English teacher for upper schools with a passion for literature. My resources eschew flashy, clip-art-infested layouts for clean, focused, and advanced worksheets and activities for students and teachers.
English teacher for upper schools with a passion for literature. My resources eschew flashy, clip-art-infested layouts for clean, focused, and advanced worksheets and activities for students and teachers.
This comprehensive bundle includes ready-to-teach NO PREP worksheets, teaching activities, revision guides, and sample exam questions for all 15 poems that need to be taught and included in the preparation for the CIE IGCSE English Literature Exams in 2025-2027. Specifically:
From Songs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 3, the following 15 poems:
Nancy Fotheringham Cato, ‘The Road’
Sarah Jackson, ‘The Instant of My Death’
Arun Kolatkar, ‘The Bus’
Julius Chingono, ‘At the Bus Station’
Imtiaz Dharker, ‘These are the Times We Live in’
Elizabeth Jennings, ‘The Enemies’
Sampurna Chattarji, ‘Boxes’
W H Auden, ‘The Capital’
Arthur Yap, ‘an afternoon nap’
Elizabeth Smither, ‘Plaits’
Elizabeth Daryush, ‘Children of Wealth’
Thomas Love Peacock, ‘Rich and Poor or, Saint and Sinner’
Musaemura Zimunya, ‘A Long Journey’
Stevie Smith, ‘Touch and Go’
George Szirtes, ‘Song’
Each unit includes the following:
Biography and introduction to the poet
Context of Composition, including contextual information, or explanation of additional, relevant terminology, literary concepts, movements, philosophies, etc., where necessary or appropriate.
Pre-reading activity and after-reading activities to introduce the poem and unit, and/or to review key poetic devices and figurative language relevant to the poem.
The poem text with, line numbers and explanatory notes to facilitate a close-reading, and to explain unusual or difficult vocabulary and concepts. Illustrations and images further help clarify the use of terminology and phrases in the specific context of the poem.
Comprehension, Close-Reading and Analysis Questions that allow your students to analyse the poem more closely and dig deeper.
Additional essay questions (often from past IGCSE papers) and writing tasks to facilitate exam preparation. These questions can also be used for mock exams.
Teacher’s Guide and Answers for all activities.
Perfect for Distance Learning & Independent Study: As a stand-alone, comprehensive teaching unit with answers and a teaching guide, this is also perfect for distance learning, homeschool or independent study and revision!
Happy teaching and revising! Please leave feedback!
This comprehensive bundle includes ready-to-teach NO PREP worksheets, teaching activities, revision guides, and sample exam questions for all 15 poems that need to be taught and included in the preparation for the CIE IGCSE English Literature Exams in 2026-2028. Specifically:
From Songs of Ourselves Volume 1, the following 15 poems:
Aphra Behn, ‘Song: Love Armed’
Sujata Bhatt, ‘A Different History’
William Blake, ‘The Chimney-Sweeper’
Elizabeth Brewster, ‘Where I Come From’
Boey Kim Cheng, ‘Report to Wordsworth’
Gillian Clarke, ‘Lament’
Kevin Halligan, ‘The Cockroach’
Seamus Heaney, ‘Follower’
Liz Lochhead, ‘Storyteller’
Charles Mungoshi, ‘Before the Sun’
Katherine Philips, ‘A Married State’
Alexander Pope, From ‘An Essay on Man’
Carol Rumens, ‘Carpet-weavers, Morocco’
William Shakespeare, ‘Sonnet 18’
Judith Wright, ‘Hunting Snake’
Each unit includes the following:
1) Biography and introduction to the poet
2) Context of Composition, including contextual information, or explanation of additional, relevant terminology, literary concepts, movements, philosophies, etc., where necessary or appropriate.
3) Pre-Reading activity and After-Reading activities to introduce the poem and unit, and/or to review key poetic devices and figurative language relevant to the poem. There is a range of activities to choose from that you can mix and match based on your students’ needs or your planning.
4) The poem text with, line numbers and explanatory notes to facilitate a close-reading, and to explain unusual or difficult vocabulary and concepts. Illustrations and images further help clarify the use of terminology and phrases in the specific context of the poem.
***5) Close-Reading and Analysis Question***s that allow your students to analyse the poem more closely and dig deeper.
6) Additional essay questions (often from past IGCSE papers) and writing tasks to facilitate exam preparation. These questions can also be used for mock exams.
7) Teacher’s Guide and Answers for all activities.
8) Perfect for Distance Learning & Independent Study: As a stand-alone, comprehensive teaching unit with answers and a teaching guide, this is also perfect for distance learning, homeschool or independent study and revision!
BONUS! This bundle also includes the following materials designed to complement teaching and revising for the IGCSE English Literature Exams in 2026-2028:
*Roadmap and Scheme of Work for IGCSE Vol. 2, Part 3 Poetry for Exams in 2025-2027
Figurative Language Flashcards
Creative Writing Activity: Free Verse
Creative Writing Activity: Sonnet
Comparative Analysis Activity
Analysing Poetry - SIFT Method Activity
Shakespeare’s Language - An Extensive Introduction
Poetry Appreciation Week - A Selection of Favourites*
Happy teaching and revising! Please leave feedback!
This bundle contains a complete set of IGCSE mock exam questions and model answers for all 15 poems of the IGCSE English Literature syllabus 2025-2027. Specifically, there is a mock exam for each of the following poems:
From Songs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 3, the following 15 poems:
Nancy Fotheringham Cato, ‘The Road’
Sarah Jackson, ‘The Instant of My Death’
Arun Kolatkar, ‘The Bus’
Julius Chingono, ‘At the Bus Station’
Imtiaz Dharker, ‘These are the Times We Live in’
Elizabeth Jennings, ‘The Enemies’
Sampurna Chattarji, ‘Boxes’
W H Auden, ‘The Capital’
Arthur Yap, ‘an afternoon nap’
Elizabeth Smither, ‘Plaits’
Elizabeth Daryush, ‘Children of Wealth’
Thomas Love Peacock, ‘Rich and Poor or, Saint and Sinner’
Musaemura Zimunya, ‘A Long Journey’
Stevie Smith, ‘Touch and Go’
George Szirtes, ‘Song’
For each poem I’ve included:
1. Exam Quesion Paper (modelled after IGCSE English Literature Paper 1 exam. Where possible, I’ve used past paper questions!)
2. Essay Model Answer (as a teacher’s guide and as a guide for marking student responses in a mock exam (or other) setting.
I’ve taken great care to include high quality, authentic model answers that can be used as a way to revise and prepare for the exam independently, too!
***Happy teaching, marking, and revising!
Please leave feedback!*
This is a print-and-use whole-book (after-reading) essay assessment for Chinua Achebe’s iconic African novel Things Fall Apart, and it includes:
1. Whole Book Essay Questions: A range of essay questions address key issues and central concerns of the novel as prompts for a final, summative assessment
2. Essay Assessment Criteria & Rubric: An essay assessment rubric & list of criteria that can be used to easily assess the essay responses (should they be used as an assessment).
3. TEACHER’S GUIDE with MODEL ANSWERS for all the comprehension questions, the bildungsroman activity, as well as model essay responses for ALL the essay questions of the assessment to help teachers. Perfect for independent study or distance learning.
NB: I’ve included 2 versions of the instructions & questions.
Version 1 presumes that the students can use Things Fall Apart as an open-book source of reference (without any notes, however!)
Version 2 presumes that the students do not have access to the text.
Feedback is always appreciated!
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “The Bus” by Arun Kolatkar. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-reading activities (to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class). I’ve focused on setting and symbolism, as these aspects are particularly relevant to the poem.
4) Close-reading & analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “Song: Love Armed” by Aphra Behn. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, including historical context and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-Reading Activities and Post-Reading Activities (to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class). I’ve focused on Behn’s use of extended metaphor and personification, particularly relevant to “Love Armed”.
**4) Comprehension, Close-reading & Analysis **questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “The Capital” by W. H. Auden. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-Reading Activities (to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class). I’ve focused on a review of figurative language, ideal for the follow-up analysis activities of the poem.
4) Comprehension, Close-reading & Analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “These Are The Times We Live In” by Imtiaz Dharker. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-reading & After-Reading Activities (to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class). I’ve focused on Dharker’s use of metonymy and synecdoche, as these aspects are particularly relevant to the poem.
4) Comprehension, close-reading & analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This unit of work focuses on Chapter 1 of Chinua Achebe’s iconic novel Things Fall Apart.
As a comprehensive unit for Chapter 1, it includes the following:
1. Comprehension, Close Reading & Discussion Questions for Chapter 1 of the novel.
2. Identify the Quote Quiz - this activity provides an alternative, quicker, and potentially more fun way to check reading and comprehension of Chapter 1 of the novel - with quotes that students have to recognize and contextualize.
3. Analyzing Character: Unoka vs. Okonkwo - This activity provides a scaffolded, guided opportunity to compare and contrast Unoka and Okonkwo as presented in Chapter 1. The activity also introduces the concept of foil characters in literature.
4. English or Igbo? - The Languages of Things Fall Apart - this activity provides insight and discussion prompts to look at Achebe’s language and style choices for the novel. The provided discussion questions facilitate a closer look at the purpose and effect of Achebe’s simple syntax, short sentences, and infusion of the novel with Igbo proverbs and vocabulary. This is activity is certainly the most advanced of the range of activities provided.
5. Teacher’s Guide + Answer Key - this provides a detailed answer key for all the activities as well as a teacher’s guide for Chapter 1 of the novel - including a character analysis of Unoka and a summary and analysis of Chapter 1. This is designed for teachers who are new to the novel, or veterans who wish to gain fresh insights, as well as for students working independently in a home-schooling setting or in a distance learning environment.
I hope you find everything you were looking for here.
Feedback is greatly appreciated!
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “Boxes” by Sampurna Chattarji. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-reading & After-Reading Activities (to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class). I’ve focused on Chattarji use of sensory imagery, a particularly relevant aspect to fully understanding the poem.
4) Comprehension, close-reading & analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!
**
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “Storyteller” by Liz Lochhead. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2026-2028.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, including historical context and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-Reading Activities to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class. I’ve focused on the tradition of oral storytelling and poetry.
4) Comprehension, Close-reading & Analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “an afternoon nap” by Arthur Yap. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-Reading Activities (to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class). I’ve focused on the phenomenon of tiger parenting, as this is a central issue in the poem.
4) Comprehension, Close-reading & Analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “Touch and Go” by Stevie Smith. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-Reading Activities (to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class). I’ve focused on allegory in literature and poetry as this concept is central to understanding “Touch and Go” by Stevie Smith.
4) Comprehension, Close-reading & Analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4). I’ve also included an essay question for comparative analysis.
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This print-and-use, ready to teach unit contains all my activities, worksheets, printables, handouts, answers and teacher’s guide resources for Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
One of my favourite novels to teach, I’ve revisited and revised my Of Mice and Men resources and included a range of activities for each of the six parts of the novel.
This unit, for Chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men, contains the following:
Comprehension & Close Reading Questions for Chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men
Let’s Get Quizzical! - Quote Hunt Quiz for Chapter 1 of the novel.
The Novel in Context - A Short Biography of John Steinbeck - a short, informative biography of the author, can be used at any point in your study of the novel.
Analyzing Characters - George & Lennie - this guided character analysis activity facilitates comparison and contrast of the protagonists of the novel - George & Lennie.
The Novel in Context - Migrant Workers Then & Now - this comprehensive activity uses an excellent documentary about the context of Of Mice and Men (available on YouTube, links etc. included) - as a basis for a listening/video comprehension. Starting with a focus of migrant workers in Salinas, California in the 1920s and 1930s, this activity interweaves history, biographical information about Steinbeck with eye-witness accounts, interviews, and extracts from the novel to paint a comprehensive picture of the context of composition and the timeless qualities of this literary masterpiece.
Teacher’s Guide - Model Answers + Commentary + Analysis - This is a comprehensive teacher’s guide for Part One of the novel, and it includes model answers for all the activities as well as a detailed plot summary and analysis of Part One, designed for teachers who are new to the novel, or veterans who wish to gain fresh insights, as well as for students working independently in a home-schooling setting or in a distance learning environment.
Hoping you find everything you were looking for, please leave feedback!
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “Plaits” by Elizabeth Smither. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Teaching Activities (to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class). I’ve focused on the central imagery of the poem, the plaits.
4) Comprehension, Close-reading & Analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “At the Bus Station” by Julius Chingono. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2025-2027.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Comprehension, close-reading & analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
4) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
5) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This no-prep unit of work is designed to enable an in-depth teaching and preparation of the poem “Before the Sun” by Charles Mungoshi. The poem is also on the IGCSE English Literature curriculum for exams in 2026-2028.
The unit includes:
1) Short biography and introduction to the poet
2) The poem text with line numbers to facilitate a close-reading, including historical context and explanatory notes where necessary.
3) Pre-Reading Activities to facilitate teaching the poem & exam prep in class. I’ve focused on sensory imagery.
4) Comprehension, Close-reading & Analysis questions, with a particular focus on poetic devices and the IGCSE English Literature exam criteria.
5) Essay questions to facilitate IGCSE exam practice, modeled after the IGCSE English Literature Assessment Criteria (AO1-AO4)
6) In-depth, detailed model answers for all activities, questions, as well as model answers for the practice exam questions, again based on IGCSE Exam Rubric (A01-AO4).
**Happy reading, teaching, studying, and revising!
Please leave feedback!**
This FREE activity focuses on Lois Lowry’s novel “The Giver”, specifically Chapters 1-3, in which Jonas’ world is introduced. Some central questions that should be addressed at this point in the study of the novel are:
To what extent have the Elders succeeded in creating a perfect world of ‘Sameness’?
Is Jonas’s world a utopia or a dystopia?
The activity includes guided discussion questions for these central concepts and a creative follow-up activity: ‘Create Your Own Utopia’.
Students can use the ideas and input to create their own perfect world, compare ‘utopias’ and, importantly, discuss similarities and differences to Jonas’ community. The idea of ‘dystopia’ is touched upon, but can be addressed in more depth at a later point in your study of the novel.
Enjoy, and feel free to leave feedback!
This FREE print-and-use lesson worksheet is part of my teaching unit for Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It focuses specifically on Act 1, Scene 1 of the play. The worksheet includes:
Comprehension Questions for Act 1, Scene 1 of Macbeth
Shakespeare in Context: Informative text about witches & James I and the context of composition. This is crucial to fully appreciate the dramatic effect & significance of Shakespeare’s choice of using witches in the play. The information text is accompanied by relevant questions to link it to the play.
Drama Activity: This is an activity that encourages engaging with the text on stage; it outlines various ways for students to act out and the scene, and to think critically about how the scene may have been performed on stage.
Act 3 Close Reading Activity (focuses on 3.5.1-36, with all the imagery of light and darkness - a crucial dichotomy and thematic trope and motif that runs through the play)
MODEL ANSWERS for all the questions + activities as well as a teacher’s guide and further in-depth analysis and commentary of the relevant aspects of Act 1, Scene 1 of Macbeth
PS: This worksheet, as indeed all of my Macbeth handouts and activities are specifically designed to be read at IGCSE level or in preparation for the IGCSE English Literature exams. But they can be used independent of these exams and the IGCSE curriculum, too, of course!
Enjoy, and please leave feedback!
FREE Analyzing Characters - George & Lennie - this guided character analysis activity facilitates comparison and contrast of the protagonists of the novel - George & Lennie.
This activity is best used after reading Chapter 1 of the novel.
An answer key is included!
Enjoy, and please leave feedback!