Although Old English was spoken many centuries ago, some words have survived into modern English. This powerpoint contains clues to ten words which originated in Old English. It is then followed by examples of place names which are derived from Old English. Students are given many opportunities to brainstorm more place names and investigate the language. This could be used as part of the English or History curriculum.

This introductory lesson to the greatest World War One poet includes sixteen slides about his life. The folder also contains a very moving letter that he wrote to his mother about a disastrous sentry duty that he had to undertake. The powerpoint concludes with a choice of activities inspired by this letter, such as highlighting all the powerful language and writing your own poem; responding to the letter as Owen’s mother; interviewing Owen and then writing up the interview as a newspaper report (planning sheets included). A great resource to celebrate the centenary of the end of World War One and can be used in both English lessons and history lessons. This can also be used as an introduction to the two other lessons on Dulce et Decorum Est and Exposure, both available here.

Students write a speech to persuade people not to drop litter and to look after the environment. They are supported to do this with a forty slide powerpoint that gives historical background on the Dunkirk evacuation during World War Two. An extract from the famous Churchil “We shall fight them on the beaches” speech teaches them how to use persuasive language features, with excellent examples of how to use emotive language. Perfect preparation for GCSE transactional writing.

Have fun learning about the influence of the Viking language of Old Norse on the English Language. The powerpoing lesson begins with students having to guess the Old Norse words from clues; then they use spelling patterns introduced by the Vikings to guess more words introduced to the language. Finally students are given lots of examples of the Vikings’ poetic form of kennings and have to come up with five of their own to describe modern objects. They then make a poster to celebrate their success.

Using an extract from Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the Nation, students investigate why the Anglo-Saxon tribes invaded Britain in the fifth century. A 15 slide Powerpoint introduces the topic with contextual information. The extract from Bede is an adaptable Word worksheet and answers are provided to the questions. A final writing task is to imagine that you are an Anglo-Saxon who has just arrived. Suitable for secondary students due to Bede’s archaic language.

Two lessons on using antithesis inspired by John F Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural address. The lesson sequences is as follows: Lesson 1 Students brainstorm what one thing they would change in the world if they had the power. Context to JFK inaugural speech. Identification of persuasive devices in speech. Explanation of antithesis. Identification of antithesis. Consideration of effect of antithesis. Worksheet writing frame to encourage students to use antithesis. Peer marking - What went well and Even better if. Lesson 2 Re-consideration of starter from lesson 1. Students write a speech on the topic of their choice using persuasive devices and the antithesis they created from the previous lesson. Folder includes 21 slide powerpoint; extract of speech and worksheet writing frame to create antithesis.

Teach your students to write effective letters with this example from Dorothy Brooke, an animal welfare campaigner from the 1930s, who rescued World War One war horses which had been sold as working horses in Egypt after the war. Her letter was so successful that it raised £20,000 in today’s money, allowing her to found the charity Brooke, still in existence to this day. Analyse the techniques that Dorothy used to persuade newspaper readers to donate funds and encourage your students to write their own persuasive letters on animal rights or another topic of their choice. Two worksheets - one with background information and the letter and another with an analysis grid and ideas for follow-up activities. Helps prepare students for the letter writing element of GCSE English language.

This twenty slide Remembrance Assembly Powerpoint explains the historic background of the two minute silence in a poignant slideshow with images of those who gave their lives, purposefully including black soldiers who have been omitted from the historic record. It then zooms in on two individuals - Noel Chavasse, the only man to win the Victoria Cross twice and Arthur Barraclough who went over the top six times. It ends with a request for students to consider their own lives in the light of the sacrifice of so many.

Celebrate the life of the remarkable Edith Cavell with this two-page information sheet, accompanied by comprehension activities and a vocabulary extension worksheet. A Powerpoint with starter and answers to the questions with lots of ideas for further activities is also provided. Designed to commemorate both World War One and the sacrifice of women in that conflict, Edith Cavell is an inspiration to all.

Inspire your students to write a story using the five part story structure with the title “The Capture”. Share with students the article on real life World War Two bomber survivor Eddie Gurmin and let them imagine what it must have been like to have to bail out of a Halifax bomber at 15,000 feet, only to be captured by the Luftwaffe and sent to a prisoner of war camp for four years. Eddie’s gripping story is presented as an article with real quotations, enabling students to concentrate on creating tension and suspense and using language techniques. Designed to capture the imaginations of boys, this gripping story will equally inspire girls. You can also commemorate the World Wars with this work. Folder includes: Three page article on Eddie Gurmin’s experience in editable Word format. Planning sheet with hints and tips for narrative viewpoint and structure.

Explore the life of the legendary hero, Dr Martin Luther King, with this bundle of activities. The folder includes: Two-sided information on King’s life and struggle. Worksheet with sixteen sentences to complete from information. Extension tasks such as writing a letter to the great man; creating interview questions. Extract from “I have dream speech” with language technique analysis sheet. Extract from acceptance speech of Nobel Peace Prize. Vocabulary Extension Activity Worksheet. 22 slide powerpoint with answers to sixteen sentence information. Further activity ideas.

This twenty slide Remembrance Assembly Powerpoint explains the historic background of the two minute silence in a poignant slideshow with images of those who gave their lives, purposefully including black soldiers who have been omitted from the historic record. It then zooms in on two individuals - Noel Chavasse, the only man to win the Victoria Cross twice and Arthur Barraclough who went over the top six times. It ends with a request for students to consider their own lives in the light of the sacrifice of so many.

Inspired by Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade”, I have been searching for original sources that describe the battle. I’ve found diary extracts from the longest-living charge survivor, Sir George Wombwell. His vivid account of having his horse shot from under him, his capture, then escape from the Russian Cossacks makes exciting reading and is ample material to encourage your students to write about a desperate cavalry charge. Also included is an extract from William Howard Russell’s newspaper report on the Crimean War. As if that wasn’t enough, the folder also contains an extract from Michael Morpurgo’s “War Horse” which describes a cavalry charge. All of this is accompanied with a lively powerpoint with contemporary images to illustrate the key players in the drama. My lessons and worksheets on Tennyson’s poems are also thrown in free, so that your classes become absolute experts on this memorable battle in British history. Go forth and write!!

This fifty slide powerpoint includes accurate background and statistics regarding witchcraft in Britain and Europe from the fifteenth century to the seventeenth century. It presents fourteen contemporary woodcut pictures depicting witches. For the first activity, students write a one sentence description of what they can see in the woodcut. The next step is to then analyze what the woodcuts reveal about historical beliefs in witchcraft and culture. Example answers are provided for both activities. Students are then asked to evaluate how reliable the evidence is, bearing in mind that many pamphlets were written for political purposes, and whether the woodcuts reflect popular ideas or actually create stereotypes. his powerpoint can be used in history lessons as an investigation into the beliefs of the day and can also be used as a background activity before reading Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Although the Celts lived in Britain before the arrival of the English language, some words have survived into English. This twenty slide powerpoint contains an introduction to the history of the Celts and then some matching activities where students match the Celtic word to its English equivalent with answers provided. This is followed by an activity to learn about how Celtic place names have survived into English and what they mean.

Using two sources, students imagine that they were a soldier at the Dunkirk evacuation and write an eye-witness account of it. The first source is a powerpoint with two with background information and historical contest. The second source is a an extract from Churchill’s famous "We shall fight them on the beaches speech. This could be used as stimulus for creative writing for English or empathetic writing for history.

Celebrate the life of the remarkable Edith Cavell with this two-page information sheet, accompanied by comprehension activities and a vocabulary extension worksheet. A Powerpoint with starter and answers to the questions with lots of ideas for further activities is also provided. Designed to commemorate both World War One and the sacrifice of women in that conflict, Edith Cavell is an inspiration to all.

A seventy-slide powerpoint that introduces and describes the twelve main Roman Gods with colourful graphics, followed by two quizzes. Firstly, students have to guess the blanked out words from the description of the gods. Secondly, a random ten question quiz. All answers are provided and a worksheet to help remember the gods is included in the folder. A final slide with ideas for further activities and research. A fun lesson that will make the gods memorable and enjoyable for your students.