Guess the minibeasts in a quiz (PowerPoint presentation), make up your own quiz then create a mini book. Through describing and guessing, children develop their knowledge about minibeasts and vocabulary related to colours, patterns, parts of the body, ways of moving, prepositions, habitats. For more of a challenge students can engage in research to find out more (links to suggested websites included). Instructions and templates for differing abilities are included for making origami books, a ‘mini mystery minibeast’ book! The teacher’s guide has all the information, the quiz questions and screenshots for easy reference. Check out the other minibeasts themed resources in the Teachers Telling Tales shop with bundle and save options.

Fun pirate-themed activities to consolidate positional language / introduce pirate topic vocabulary. Great for English language learners. Starter - Spot the difference posters to get students talking and using positional language. The same poster but in outline so students can add the objects in the correct place and colour their completed picture. Instructions are provided in picture and text form. making the activity accessible to a range of ages and abilities. A guide to using the resource with vocabulary lists is included. Updated March 2021 to correct a typo on the written instruction sheet and add resources for remote teaching: PNG images to click and drag to complete the picture instead of drawing with updated instructions. Related Resources A free pirate vocabulary anagrams sheet can be downloaded here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/pirate-anagrams-12322262 There are pirate-themed mazes, sudoku and phonics games in the Teachers telling Tales shop with options to bundle and save. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/talk-like-a-pirate-phonics-bundle-12403177

This cute and colourful presentation is designed to engage even the most reluctant mathematicians! With 4 different scenarios involving ice lollies and ice creams, there are word problems involving mixed operations and multi-steps. In Powerpoint presentation so easy to adapt, however with a UK and US version and three levels for each problem, you should not need to spend time on preparation. Includes a guide and answers in the notes for each slide. Suitable for classroom and distance / home learning. Works well as a whole class starter when projected or small group activity when printed. For more ice cream / ice lolly themed resources check out https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ice-ice-bundle-12355950 or ‘Delicious Description’, a complete lesson with a creative challenge.

A complete lesson in a Powerpoint presentation, easily adaptable. Includes a starter activity to engage students and draw out vocabulary, group activities to describe ice lollies using adjectives, comparatives and superlatives and analysing features of advertising. Students then apply what they have learned in creating their own advertisement for a ice lolly of their choice. A suggested lesson plan provides guidance to educators and two printable word mats support students with inspiration and spelling. This lesson is suitable for classroom or distance / home learning. I have a range of creative resources on the ice lolly / ice cream theme you can check out here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ice-ice-bundle-12355950 and will be uploading some word problems on the same themes shortly.

An interactive story to learn about the sea turtle life cycle, natural and human threats. Children sit in a circle around a turtle nest (a hoop or mat) with 100 eggs. As they listen to a story they take turns (going round the circle) to remove eggs as a predator or problem arises. As the story continues, the remaining eggs are turned over to reveal hatchlings which in turn face more problems as they try to reach the sea. As juveniles in the sea there are yet more problems. How many will survive and return to the beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs? What will the beach be like when they have become an adult Printables included in the pack: Turtle eggs templates. Students can cut out the circles and draw their own hatchling on one side, (optional, if you prefer use the pre-made cards below). Turtle egg and hatchling cards. Print and cut out. (Place face down for eggs and turn over for hatchlings.) Story Scripts, 2 versions, ‘Take 5’ and ‘Against the Odds’. Turtle problem picture cards. Turtle problem word and picture cards. Story Script Excerpt: One moonlit night a green turtle heaved herself along the beach and dug a hole in the sand with her flippers. She laid 100 eggs and took care to cover them again with sand to disguise the nest. Slowly, she made her way back to the sea where, exhausted, she slipped with relief back into the water as the sun began to rise. Early the next morning, a dog roamed the beach and could smell where the turtle had been. She dug up part of the nest, ate five eggs and cracked five more which were eaten by ants. Also included: Ideas for activities using turtle problems cards. Maths (subtraction) story idea. Related Resources: For an active game on the threats to turtles, see the Teachers Telling Tales resource https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/turtles-in-danger-game-12237706

Skills: These activities are good for counting with 1-1 correspondence, beginning to count in twos, beginning to notice patterns (doubles and halves). Pointing to each foot or sock will help with accuracy and children can also circle or cross off objects when they count to help keep track. Contents: Worksheets worksheets ‘Animals Love Socks’ and ‘If Minibeasts Wore Socks’ (colour and ink saving versions included) Colouring pages, sock-topus and incey wincey spider for designing socks. Teacher’s Guide These resources are great for awareness days: #oddsocksday November 16th (part of Anti-bullying Week) #LotsOfSocksDay 21st March (World Down Syndrome Day) Related resources are available from Teachers Telling Tales, including an Odd Socks pack, sock-themed repeat patterns and Fantastic Footwear which includes templates for socks and a variety of shoes and themed design challenge task cards. You can purchase a bundle at a discounted price.

Having a theme for each day is a good way to build community with a group of learners, especially when teaching online. It adds structure to the week and gives students an opportunity to participate. This pack contains alliterative ideas for each day, such as ‘tongue-twister Tuesday’ or ‘fact or fiction Friday’. There is inspiration for starter activities, quizzes, a range of subject areas and fun dressing up activities. Ideas can be printed on individual cards for each day or a chart for the week to add to your wall or stick in your planner. The cards come with UK and US spelling versions, A4 and letter size. Charts also in UK/US spelling with landscape and portrait variations. PDF and PNG files (so you can adjust the size to suit). New Update (22.01.21) Now includes example cards for Would You Rather, This or That and Friday Faves, blank cards for each day and lists of discussion points for Would You Rather and This or That. Further Update (28.08.22) Printable cards for Would You Rather (new examples) and This or That for one-to-one or small group discussion. I found these helpful for social games working in alternative provision.

Some children can be anxious when they feel sick or are hurt and need to visit the school nurse. A classroom visit from the nurse to demonstrate what he/she does can help to overcome this. There are 8 editable common scenarios here to role play with class toys or teddies. For example, taking temperature, using a hot water bottle or ice pack, putting on a plaster. If children are still anxious, especially about going to the ‘sick room’ they could take a teddy to visit the nurse with a scenario card for a further demonstration. A hospital or doctor role play area with the teddies is a good follow up to this lesson. For more information or ideas check out the post on teacherstellingtales.com https://teacherstellingtales.com/a-visit-from-the-nurse/ Update: new resources developed to encourage writing in the role play area, doctor’s consultation and prescription (simple pictorial sheet for early years). https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/doctor-s-orders-role-play-writing-frames-12248191

Pirate anagrams are a great way to introduce or reinforce topic vocabulary. This worksheet has picture clues alongside the mixed up letters and a space to write the word correctly. It can be kept to refer to when completing writing tasks to assist with spelling. Also useful as an activity for early finishers. A greyscale version is included for ink saving or for those who like to colour in their work. The worksheet can be downloaded on its own or as part of a pirates pack, check out the other pirate themed resources by Teachers Telling Tales.

These sheets inspired by Hooray for Fish! by Lucy Cousins feature little fish and some new fishy friends created by Teachers Telling Tales. They are great for developing fine motor skills, awareness of shape and pattern and early writing skills. The fishy characters feature in a range of resources by Teachers Telling Tales on opposites, rhyming words and puzzles. They can be bought individually or you can bundle and save.

Socks are a great topic for exploring patterns. This pack contains resources to explore repeat patterns. Contents: Complete the stripes. There are striped socks to complete, two with a 2 colour AB pattern and two with a 3 colour ABC patterns to complete. The socks are included in PDF and PNG form so the size is flexible. A blank sock is included for pattern creation. Complete the sock sequence. Pairs of socks repeated with a range of colour patterns. Includes a blank line for pattern creation. A teacher’s guide Read more ideas for sock topics here https://teacherstellingtales.com/socks-rock/ Related resources are available from Teachers Telling Tales, including an Odd Socks pack, sock-topus counting activities and Fantastic Footwear which includes templates for socks and a variety of shoes and themed design challenge task cards. These resources are great for awareness days: #oddsocksday November 16th (part of Anti-bullying Week) #LotsOfSocksDay 21st March (World Down Syndrome Day)