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The Lighthouse Keepers Lunch: Fun Lessons and Resources
There are many great reasons why The Lighthouse Keepers Lunch is so fun to read and teach. Here are four lesson plans plus all the resources you need to turn up, engage, and teach this fantastic story. Lessons include listening and speaking, comprehension, writing, art and drama. Delicious!
Includes
4 Full Lessons Plans
Learning Outcomes
Printables
Sequencing activity
Story Mountain
Story Planner
Worksheets
Online resources
Learning outcomes
English
• listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
• use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising
• imagining and exploring ideas
• listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently
• making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done
• predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far
• sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by:
writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional)
writing about real events
Art
• use drawing and imagination to develop their ideas of 17th Century London.
• Use tone, pattern, line and shape in pictures.
Drama
• develop confidence using movement
• develop spatial awareness
• act out a story
• facilitate the creation and communication of ideas
These lessons are written by children’s author and tutor Claire Vorster. Enjoy!

Presentation Skills: First Impressions and Body Language
How do I make a good first impression? How do I learn to attend an interview, communicate effectively and grow in confidence? Here are practical answers; an antidote to anxiety. Immediately, you can use these lesson plans and activities that contain an element of fun. Coupled with fit-to-purpose resources, your students will build confidence and skills as they learn to -
• Build rapport from the outset.
• Know the difference between helpful and distracting body language.
• Learn skills and quickly practice them.
• Analyse presentations given by famous people.
• Acquire practical skills that make for effective presentations.
• Stay motivated, right to the end.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions.
Resources included in this pack
Confidence building activities
Discussion starters
Expert advice and tips
Examples of presentations (good & bad)
Games

Opening Lines & Hooks: Creative Writing Lesson Plans _15 to 18 yrs
There’s nothing quite like staring at a blank page. These bundled lesson plans apply secrets from master storytellers as students discover techniques to conquer those first line blues. They will learn to -
Grab the reader’s attention from the very first line and hold onto it.
Review the first lines of famous novels and develop their own style.
Saturate their stories with atmosphere and meaning.
Write to inform and entertain. And be ruthless about the editing process.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions.
Activities
Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing.
Learning objectives
Reading
Understanding the author’s craft: story shape
Writing
Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting
Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect
Speaking and Listening
Developing active listening skills and strategies
Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies
Resources included in this plan
Reading and Comprehension Activities
Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities
Famous quotes for discussion
Literary examples
Story prompts
Story planner for students
Online resource links

Effective Story Endings: Creative Writing Lesson Plans _11 to 14 yrs
We’ve all read great stories that end in a rush, and others that should have ended sooner. These bundled lessons apply secrets from master storytellers to help students discover how to write effective story endings. They will learn to -
• Review the closing lines of famous novels and develop their own style.
• Use a great piece of advice from Pixar Story Artist, Emma Coates.
• Try out expert techniques to bring their stories to a close.
• Stay motivated, right to the end.
• Know when it’s time to simply let go.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions.
Resources included in this plan
Reading and Comprehension Activities
Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities
Famous quotes for discussion
Literary examples
Story prompts
Story planner for students
Online resource links
Activities
Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing.
Learning objectives
Reading
Understanding the author’s craft: story shape
Writing
Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting
Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect
Speaking and Listening
Developing active listening skills and strategies
Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies

The Lighthouse Keeper's Catastrophe: Fun Lessons and Resources
Mr Grinling locks himself out of the lighthouse. Not only is Hamish the cat trapped inside, he also needs to switch on the light to warn the ships that they’re near the rocks! Mrs Grinling has an ingenious plan to get back in…but will it work?
The Lighthouse Keepers Catastrophe Kit includes four lesson plans plus all the resources you need to turn up, engage, and teach this fantastic story. Lessons include listening and speaking, comprehension, information and story writing, art and a memory game. Delicious!
Includes
4 Full Lessons Plans
Learning Outcomes
Printables
Sequencing activity
Story Mountain
Story Planner
Worksheets
Online resources
Learning outcomes
English
• listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
• use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising
• imagining and exploring ideas
• listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently
• making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done
• predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far
• sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by:
writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional)
writing about real events
Art
• use drawing and imagination to develop their ideas.
• Use tone, pattern, line and shape in pictures.
These lessons are written by children’s author and tutor Claire Vorster. Enjoy!

Creative Writing Prompts - Visual
Every picture tells a story, but which one? Here are 8 curated, visual creative writing prompts. Each image includes a writing prompt designed to inspire your students, or help them to write from the heart.
Learning objectives:
Generating ideas, planning and drafting
Developing viewpoint, voice and ideas
Writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings
Differentiation opportunities:
Ask students to find an image they want to write a story about.
You can create your own favourite visual creative writing prompts from headlines. It’s easy to pull up images from pinterest or amazing free image sites like unsplash. All my students enjoy this activity. It can help them generate ideas and write about characters and settings they are interested in.

Opening Lines & Hooks: Creative Writing Mini Activities_11 to 14 yrs
These mini creative writing activities will help students to conquer their first line blues.
You will find a fabulous bundle of creative writing lessons here. They apply secrets from master storytellers to build on existing skills, These lessons will engage your students as they create compelling characters and emotions that elevate and sharpen any story.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions.

Visual Creative Writing Prompts
Every picture contains a secret story, but which one? Here are 8 curated, visual creative writing prompts. Each image includes a writing prompt designed to inspire your students, or help them to write from the heart.
Learning objectives:
Generating ideas, planning and drafting
Developing viewpoint, voice and ideas
Writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings
Differentiation opportunities:
Ask students to find an image they want to write a story about.
You can create your own favourite visual creative writing prompts from headlines. It’s easy to pull up images from pinterest or amazing free image sites like unsplash. All my students enjoy this activity. It can help them generate ideas and write about characters and settings they are interested in.

Visual Creative Writing Prompts Kit: 11-14 years
Every great picture has the makings of an unforgettable story, but which one? With this adaptable Visual Story Starter Kit, your students can choose from 12 curated creative writing prompts. Each image is designed to inspire your students, and help them to write from the heart.
Includes
Teaching Guide
Printables
12 Curated images + story prompts
Story planner
Learning objectives
Writing
Generating ideas, planning and drafting
Developing viewpoint, voice and ideas
Writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings
Reading
Understanding the author’s craft: story shape
Differentiation opportunities
Ask students to find an image they want to write a story about.
With the flexible Story Starter Kit you can create your activities. It’s easy to add your own visual prompts to this resource. All my students enjoy this activity. It helps them generate ideas and practice creating characters and settings.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions. Many thanks!

Editing and Proofing: Creative Writing Lesson Plans _15 to 18 yrs
These bundled lessons apply secrets from master storytellers to help students discover how to review and edit their stories. They will learn to -
Let the mess out and fix problems later.
Throw away anything that isn’t plot.
Improve any confusing bits / plot holes.
Fix spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Uncover their stories in a new and improved way.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions.
Resources included in this plan
Reading and Comprehension Activities
Mini and Comprehensive Writing and Editing Activities
Famous quotes for discussion
Literary examples
Story prompts
Online resource links
Learning objectives
Reading
Understanding the author’s craft: story shape
Writing
Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting
Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect
Speaking and Listening
Developing active listening skills and strategies
Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies
Bundle

Creative Writing Super Bundle for 15-18yrs
This Creative Writing Bundle reflects a 60% discount and is packed with successful lesson plans, printables, writing prompts and online resources to help your students build on existing skills lesson by lesson. Your students will learn how to -
• Develop a solid plot structure.
• Quickly set themselves up for a successful first draft.
• Get tools to keep their stories clear and on track.
• Discover how to use a writing prompt to find their starting point.
• Remove the fear from the thought of writing a whole story.
• Beat writer’s block. Discover the technique that award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin uses to make a great start, every time.
Activities
Speaking and listening, planning, writing, reviewing.
Learning objectives
Reading
Understanding the author’s craft: story shape
Writing
Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting
Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect
Developing viewpoint, voice and ideas
Writing narratives, considering how authors have developed characters and settings
Speaking and Listening
Developing active listening skills and strategies
Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies
Resources included in this bundle
Story Mountain
Story Mountain for Advanced Climbers
Images - Flood, Worst Hotel
Reading - Why should I plan?
Reading / Ranking Activities
Activity Sheets
Story prompts
Images (copyright free)
Quotes and song lyrics
Teaching Guide
Printables
12 Curated images + story prompts
Story planner
Online resource links
All my students enjoy these activities. The lessons and resources build confidence, help them generate ideas and practice creating effective story plots, characters and settings.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources or with any questions. Many thanks!

Hamburger Essay Structure: Lesson Plans and Examples
Hamburger Essay Structure helps students to understand and practice the ingredients that make a great essay. It answers questions like, how does my thesis statement relate to the body of my essay? What about the conclusion? Here’s an antidote to anxiety in the classroom. Immediately, you can use these lesson plans and activities that contain an element of fun. Coupled with fit-to-purpose resources, your students will build confidence and skills as they learn to -
• Understand and practice Hamburger Essay Structure
• Create a robust Thesis Statement that sets them up for success.
• Write Body Paragraphs using proven Point, Evidence, Analysis structure.
• Edit ideas so that they have time for analysis.
• Practice planning using a workable structure.
• Stay motivated, right to the end.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions.
Resources included in this pack
Confidence building activities
Mini and comprehensive writing / planning activities
Examples of Simple to Advanced Thesis Statements
Examples of Simple to Advanced Body Paragraphs
Sample templates to build essay structure

Persuasive Essay Structure: Lesson Plans and Examples for 15-18 years
How do I write a good persuasive essay? How does my thesis statement relate to the body of my essay? What about the conclusion? Here are practical answers to help with persuasive essay structure; an antidote to anxiety in the classroom. Immediately, you can use these lesson plans and activities that contain an element of fun. Coupled with fit-to-purpose resources, your students will build confidence and skills as they learn to -
· Create a robust Thesis Statement that sets them up for success.
· Write Body Paragraphs using proven Point, Evidence, Analysis structure.
· Edit ideas so that they have time for analysis.
· Practice planning using a workable structure.
· Stay motivated, right to the end.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions.
Resources included in this pack:
Confidence building activities
Mini and comprehensive writing / planning activities
Examples of Simple to Advanced Thesis Statements
Examples of Simple to Advanced Body Paragraphs
Sample templates to build essay structure

Presentation Skills Lesson Plans: From Boring to Brilliant
How do I give a presentation? How do I learn to attend an interview, communicate effectively and grow in confidence? Here are practical answers; an antidote to anxiety. Immediately, you can use these lesson plans and activities that contain an element of fun. Coupled with fit-to-purpose resources, your students will build confidence and skills as they learn to -
• Know the difference between ineffective and successful presentations.
• Discover and see what stress and nerves do to the body.
• Develop ways to turn pressure to their advantage.
• Introduction to presentation skills in the context of business / marketing.
• Acquire practical skills that make for effective presentations.
• Stay motivated, right to the end.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions.
Resources included in this pack
Confidence building activities
Discussion starters
Expert advice and tips
Examples of presentations (good & bad)
Handouts
Online resources
Games

Realistic Characters and Emotion: Creative Writing Activities_15 to 18 yrs
With the right tools, your students can write narrative pieces that blaze. In these four activities they will turn life’s strangest moments into a dramatic story. They’ll gain the skills to become highly attuned to the world around them, develop their voices and create their best work. They will learn how to -
• Identify and develop strong ideas that add heat to a story.
• Use popular song lyrics to find story ideas.
• Beat writer’s block. Discover the technique that award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin uses to make a great start, every time.
• Craft compelling stories that are relevant and timeless.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with any questions.
Activities
Speaking and listening, planning, writing, reviewing.
Resources included in this plan
Writing and Mini Writing Activities
Story prompts
Reading and Comprehension
Quotes and song lyrics
Online resource links

Creative Writing Lesson Plans: Structure and Planning for 15-18yrs
With the right plot, your students can write confident and exciting stories. These Creative Writing lessons start with a simple plotting tool and will build on existing skills, each time adding a new story telling element. Your students will learn how to -
• Develop a solid plot structure.
• Quickly set themselves up for a successful first draft.
• Get tools to keep their stories clear and on track.
• Discover how to use a writing prompt to find their starting point.
• Remove the fear from the thought of writing a whole story.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions.
Time Allowance
2-4 lessons
Activities
Speaking and listening, planning, writing, reviewing.
Learning objectives
Reading
Understanding the author’s craft: story shape
Writing
Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting
Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect
Speaking and Listening
Developing active listening skills and strategies
Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies
Resources included in this plan
Story Mountain
Story Mountain for Advanced Climbers
Images - Flood, Worst Hotel
Reading - Why should I plan?
Reading / Ranking Activity - Famous quotes
Activity Sheets
Online resource links
Please contact Claire Vorster with any questions. Many thanks!

The Lighthouse Keepers Christmas Kit: Fun Lessons and Resources
Mr and Mrs Grinling are looking forward to an extra-special Christmas with their great-nephew, George. But on Christmas Eve, Mr Grinling and George get stranded in the middle of a storm! Can Mrs Grinling reach them in time for a Christmas Dinner?
The Lighthouse Keepers Christmas Kit includes four lesson plans plus all the resources you need to turn up, engage, and teach this fantastic story. Lessons include listening and speaking, comprehension, writing, art and a memory game. Delicious!
Includes
4 Full Lessons Plans
Learning Outcomes
Printables
Sequencing activity
Story Mountain
Story Planner
Worksheets
Online resources
Learning outcomes
English
• listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
• use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising
• imagining and exploring ideas
• listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently
• making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done
• predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far
• sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by:
writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional)
writing about real events
Art
• use drawing and imagination to develop their ideas.
• Use tone, pattern, line and shape in pictures.
These lessons are written by children’s author and tutor Claire Vorster. Enjoy!

A Christmas Carol: Activities, Learning Plans, Printables and more
Ebenezer Scrooge is a mean-spirited old man who hates everything - even Christmas! But when three spirits visit him one Christmas Eve, Scrooge is taken on a journey into the past, present and future that will change him forever. These four simple and engaging lesson plans and activities contain all the resources you need to turn up, engage, and teach this fantastic story. Lessons include listening and speaking, comprehension, writing, art and a memory game. Joy!
Includes
4 Full Lessons Plans
Learning Outcomes
Printables
Sequencing activity
Story Mountain
Story Planner
Worksheets
Online resources
Learning outcomes
English
• listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
• use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising
• imagining and exploring ideas
• listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently
• making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done
• predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far
• sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by:
writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional)
writing about real events
Art
• use drawing and imagination to develop their ideas.
• Use tone, pattern, line and shape in pictures.
These lessons are written by children’s author and tutor Claire Vorster. Enjoy!

KS1 Great Fire of London - 4 Full Lesson Plans and Resources
One little spark, that’s all it took to start the Great Fire of London. Here are four lesson plans plus all the resources you need to turn up, engage, inspire and teach KS1 Great Fire of London. Lessons include listening and speaking, history, fiction, writing, art and drama. Watch the sparks fly!
Learning outcomes:
English
• listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings
• use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising
• imagining and exploring ideas
• listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently
• making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done
• predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far
• sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by:
writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional)
writing about real events
History
• learning about:
events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally [for example, the Great Fire of London, the first aeroplane flight or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries]
the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.
• use inquiry skills to gain information from photographs and written text
• understand and create a timeline
• offer opinions and suggestions about why things happened
Art
• use drawing and imagination to develop their ideas of 17th Century London.
• Use tone, pattern, line and shape in pictures.
Drama
• develop confidence using movement
• develop spatial awareness
• act out a story
• facilitate the creation and communication of ideas
Lessons include excerpts and an illustration from the popular children’s novel Ellie Sparrow and the Great Fire of London. These lessons are written by author and tutor Claire Vorster. Enjoy!

Effective Story Endings: Creative Writing Lesson Plans _15 to 18 yrs
We’ve all read great stories that end in a rush, and others that should have ended sooner. These bundled lessons apply secrets from master storytellers to help students discover how to write effective story endings. They will learn to -
• Review the closing lines of famous novels and develop their own style.
• Use a great piece of advice from Pixar Story Artist, Emma Coates.
• Try out expert techniques to bring their stories to a close.
• Stay motivated, right to the end.
• Know when it’s time to simply let go.
Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions.
Activities
Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing.
Learning objectives
Reading
Understanding the author’s craft: story shape
Writing
Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting
Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect
Speaking and Listening
Developing active listening skills and strategies
Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies
Resources included in this plan
Reading and Comprehension Activities
Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities
Famous quotes for discussion
Literary examples
Story prompts
Story planner for students
Online resource links