Task: Discuss with a partner how legends were known and shared in the days before books. If you aren’t sure, research it. Write your own version of the legend of the Neverdeads using information from the story as well your own imagination.

TASK: The journey along the yellow brick road has been full of dangers, for example, in Chapter Eight the raging river and the sleepy poppies. Make a warning poster for one or more of the dangers along the yellow brick road. CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by: drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher explain and discuss their understanding of books, poems and material, both those that they listen to and those that they read independently for themselves CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: summarising the main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning

Here you’ll find five flexible resources with activities aimed at pupils in Years 5 and 6. Each resource explores a different aspect of Skulduggery Pleasant, Book I. All support the KS2 English curriculum requirement to develop understanding and appreciation of literary texts, including modern fiction by significant children’s authors.

Task: Research and create a fact file about what life was like 1000 years ago. You can use information from the story as well as research from the internet to find out about what life was like 1000 years ago. Use the information you discover to create a fact file that could teach others about that period of time.

Task: Imagine you are Vincent. You are writing in your diary. Choose a point in the story – perhaps shortly after you are taken in by Kezia and Lorenzo or later after Kezia has begun her story. Use information from the chapter and your own imagination. Ideas to include: • What were you doing when Lorenzo found you? • How did you end up in France near the farm? • What are Kezia and Lorenzo like? • How did you feel about being found and helped?

Meet the great Skulduggery Pleasant: wise-cracking detective, powerful magician, master of dirty tricks and burglary (in the name of the greater good, of course). Oh yeah. And dead. Test your knowledge of Skulduggery, Valkyrie and the whole gang with this monstrous and magical quiz!

You are about to delve deep into your soul to determine how much of it is Good and how much of it is Evil. Which school is yours?

Task: Research and create a fact file about flamingos. You can use information from the story as well as research from the Internet to find out about flamingos. Use the information you discover to create a fact file that could teach others about flamingos. Ideas to include: • What do flamingos look like? • What noise do flamingos make? • What do flamingos’ nests look like? • How do flamingos behave? • Where do flamingos usually live? • What threats do flamingos face? • What do flamingos eat?

Meet the characters from Sophy Henn’s first young fiction series Bad Nana! Bad Nana is a KS1-aligned, highly illustrated series for young readers. Bad Nana: Older Not Wiser is available now.

Task: Create a presentation about archaeology. You can use information from the story as well as research from the Internet to find out about archaeology. Create a presentation – it could be a poster, a power point or a talk to teach other about what archaeology is.

Task: Can you explain what the words highlighted in this extract mean? Did you know that reading Flamingo Boy will help you to improve your knowledge of, and ability to use, new and interesting vocabulary? Challenge yourself to find out what all of the words on the next pages mean. Ideas: • First, talk to a partner or small group about what you think each word means • Next, look up each word in the book to read it in context then, look up each word in a dictionary and note its meaning

Task: • Hold a class debate to discuss whether Alfie should have told Sangeeta the truth about how old he was. Use the cards to develop your arguments for or against Alfie telling Sangeeta the truth. Try to reach a class consensus. Add further arguments to the blank cards • Think about how Sangeeta knowing Alfie’s secret could affect the rest of the story, including all the events right up until the end • Cut up the cards and distribute them amongst learners in the group • Ask each learner to expand upon and justify their card • Hold a hands up class vote to conclude whether Alfi e should have told Sangeeta the truth or not

These KS2 Pages & Co. resources include tasks on creating your own poster, writing a character interview, filling out a police report, a quiz and more! For children aged 9+.

Show and Tell is the fantastically funny new picture book from award-winning and bestselling creative star Rob Biddulph! School has never been so fun! Grow a sunflower, make a volcano, or open a cosmic museum - or many other things besides! This KS1 Teaching Resource pack is jammed with creative and fun activities that will engage all of Biddulph’s readers.

TASK: Retell the story of how a jolly woodman became a tin woodman using a comic strip style. CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding by: discussing the sequence of events in books and how items of information are related becoming increasingly familiar with and retelling a wider range of stories, fairy stories and traditional stories CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: summarising the main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas asking questions to improve their understanding

Either: Write your own diary extracts, written in a chatty informal style using the first person ‘I’, based on some of your own school highlights – you plan to hide this secret diary hidden in a disused locker knowing it will not be found for many years. Or: Write some extracts of Scarlet’s diary written at Rosemoor Asylum for Young females. To help set a sense of place if you are writing as Scarlet (80 years ago) as a prisoner in an Asylum, look at the rough map Scarlet could have managed to draw based on what she can see from her tiny room, other rooms she has been taken to and sounds that she could have heard.

Task: Can you explain what the words highlighted in this extract mean? Did you know that reading Flamingo Boy will help you to improve your knowledge of, and ability to use, new and interesting vocabulary? Challenge yourself to find out what all of the words on the next pages mean. Ideas: • First, talk to a partner or small group about what you think each word means • Next, look up each word in the book to read it in context • Then, look up each word in a dictionary and note its meaning

TASK: Imagine you are Lion. Write a thank you letter to the mice and the mouse Queen to thank them for rescuing you. Draw a picture with your letter. CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS1) Understand both the books that they can already read accurately and fluently and those that they listen to by: drawing on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher answering and asking questions CURRICULUM LINKS: (KS2) Understand what they read, in books they can read independently, by: checking that the text makes sense to them, discussing their understanding and explaining the meaning of words in context asking questions to improve their understanding

Here is some more developed thinking about what can be found in a mystery story (some of these points may overlap with your earlier ideas). a) Tick any number of the ones you agree with and add more to the list if you can. b) With support from the points on the previous page, use the following line, taken from ‘Ivy and Scarlet, The Lost Twin’, to open your own mystery writing scene. Then in no more than 500 words either produce an entirely new opening to a story or a scene from the middle of a story.

TASK: Can you find all of the words below from the book in the word search? The words can go up, down, left, right or diagonal.