Breathing Space
I am a Secondary English Teacher on a mission - to produce the highest quality lessons I possibly can with the intention of saving precious time for teachers!
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I am a Secondary English Teacher on a mission - to produce the highest quality lessons I possibly can with the intention of saving precious time for teachers!
English
The Merchant of Venice Act 3 Scene 1 Choice Menu With 19 Engaging Activities
This is a worksheet comprising 19 activities on Act 3 Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice.
You can use this worksheet in any number of the following ways, and possibly more that I haven't thought of!:
- as unit homework, asking students to complete 1-2 activities per week
- as a lesson for pre-exam revision
- ask students to choose one task from each colour to ensure a wide range of analysis and interpretation.
To use the QR codes students can download a free QR reader from the App Store - this is often their favourite bit!
This has been clearly differentiated for a wide variety of learning styles with a colour key at the bottom of the page.
Julius Caesar Act 1 Scene 1
This is a complete lesson for teaching Act 1 Scene 1 of Julius Caesar.
I have included a copy of the 'No Fear Shakespeare' version of the scene for you to use if you wish.
The lesson includes the following:
- Key/complex vocab exploration
- Introduction to puns
- Creative task
- Prediction of future events.
Look out for more Julius Caesar lessons from me soon!
Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice - Act 1 - Six Lessons and Resources
This is a dynamic and engaging collection of lessons to study Act 1 of the Merchant of Venice.
It includes research tasks, video clips, high-level thinking skills and engaging close-reading activities.
This is detailed and thorough and was designed to prepare the group for the Literary Heritage Controlled Assessment.
The Class Game - Mary Casey (Edexcel Conflict Poetry Cluster GCSE 1-9)
A whole lesson analysing the poem 'The Class Game' by Mary Casey from the Edexcel Conflict Cluster (1-9 GCSE)
Includes language analysis, vocab, context and questions, as well as an exploration of dramatic monologue form.
Lord of the Flies Choice Homework Menu - Lots of Tasks!
This is a homework menu for Lord of the Flies - containing a huge range of tasks and activities with a points value attached to each.
I usually assign a number of points that the students must achieve across the unit and collect in one piece per week.
Word Birds Word of the Week Year 10 High-Level Vocabulary Builder: 40 Lessons!
Welcome to Word Birds, a weekly lesson and resources to build higher-level vocabulary in your Year 10 students.
These weekly lessons include the following:
• a single word plus definition as a PDF designed to be printed as a poster and displayed in your room
• a PowerPoint slide to accompany the poster, with an example of how to use the word in a sentence
• 6 entertaining task cards to get your students using the word in a variety of ways including my trademark comic strip!
• a Word Bird helpsheet explaining the differences between verbs, adjectives, nouns and adverbs.
• a record sheet to go in student exercise books to help them keep track of the words they have learnt.
Most school years run for 38 weeks, but I’ve included 40 words in case you don’t fancy using any of them or you want to use them on other occasions too.
Package includes:
40 slides PowerPoint
40-page PDF of words plus definitions for student handouts or posters
6 mini task cards
1 record sheet
1 help sheet to be used as a student handout.
ALL RESOURCES ARE INCLUDED WITH US AND UK SPELLINGS.
War Photographer - Carole Satyamurti (Edexcel Conflict Poetry Cluster GCSE 9-1)
A whole lesson analysing the poem 'War Photographer' by Carole Satyamurti from the Edexcel Conflict Cluster (9-1 GCSE)
Includes language analysis, vocab, context and questions.
BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE - Print and Go Worksheets for Analysis of Michael Moore's Documentary
The Columbine tragedy affected the world. It was the first in a wave of school shootings and people have fought to understand why and how it could have happened.
Michael Moore's award-winning documentary seeks to unearth the background to America's gun crimes and questions everything from causes to culpability.
This two-page worksheet is a comprehensive way to ensure that students are watching the 'Bowling for Columbine' documentary with purpose.
This information can then be used for informative or persuasive writing outcomes - I like to create a debate model with students for and against gun ownership.
Entirely print and go - no preparation needed!
-NOTE- This documentary is 'R' rated in the US and '15' in the UK. Prior-viewing is advised. There are some incidents of bad language and some graphic footage, but I strongly believe that the importance of this documentary outweighs any potential concerns.
SUPER SIZE ME - Print and Go Worksheets for Analysis of the Fast Food Documentary
Obesity is second only to smoking as the biggest killer in the United States. Morgan Spurlock's award-winning documentary highlights the dangers of fast food in a hilarious and shocking way.
This two-page worksheet is a comprehensive way to ensure that students are watching the 'Super Size Me' documentary with purpose.
This information can then be used for informative or persuasive writing outcomes - my students generate an awareness campaign for other teenagers.
Entirely print and go - no preparation needed!
-NOTE- This documentary is 'PG-13' rated in the US and '12' in the UK. Prior-viewing is advised. There are some brief incidents of bad language and some graphic footage of surgery, along with one conversation of a sexual nature (nothing visual; this is a discussion on Morgan's impeded 'performance' as a result of his diet.)
POKEMON GO - Bring the Worldwide Craze Into the Classroom! Worksheet for Research and Writing Skills
This resource is a worksheet comprising four fun activities!
They include hunting out local Pokestops and researching their significance, linking Pokemon to literary and historical figures and creating students' own version of the hit game.
Technology is only going to become more encompassing, so now is the time for us to embrace it as educators and show students the learning that can take place while playing their favourite games!
LORD OF THE FLIES CROSSWORD - 26 Clues to Test Understanding of Character, Theme and Plot
Lord of the Flies is a notoriously difficult text to teach, but equally, hugely worthwhile.
Have your students do this crossword as a re-cap, revision tool or comprehension quiz.
Super engaging, academically rigorous and fun!
THE FREUDIAN PSYCHOLOGY OF LORD OF THE FLIES - Explore the ID, EGO and SUPEREGO of the Novel
Lord of the Flies is a tricky novel to teach - namely because of the myriad of possible interpretations.
Have your students delve into the psychological aspects of the novel by focusing on Freud's concept of human psyche and the id, ego and superego.
This resource includes a basic introduction to Freud's findings, a worksheet to enable students to identify the representative characters and collect evidence, and an essay prompt.
There is an answer key included for the worksheet, including sample quotations.
If you are looking for more resources to help your study of Lord of the Flies, why not try my Lord of the Flies Homework Menu?
It makes a great supplement to your novel unit.
I also have an engaging crossword
to use as a novel recap or revision tool.
Edexcel Style NEW GCSE 9-1 English Language Paper 2 PRACTICE PAPER
This resource is my own version of the Edexcel 9-1 English Language Paper 2.
I made a series of practice papers to help my own students as there aren't any past papers yet and only a handful of samples.
I've followed their style very carefully and included a detailed mark scheme to help you assess.
The topic of this paper is 'education' and includes two non-fiction articles on the theme.
The whole paper is prepped and ready to print so you simply need to run off enough copies for your class.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask!
Word Birds Word of the Week Year 7 High-Level Vocabulary Builder: 40 Lessons!
Welcome to Word Birds, a weekly lesson and resources to build higher-level vocabulary in your Year 7 students.
These weekly lessons include the following:
• a single word plus definition as a PDF designed to be printed as a poster and displayed in your room
• a PowerPoint slide to accompany the poster, with an example of how to use the word in a sentence
• 6 entertaining task cards to get your students using the word in a variety of ways including my trademark comic strip!
• a Word Bird helpsheet explaining the differences between verbs, adjectives, nouns and adverbs.
• a record sheet to go in student exercise books to help them keep track of the words they have learnt.
Most school years run for 38 weeks, but I’ve included 40 words in case you don’t fancy using any of them or you want to use them on other occasions too.
Package includes:
40 slide in PowerPoint in British English
40-page PDF of words plus definitions for student handouts or posters
6 mini task cards
1 record sheet
1 help sheet to be used as a student handout.
NOTE: This set will be followed with Word Birds for years 8-12 shortly, along with a complete bundle of all six sets!
This product is for personal and classroom use. It is NOT for resale or any other commercial purposes.
Poppies - Jane Weir (Edexcel Conflict Poetry Cluster GCSE 1-9)
A whole lesson analysing the poem 'Poppies' from the Edexcel Conflict Cluster (1-9 GCSE)
Includes language analysis, vocab, context and questions.
Bundle
Lord of the Flies Activity Bundle
This bundle is chock-full of my bestselling Lord of the Flies activities, including graphic organisers, homework menus, vocabulary quizzes and fun activities.
Use it to consolidate knowledge or build research skills outside of class. Great for teaching boys!
Conflict Poetry Homework Menu
This is a homework menu that may help students with researching poems surrounding the Conflict cluster as part of the Edexcel exam board, and giving some creative choices for further study.
Bundle
COMPLETE BUNDLE Edexcel Conflict Poetry Cluster GCSE 9-1 - All 15 Poems!
This bundle includes full lessons and resources for all 15 poems in the new Edexcel Conflict Poetry Cluster for the 9-1 GCSE exam.
Buying them in this bundle saves over 50% compared to buying the poems separately!
Poems covered include:
• Half-Caste - John Agard
• Catrin - Gillian Clarke
• War Photographer - Carole Satyamurti
• The Class Game - Mary Casey
• No Problem – Benjamin Zephaniah
• What Were They Like? - Denise Levertov
• Belfast Confetti - Ciaran Carson
• Poppies - Jane Weir
• A Poison Tree William Blake
• The Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson
• Extract from The Prelude - William Wordsworth
• The Man He Killed - Thomas Hardy
• Cousin Kate - Christina Rossetti
• Exposure - Wilfred Owen
• The Destruction of Sennacherib - Lord Byron
I have also included a learning mat that can be used as a homework menu to supplement their in-class learning and a RAG rated grid for in their exercise books.
I would highly recommend teaching ‘Extract from the Prelude’ before ‘The Destruction of Sennacherib’ as the former covers the basics of the Romantic Poets.
Likewise, I would suggest teaching ‘The Class Game’ before ‘The Man He Killed’ as the first explores the conventions of Dramatic Monologues.
If you find that any of the video links don’t work, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I’ll send you them directly.
Lesson 5 Imaginative Writing: Unreliable Narrators - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
This lesson is part of an Imaginative Writing Scheme of Work focused on Science-Fiction and Dystopian short stories.
This particular lesson introduces students to the idea of Unreliable Narrators, using extracts from 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest' and 'American Psycho'.
PLEASE NOTE:
You will need to download my FREE short story anthology for use with this lesson.
Science Fiction and Dystopia Homework Menu Writing Prompts and ResearchTasks
This resource is to support Science Fiction, Horror and Dystopian fiction lessons.
It is packed with writing prompts, research tasks and creative projects.
I ask students to gain 35 points across a half term, handing in one piece of homework per week.
These flexible choice homework menus allow students to take control of their own learning and pursue their own interests.