The Witches' song from Macbeth Act 4 Sc 1 (analysis and writing tasks) Watch a YouTube reading of the poem, acrostic poem starter, detailed text and word level analysis with a choice of writing tasks, peer assessment and review. Copy of the extract for the pupils to highlight and annotate. KS3 and 4. Ideal for Halloween or general Shakespeare/poetry topic.

Descriptive writing: Autumn. The power point includes: a starter, 'Ode to Autumn' by John Keats which is analysed at word and whole text level, an opportunity for pupils to improve their work to show progression, a skills slide, a writing planning slide and a checklist for peer assessment. Highly visual and engaging.

Poetry analysis and descriptive writing: Spring. ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ by William Wordsworth is analysed at word and whole text level with an essay style analysis task. The descriptive writing includes a skills slide, a writing planning slide and a checklist for peer assessment. Includes three differentiated copies of the poem: high, medium and EAL. Highly visual and engaging.

The Lost Happy Endings by Carol Ann Duffy: The setting analysis and writing activity with worksheet. Power point with extract on the setting. The question "How does the writer portray the setting?" is explored via colour coded analytic slides. Print and give out the blank extract slide to high ability pupils, the colour coded slide to medium ability pupils and the colour coded and annotated slide to lower ability pupils in order to answer the question. Subsequently, the pupils can use some of the descriptive writing techniques which they have just identified in order to fill in the worksheet describing their own setting. The final slide has skills criteria on in order for the pupils to peer assess their work. Level descriptors on the powerpoint and the worksheet are for the new GCSE 1-9 criteria but can be easily adapted for KS2/3.

Macbeth: sequencing the plot power point and image sort activity. The worksheet has 20 images which the pupils cut up and sequence in the correct order. The powerpoint shows the correct sequencing of the images. There is space on the powerpoint to annotate and add notes on plot, characters, themes as you go through. The pupils can then stick the images into their books and write sentences underneath to consolidate learning. Ideal for low ability/ EAL. Highly visual and engaging.

Frankenstein analysis and creative writing: chapter 5. Word level analysis of an extract from chapter 5 "It was on a dreary night of November..." Starter activity links to subsequent creative writing where pupils try to emulate some of the techniques used by Shelley to create atmosphere and tension. Peer assessment linking to skills on final slide. Extract of chapter 5 included with sections and instructions for colour coding and highlighting clearly labelled.

A Christmas Carol Visual: plot and Scrooge’s character development. A power point and worksheet with images in chronological order to discuss as a whole class and for pupils to make notes on plot, Scrooge’s character, themes and the author’s message. Highly visual so ideal for low ability and visual learners. Scaffolded questions at the end of the worksheet as a plenary to explain how Scrooge’s character changes.

Reading skills: Richard Branson biography extract Analysis of an extract from Richard Branson: the inside story by Mick Brown. Includes questions and a model answer (slides 11 and 12) for pupils to identify and highlight PEE formulas. There is a sentence starter slide (13) to help pupils attempt the questions independently and the whole extract (which is also on the power point) for the teacher to work through and identify key areas so that pupils have highlighted and annotated copies ready to work on the reading skills questions. Works for KS3 and 4. Works well after Reading skills lesson 1 (on an extract from Enduring Love) and 2 (on a ballooning handbook) Both these resources are uploaded on TES too.

Poetry analysis: ‘Text’ and ‘Quickdraw’ by Carol Ann Duffy. Detailed powerpoint with leading questions and colour coded for pupils to effectively interrogate and compare both poems.

A Christmas Carol: Marley's Ghost and The Ghost of Christmas Past. Quotation comparison chart with space for pupils to make a comparison and then write an explanation.

Reading Skills lesson: based on an extract from Enduring Love by Ian McEwan Always a winner with pupils! This presentation leads pupils to analyse the opening of the novel. A longer extract is attached. There are 4 comprehension questions which interrogate the text with model answers to each so that pupils can use self or peer assessment to mark them. The opening extract is on the power point; the first comprehension question could be completed as a whole class activity with the teacher showing pupils where the evidence is. I have also shown the extract from the film version of the novel as well (on Youtube); show before reading and stop it a few minutes in to entice the pupils to read the extract to see what happens. There are a number of writing tasks after the plenary.

Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches diary enty. Image, instructions and key words to enable pupils to imagine that they are either Macbeth, Banquo or one of the witches. They write a descriptive diary entry of the meeting upon the heath. Good for low ability as the worksheet is visual with key words for guidance.

A fun poetry analysis and writing activity lesson (or two lessons) based on Rabbit by Ann Hoberman. Illustrated copy of the poem attached. The presentation analyses repetition, rhyme and onomatopoeia, there is word level dictionary and thesaurus work and a range of poetry or creative writing tasks linked to the poem for the pupils to choose from. There is a peer/self assessment and target setting slide. Ideal for primary Y5 and 6 or KS3. Did I mention the cute bunnies?...

A taste of The Gothic from Mary Coleridge. 'The Deserted House presentation includes: brief background to The Gothic; starter descriptive writing activity, the poem and 6 questions to answer, an opportunity to show progression by reviewing and improving the starter activity, PA/SA review and target setting. Copy of the poem included for highlighting and annotating (or slide 4 could be copied for pupils as it has the poem and the questions on it) KS3 or 4.

The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. Sound effects starter, social and historical context of Poe's life, analysis of the opening to the story (pupils annotate their own copies) with leading questions in order to interrogate subsequent paragraphs. Comic strip writing activity with self assessment and review.

Descriptive writing; semantic fields based on 'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke. Enquiry based learning using a word cloud of the poem to create pupil led categories. These are then used as a springboard for writing and creating semantic fields before the poem is studied (I used an audio clip of the poem on Youtube) The pupils then revisit and improve their work (showing progression) and it is then either self or peer assessed using the WJEC grade criteria on the power point. The plenary has leading questions linking to semantic fields, key skills and target setting. I printed out copies of the slides showing the poem, the word cloud and the grade criteria (one between two) Don't let the pupils access the poem until they have tried categorising the words in the word cloud. This enquiry based learning lesson is effective in terms of varied activities, a range of learning styles, showing progression and target setting.

AQA Conflict Poetry: War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy. Power point exploring context, detailed analysis, starter and plenary and a choice of creative writing tasks on the final slide to consolidate understanding. Slide 8 can be printed out to use as a plenary. Copy of the poem included for highlighting and annotating. Colour coded, visual and accessible. Ideal for use with Conflict Poetry cluster or as a creative one/two lesson poetry exploration.

Macbeth anagram starter activity: power point and worksheet. A starter activity designed to revise character names and key themes. With answers for self assessment.