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Spagbag

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A teacher and tutor with more than thirty years' experience working in both mainstream and independent schools. I have an Honours degree in English Literature and Linguistics from UEA and have written a dissertation about encouraging children to write. I am a mother of three and interested in all things green. I am in the process of setting up my TES shop and hope to launch my "Spagbag" resources which are suitable for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.

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A teacher and tutor with more than thirty years' experience working in both mainstream and independent schools. I have an Honours degree in English Literature and Linguistics from UEA and have written a dissertation about encouraging children to write. I am a mother of three and interested in all things green. I am in the process of setting up my TES shop and hope to launch my "Spagbag" resources which are suitable for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Descriptive Writing
jlimbjlimb

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Descriptive Writing

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This animated Power Point resource presents itself in the format of an Examination straight out of Hogwarts. Students read the descriptions of fantastic creatures such as the Hippogriff, the Basilisk and even the humble Puffskein and then answer questions about the information they have read. Students are required to draw detailed diagrams from the information they have acquired and are asked to compile their own entry to the latest edition of Fantastic Creatures concerning a new breed of werewolf. Answers and feedback are provided in a humorous manner. This resource is ideal to use in any exam period as a means of encouraging descriptive and informative writing whilst also inspiring students to read more widely from the pages of J.K.Rowling. Suitable for Potter fans of all ages.
How to write a persuasive speech
jlimbjlimb

How to write a persuasive speech

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This animated Powerpoint gives advice on how to make a persuasive speech by following five simple steps. The AFOREST acronym is used to remind students of the features of persuasive writing.Pupils are required to write speeches of their own , putting themselves forward for election as head boy or head girl in the form of Ronald Dump who wants to build a wall in the school gym or , alternatively, as Angela Smirkle who advocates an open door policy. This resource is ideal for revising persuasive writing techniques in light of the current political shananigans and is suitable for students aged 11 to 16.
Seeing the bigger picture
jlimbjlimb

Seeing the bigger picture

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This powerpoint tells the story of six blind men and an elephant. Each man believes he knows best about what an elephant is like, however they end up in an argument. A wise woman explains to them that they each encountered a small part of the creature in the cave and that they need to learn to see the bigger picture and listen better to one another. A useful resource to use in assembly . Suitable for audiences of 5 to 10 years of age.
A Halloween Special revising adjectives, adverbs and apostrophes.
jlimbjlimb

A Halloween Special revising adjectives, adverbs and apostrophes.

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This animated powerpoint comprises eight slides celebrating the spooky spectacle of Halloween. There are plenty of exercises involving adjectives, adverbs, fronted adverbials and apostrophes as well as poetry which could be used as a starting point for creative writing. This resource would be ideal to use on the run up to half term as a means of revision or as inspiration for writing when trying to conjure up a spooky atmosphere. This resource is intended to be used with pupils from 7 to 14 years.
Magical creatures and how to care for them examination
jlimbjlimb

Magical creatures and how to care for them examination

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This resource accompanies a PowerPoint and is presented as an examination paper as if from Hogwarts itself . It is inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Pupils are required to answer questions about various creatures, draw and label diagrams and create their own informative writing about a new breed of werewolf. Some anagrams of mystical creatures’ names are also provided as an extra activity. This is aimed at improving reading and comprehension skills whilst also encouraging wider reading. Suitable for Potter fans of all ages. Answers are included as well as a certificate including a range of scores and feedback such as "your name will be included as an addition to the were-wolf register with immediate effect." The intention of this resource is to alleviate stress when approaching real-life examinations. If you wish to use both the paper exam alongside the Power Point you can find them in my shop in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them Descriptive Writing, or in the Fantastic Beasts Bundle or in the Fantastic Beasts Bundle 2 which contain an array of Potter themed resources. You can find many more Potter themed resources in my shop : []https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/jlimb
Formal letter writing (dragon breeds 3)
jlimbjlimb

Formal letter writing (dragon breeds 3)

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This resource is presented as an animated Powerpoint and in word format and takes inspiration from Newt Scamander’s fifty-second edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It showcases the native British breeds of dragon , namely the Common Welsh Green and the Hebridean Black. Pupils scour the information comparing and contrasting the physical attributes of these magnificent creatures in order to answer a series of questions. The answers are provided. Finally, they put their letter writing skills to the test by applying for an apprenticeship as a dragon trainer based in the Outer Hebrides under the auspices of the MacFusty clan.Pupils are reminded of the conventions of formal letter writing. This is an activity which will appeal to Harry Potter fans and is one of three similar resources which can be found in my shop, each with different extended writing options. Suitable for ages 8+
Persuasive speeches Martin Luther King/Barack Obama
jlimbjlimb

Persuasive speeches Martin Luther King/Barack Obama

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This Powerpoint presentation details the life of Martin Luther King and focuses particularly on extracts from his I have a dream speech. This resource will be particularly useful during Black History month when focusing on persuasive writing and speeches that had the power to change the world. The resource includes a brief biography, a timeline of major events in MLK's life as well as a transcript of Obama's Yes We Can speech. The resource is intended to inspire pupils and make them think about how they can become better citizens by learning about Martin Luther King as a positive role model. Included is an extract from Barack Obama's Yes We Can speech so that pupils can see how King became a role model for future Presidents who utilised their powers of speech in a public arena. Echoes of Martin Luther King can be heard in Obama's words. Suitable for all ages.
news reports, articles and informative writing
jlimbjlimb

news reports, articles and informative writing

5 Resources
I have bundled together five resources which should prove useful when learning about writing articles for different audiences. Students learn that an awareness of audience is key plus how to spot features. There is plenty here to inspire students to write some informative pieces of their own and some guidance on how to improve their spelling and grammar in the process. Suitable for ages 10+
Mindfulness:a tool to build resilience
jlimbjlimb

Mindfulness:a tool to build resilience

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This animated Power Point resource looks at anxiety issues facing young teenagers today and shares tips on how to cope. Mindfulness is one tool to cope with anxiety as are talking therapies and artistic pursuits . A poem called “the room inside” is displayed which could be used as a starting point to a discussion about mental health. Students are asked to consider volunteering and doing something positive with their time once exams are over. An extract from Eleanor Morgan’s book “Anxiety for Beginners” is given and six plot ideas are given which relate to anxiety. Pupils are asked to select one of these to write about. Students are asked to think about the saying “every cloud has a silver lining” and to share strategies for developing resilience. A Power Point on mindfulness and how to deal with difficult and troubling emotions is included which could be used when problems and anxieties surface within a group situation. Especially useful at this time of year when the pressure of exams on the horizon is beginning to mount. Suitable for ages 12+
Pollution: a day at the sea-side
jlimbjlimb

Pollution: a day at the sea-side

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This animated Power point resource describes a day out at the sea-side for the Lute family who think they know all about pollution and yet show that their knowledge is as shallow as the sea lapping up against the litter with which they have decorated their sandcastle. The audience are requested to think how the family could have behaved differently and to question what their own families do on days out at the coast. Included is the famous riddle about St Ives and so the pupils can see how a small problem can be multiplied and that we should be all doing our bit by picking up the plastic one piece at a time. Ideal as a discussion starting point on the effects of pollution especially in a coastal setting and as the Summer holidays approach, a cautionary tale! This resource will stretch reading and comprehension skills as well as providing an opportunity to demonstrate maths skills at the same time… recommended for ages 8+
Sea turtle conservation and investigation
jlimbjlimb

Sea turtle conservation and investigation

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This resource looks at the problems faced by sea turtles in our polluted world and asks pupils to think of ways in which they might help creatures such as these. There is a how to guide on drawing a sea turtle and also a further investigation worksheet on finding out what sea turtles like to eat. This resource would support study of seas and oceans and conservation issues. I include a Planet Patrol puzzle which has over twenty interlocked words to find concerning endangered animals. This could be easily differentiated to suit age and ability. All answers provided. This resource compliments other resources available in my shop. Suitable for ages 8+
anger issues (words can hurt)
jlimbjlimb

anger issues (words can hurt)

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This resource tells the story of the boy who was taught a valuable lesson by his father about the damage he was causing to his loved ones by using unkind words. Pupils will reflect upon times when they have used words to hurt others or have themselves been hurt by what other people have said about them. An activity is suggested which will result in a display of hands which when put together with others will form a heart-shape. This resource could be used all year round but would be particularly appropriate to use during anti-bullying week or during exam periods. Talking therapies and mindfulness meditation are suggested as tools for dealing with mental health issues rather than medication. Especially topical as we approach Father’s Day and consider what we can learn from our elders. This resource is presented both in word format and as a Powerpoint presentation. Suitable for ages 10+
Persuasive speeches and rhetorical techniques
jlimbjlimb

Persuasive speeches and rhetorical techniques

3 Resources
I have bundled together three resources which I think will be useful when revising speeches and persuasive writing techniques. One of the resources takes Martin Luther King as its inspiration, another looks at Barack Obama's Yes We Can speech. Suitable for ages 11+
Fantastic Beasts Bundle
jlimbjlimb

Fantastic Beasts Bundle

4 Resources
I have bundled together four resources which I think will appeal to Potter fans. There are magical beasts galore here and plenty of opportunities to use descriptive writing, informative writing and even letter writing inspired by J.K.Rowling's work. Pupils can revise their writing skills but will , hopefully, be inspired to read more widely too. Suitable for Potter fans of all ages.
Fantastic Beasts Bundle 2
jlimbjlimb

Fantastic Beasts Bundle 2

7 Resources
This Bumper Bundle of Fantastic Beasts contains seven resources full of magical creatures and more besides. There are quizzes, campaigns and comprehensions to keep Potter fans reading , writing and exploring in the weeks ahead. Ideal for revision of informative and persuasive writing skills. Answers are provided for each resource. Suitable for ages 10+
Dragon breeds similarities and differences information text
jlimbjlimb

Dragon breeds similarities and differences information text

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This animated Powerpoint resource bases its information on Newt Scamander's special edition of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and compares and contrasts three pure bred breeds of dragon namely the Antipodean Opaleye, the Ukrainian Ironbelly and the Hungarian Horntail. Pupils are given a series of questions to answer based on this information and asked to compile an eye-witness report for The Ukrainian Daily Herald of an Ironbelly swooping over the Black Sea with disastrous consequences for the occupants of an unsuspecting sailing ship. All answers are provided together with orders of merit upon completion of the task.Students are given reminders about how to organise their information effectively. Fun activity for Harry Potter fans revising comprehension skills , report writing and independent reading.Students also get to devise their own dragon names! Suitable for ages 8+
newspaper article about hoodies and chavs comprehension and writing activity
jlimbjlimb

newspaper article about hoodies and chavs comprehension and writing activity

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This resource is a newspaper article about police endeavours to control groups of teens gathering in public places. There are questions related to the article and students are asked to write their own response to a government policy to ban unsupervised youngsters from gathering together in groups in public spaces. This is intended as a means of revising features of an article in the tabloid press and analysing loaded language. Students are asked to highlight features within a short example of an article written for a magazine discussing what life is like for a teenage girl in the 21st century. Ideal for revision purposes and will promote further discussion. Suitable for ages 12+
Punctuate with Potter: proper nouns,speech marks,commas and colons
jlimbjlimb

Punctuate with Potter: proper nouns,speech marks,commas and colons

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This resource uses extracts from Harry Potter scenes and removes the punctuation. Pupils have to make sense of the scenes and reinsert the punctuation as necessary. Passages require knowledge of dialogue, speech marks,proper nouns, commas, colons and semi-colons and exclamations. The correct , fully punctuated passages will magically appear so that your pupils can see how J.K.Rowling does it. This will prove a fun way to revise the full range of punctuation marks whilst also encouraging further reading of the Harry Potter books. This is one of many Potter themed resources you can find in my shop which focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar. Suitable for ages 10+
Save the sea turtles informative writing and the problem of plastic waste.
jlimbjlimb

Save the sea turtles informative writing and the problem of plastic waste.

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This animated Powerpoint presents pupils with information about the endangered leatherback sea turtle and highlights the problems faced by this creature as its numbers decline. One of the problems it faces is plastic pollution which is all too prevalent in our seas and oceans. Plastic bags are mistaken for the jelly-fish that the turtles love to eat. Worrying statistics are given about the growing problem of plastic in the ocean environment and a quote from Sir David Attenborough is displayed to highlight the need to act with some urgency before it is too late. The resource will prove useful alongside clips from the Blue Planet series and should inspire further research, provocative posters and persuasive writing. I include information in a word document which could be easily used as a homework task or for further research on sea turtles. The planet patrol wordsearch contains over twenty interlocked words in a grid concerning conservation issues and could be easily differentiated to suit different abilities. All answers provided. Included is a word document about the problem with plastic waste and includes some advice from Greenpeace. Students are invited to contribute ideas of their own and to design a poster conveying this problem in our marine environments. Suitable for ages 8+
Albatrosses, Attenborough and the problem of plastic waste
jlimbjlimb

Albatrosses, Attenborough and the problem of plastic waste

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This animated Powerpoint presents pupils with information about the wandering albatross and the problems it faces with fishing boats and plastic waste. Pupils will learn about this endangered bird with its enormous wing span and how it glides across the Southern Ocean for huge distances in search of food. Pupils are asked to consider the challenges this creature faces in its quest for food and hear David Attenborough's warning about pollution in our seas and oceans as brought to our attention in the Blue Planet series. Students are asked to create their own eye catching poster and to use their persuasive writing skills in order to redress the problem of plastic waste. I include a puzzle entitled Planet Patrol concerning conservation issues as an added extra. All answers are provided.A word document is also included concerning the problem of plastic waste and includes some advice from Greenpeace. Pupils are asked to contribute their own ideas by adding to the list. These resources are intended to promote discussion and will encourage independent research and further investigation. Suitable for ages 8+