is for 14 students, so we had understudies for each part and they teamed up to work on characterisation (though some decided to perform in contrasting ways) . The narrators took on a character each, other itinerant travelers in our case, but we discussed making them cats or dogs, birds or even angels. Break a leg!!

This scheme of work was created for my high ability KS3 group, but this would make a great introduction to the Romantics at any age. This scheme of work was taken on by my whole department and to a chain of academies which we led. There are several Romantic poets covered here: Wordsworth, Byron, Shelley, Blake, Coleridge, Keats, of course, but also fantastic female poets Anna Laetitia Barbauld, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Charlotte Turner Smith who wrote passionately against slavery through the narrative voice of an angel. There are 9 packed lessons, all with starters, developments, analysis, outcomes, plenaries, homework....the lot! No preparation needed, no effort; just happy kids who learn a huge amount! Please rate and review this resource pack. I think you'll love it!

Hi! This is a compilation of resources to help students read and closely analyse the meaning, language and tone of Larkin's poem 'The Trees'. My students are reading this as part of the Songs of Ourselves anthology at iGCSE, but it could be an unseen poem for your students or part of a study of Larkin or of modern pastoral poetry. Everything you need is included including critical opinions of the poet and this poem, games, questions, language feature recognition, group work and paired work, all leading to differentiated outcomes by the end of the lesson.

A complete lesson with a range of activities to engage students with learning about Romantic poetry, introduce Victorian Literature or focus on Blake. There is a substantial amount of context and varied activities from videos, drawing, mind-mapping and, of course, analysis and annotation. This was designed as part of a year 8 scheme of work, but would be suitable for any study of this poem. Starters, objectives, plenaries and differentiated activities are all included.

A poetry assessment lesson suitable for KS3 or KS4 focusing on the poem The Cry of the Children by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Too often we concentrate on the famous men of the Romantic era and bypass significant works by their female counterparts. Redress the balance with me! A starter on historical context, objectives and clear assessment criteria are given to help students achieve an empathetic and critical response to the poem. This was used in both my middle ability and top set classes, but I have also included a PowerPoint on inference to support their answers.

A full lesson with starters, outcomes for the CIE Exam Board, biographical information from a range of sources, activities to guide students' reading and a plenary with self-assessment criteria.

A complete set of resources and a carousel lesson to accompany the poem which is featured in the iGCSE Songs of Ourselves Poetry Anthology. Starters, plenaries, background information, language analysis, imagery, outcomes, essay question, peer-analysis and essay structuring: everything you could need.

10 of my favourite go-to activities for that difficult class who’ve earned 5 - 10 minutes of Golden Time, or in the time after exam practice or revision where everyone needs a brain break, or when they come back from assembly early… you know how it goes! These have a summer-term flair to them because there are only so many quizzes one class can do. You will find one PowerPoint with all the activities in one place. No printing to be done. Answers could be given on scraps of paper, whiteboards or go through all 10 challenges in teams to compete for a prize - it’s up to you and your class’s needs. Anagram round Book quiz with answers on the following slide. Quiz on your school (you will have to provide the answers!) Paper aeroplane challenge (it was going to be origami - but what type of origami do kids love more? I’ve added a link to the wastepaper basket challenge which uses this game as a metaphor for social privilege. Nice PSHE link.) Under the microscope. Students try to work out what the 8 every day items under the microscope are. Name the TV theme tune. A link is provided to another good quiz available on YouTube for Pixar songs. Celebrity Faceswaps. Students works out which celebrities have had their faces swapped. Flags of the world quiz with answers. #Unexpected. Part of a gif plays and is then blocked. Students have to predict what unexpected thing will happen next. You may have to click to make the blocking box fly in. Rhyme Time Puzzle. Students are given clues for a rhyming answer. Examples and answers given. On a serious note, these games and activities do wonders to bond a group and build positive communication skills. They test logical and lateral thinking as well as a range of knowledge and skills. They are quick and easy to implement and will save you a panic in so many situations! Have a great last few weeks of term!

Students not adding enough detail to narrative writing? Are they unsure when to go in to a new paragraph? This game for two or more players can help support them in adding depth to their ideas while clearly defining what wouldn't be acceptable. It's lead to some really fun results which kids like to read out afterwards. Less able students may only do one each, whereas more able students can have a go at later ones independently. I've used this with students from KS3, 4 and even 5 as either a starter or development activity. It makes progress really clear to you and them.

Be the first to review this new unit of work and win a free resource of your choice! This unit of work has everything: 52 resources including 20 COMPLETE lessons. Everything you need to walk into the classroom and teach this fascinating historical fiction novel. PowerPoint presentations for every lesson Complete timeline of all events, with dates, colour coded by chapter. Character and place quotation gathering templates word searches (because we all need a quiet starter every now and again) Links to videos and articles on Australia Day, Aboriginal history, New South Wales and the Hawksbury River. new vocabulary challenges - pictionary, dominoes, spelling tests, word searches revision lessons - students make their own quizzes and resources essay planning guidance 20 different potential essay or extract questions worksheets games drama and role play Silent debatewriting guidance exemplar success criteria for English Literature paragraphs exemplar analytical paragraphs the same paragraphs highlighted to show the success criteria being met in the answer family tree worksheets to be completed as they read with answers diary writing frames from Sal’s point of view AND MORE!! Each lesson covers about 20 pages which was perfect for a double lesson. Students could complete the reading at home. Lessons have titles, dates, learning objectives on every slide and activities geared towards that focus. Students progress from analysing individual quotes to structuring detailed analytical essay paragraphs and then on to essay planning, breaking down extract analysis and whole text essay questions including exemplar paragraphs. The novel follows a young man born in London as he is deported to Australia and faces conflict with the Aboriginal family who live on the land he wishes to take over. It is an unflinching novel and there were tears at the climax from several students (and me!). This would make a great addition to any GCSE or A level course programme. The questions (10 to 15 for each chapter) aim to keep notes of each chapter as well as support the students’ understanding of how to write about characters, setting, language and style. To go with lesson 3, I used a fantastic free resource on Crime and Punishment in Victorian London and one on Australian and Aboriginal culture. I have included links to those on the appropriate lessons. In fact, you’ll find lots of links and notes on PowerPoints with helpful guidance for you and the students to increase their cultural capital on Australian history.

I always find students struggle with writing articles, despite the number they read online every day! This resource includes several resources for writing non-fiction articles including examples of paragraphs. There is a synonym vocabulary game which can be used as a card sort, matching game or for snap based on problems associated with overpopulation in cities (which could be useful in Geography too). The presentation includes several starters, a spelling section, a game of Freeze!, a planning section, a debate section, and a main section which breaks down one way to develop paragraphs. There is a section on reading articles and a success criteria for writing them too. The presentation and one of the examples of writing are based on the topic of teenage health and fitness which seems to regularly pop up in exams and should be something they have a Marmite opinion on.