A short unit of work that helps to prepare learners for AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2 (8700/2). Source A is an extract from ‘White Slavery in London’, published in 1888. Source B is an article published in 2013 about working conditions in an Amazon warehouse. A link to this is text is provided. The powerpoint contains questions 1-4, each with its own sample answer. If you can obtain a copy of the Paper 1 mark scheme, you may wish to ask learners to mark the sample answers provided. These files were last saved in Office 2016.

A 46-slide PowerPoint that provides a short course in narrative and descriptive writing for GCSE. It is aimed at middle-ability KS4 and is oriented towards AQA English Language 8700, Paper 1, Question 5. The PowerPoint covers: The writing AO’s, unpacked and turned into 7 ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions The structures of 8700 Papers 1 & 2 The difference between narrative and descriptive writing Descriptive techniques organised into the acronym MRS VAN SOAPS Descriptive writing success criteria Sample descriptive writing tasks (students choose 1 of 2) A teacher-written response (presented as an extract from a full response) Peer assessment Short story structure (Freytag’s Pyramid) Exploring Freytag’s Pyramid in relation to ‘A Christmas Carol’ Sample narrative writing tasks with planning activity Narrative writing success criteria Showing and telling in fiction 4 showing tasks with sample responses DIRT tasks Narrative choice: 1st or 3rd person with picture prompt activity Self-assessment Final writing tasks (descriptive or narrative) Peer assessment Reflection opportunity. This resource incorporates others that have previously been on sale in my shop, either in their current form or slightly tweaked. If you already have these but wish to purchase this unit of work, please contact me at and we’ll try to work something out. Resources also sold separately: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/descriptive-writing-techniques-match-up-activity-11749389 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/descriptive-writing-techniques-summary-mat-11747011 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/short-story-planning-flow-chart-11747165 These files were last saved in Office 2016.

A PowerPoint that demonstrates the structure of GCSE Language Paper 2, Section A (AQA 8700/2) and the skills that examiners are looking for. Source A is a Guardian article entitled ‘Filthy water poisons the people of Dhaka’s festering slums’ (Link provided on slide) Source B is an extract from Henry Mayhew’s ‘A Visit to the Cholera Districts in Bermondsey’, published in 1849. This PowerPoint covers Section A only but there are sample answers included for each question, 1-4. If you can obtain a copy of the 8700/2 mark scheme, you may wish to encourage learners to mark the sample responses. Appropriate for middle-upper ability learners.

An 89-slide PowerPoint that provides the full text of ‘Macbeth’, Act Two, translated and annotated. The PPT uses layered text boxes with translations appearing first in blue, followed by analysis and critical commentary in different colours. The annotations include: AO3 detailed contextual background information and its relationship with the text (e.g. features of Greek tragedy, biblical allusions, cultural expectations of women, fear of witches etc.) Analysis of writer’s methods Analysis of effects of structural devices There are a series of comprehension and analysis activities to work through and the PPT will indicate when these should be undertaken. With the appropriate school licence, this could be uploaded onto a network and accessed by students for revision. NB: on the cover image, the translations may be hidden under additional text boxes. However, they do exist!

A 100-slide PowerPoint that provides the full text of ‘Macbeth’, Act Three, translated and annotated. The PPT uses layered text boxes with translations appearing first in blue, followed by analysis and critical commentary in different colours. The annotations include: AO3 detailed contextual background information and its relationship with the text (e.g. features of Greek tragedy, biblical allusions, cultural expectations of women, fear of witches etc.) Analysis of writer’s methods Analysis of effects of structural devices There are a series of comprehension and analysis activities to work through and the PPT will indicate when these should be undertaken. With the appropriate school licence, this could be uploaded onto a network and accessed by students for revision. NB: on the cover image, the translations may be hidden under additional text boxes. However, they do exist!

A PowerPoint that demonstrates the structure of GCSE Language Paper 2, Section A (AQA 8700/2) and the skills that examiners are looking for. Source A is an article entitled ‘London’s Pauper Children’ in which Charles Dickens describes his visit to the Norwood Pauper School in the summer of 1850. Source B is a ‘Guardian’ article about Ian Mikardo School in London’s east end, published in 2014. Link provided on slide. This PowerPoint covers Section A only but there are sample answers included for each question, 1-4. If you can obtain a copy of the 8700/2 mark scheme, you may wish to encourage learners to mark the sample responses. Appropriate for middle-upper ability learners.

A 99-slide PowerPoint that provides the full text of ‘Macbeth’, Act Five, translated and annotated. The PPT uses layered text boxes with translations appearing first in blue, followed by analysis and critical commentary in different colours. The annotations include: AO3 detailed contextual background information and its relationship with the text (e.g. features of Greek tragedy, biblical allusions, cultural expectations of women, fear of witches etc.) Analysis of writer’s methods Analysis of effects of structural devices There are a series of comprehension and analysis activities to work through and the PPT will indicate when these should be undertaken. With the appropriate school licence, this could be uploaded onto a network and accessed by students for revision. NB: on the cover image, the translations may be hidden under additional text boxes. However, they do exist!

A 57-slide PPT that provides a walk-through of Section A only for both papers for 8700/1 + 8700/2. Paper 1 focuses on an extract from ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini (ISBN 978-1408824856). Please ensure that you can obtain a copy of the ‘The Kite Runner’ before purchasing this resource. Paper 2 focuses on two extracts: an article from ‘The Guardian’ on Ian Mikardo High School (link provided) and an extract from a Dickens’ article on a London pauper school (provided). There are sample answers for each paper and guidance for each question. Please also be aware that some of the resources are sold separately on SD English: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/aqa-8700-paper-2-schools-comparison-11880097 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/word-classification-table-11746996

A PPT that enables an exploration of Shelley’s ‘Ozymandias’. As with many of my other Power and Conflict lessons, the emphasis is on independent learning, so you might wish to ask learners to work in pairs or groups for the activities. The content is aimed at upper ability groups. This lesson comes with a detailed context sheet and a modern translation of the poem.

A highly simplifed re-writing of Act Five of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in modern English. There are just over 5 pages at font size 14. Written for a Year 9 nurture group

A full lesson on the extract from ‘The Prelude’ in the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology. The entry task is a short multiple choice quiz entitled ‘How Romantic Are You?’. The aim of this is for students to identify how closely their own ideas tie-in with those of the Romantic poets. Students then use a detailed context sheet to create a mind map of contextual influences on the poet Wordsworth. This is followed by an annotated copy of the extract and two questions on the poem: one just on the extract itself and one comparison question. I have provided a WAGOLL for the question on the poem itself. Finally, students peer assess their responses using success criteria. The whole PPT is likely to take more than an hour - probably more like 2 - and it aimed at higher ability learners.

A highly simplifed re-writing of Act Two of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in modern English. There are 5 pages at font size 14. Written for a Year 9 nurture group.

A straightforward lesson that follows on from: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/lower-ability-ks3-what-is-a-sentence-12053604 It includes: A starter in which learners identify the missing features of a range of sentences. These features are categorised as either ‘missing subject’, ‘missing verb’ or ‘missing verb or more’. There is also the option of ‘no errors’. Slides 1-2 contain the sentence ready for correction, so it would help to have access to an interactive board. An introduction to simple, compound and complex sentences. Learners read an example of each type and see if they can work out how they are different. A guide sheet that explains the nature of simple, compound and complex sentences. Learners then identify whether sentences A-J are either simple, compound or complex and have a go at writing their own complex sentences, choosing from a list of subordinating conjunctions. The lesson concludes with a game involving five different pictures. The impetus is on learners to come up with a sentence in relation to each picture, with a simple sentence being worth 1 point and a complex sentence being worth 3. The instruction is, ‘Look at the picture, think of a sentence, raise your hand.’ This lesson should take about an hour and is aimed at lower-middle ability learners. It could be used as a cover lesson.

A lesson for lower ability KS3. It covers: A short punctuation starter Paired discussion: what is the difference between a sentence and a group of words? What is a subject and a verb? Learners then read and identify ten statements and identify the sentences. Making simple sentences interesting using adverbs and adjectives. Learners use a table of words to create a range of sentences with suggested structures (increasing difficulty). Review Estimated time: 1 hour. NB: These lessons increase in demand through the series.

Following on from this introductory lesson: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/an-introduction-to-creative-writing-ks3-12065152 This lesson develops learners’ understanding of similes and metaphors. It draws slightly on material from this much older lesson: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/simile-metaphor-and-personification-11747189 This lesson provides: Anagram starter using devices from MRS SOAP (descriptive techniques) What is a simile? Learners identify which statements, 1-3, are similes. Simile challenge worksheet What is a metaphor? Check understanding with common metaphors from everyday language Learners then complete metaphors 1-8 using their own imagination. Review task. Target ability: Lower KS3 Lesson time: 1hr approx.

The fourth in the creative writing series for lower ability KS3. It includes: Identify the personification, simile and metaphors in a passage of fiction (links to previous lesson) Feedback from starter slide What are adverbs and adjectives? Identifying adverbs and adjectives in a range of sentences, with extension task. Re-writing sentences using more ambitious adverb and adjective choices (list provided) Review

A straightforward introduction to creative writing for lower ability KS3 learners. It provides: A starter (see cover image) An introduction to using language descriptively. Learners read two sentences, A and B. B incorporates personification whereas A is simple ‘telling’. Learners say which one they prefer and why. An introduction to descriptive writing techniques using the acronym MRS SOAP. Learners match the technique to the letter in the acronym. Learners go on to create a structured poster that lists the letters of the acronym, what they mean and one example. Two extension tasks. Review.

Following on from the MRS SOAP Creative Writing Series, the main focus of this lesson is to describe a disused room in an abandoned hospital building. It is aimed at lower-middle ability KS3 and assumes some knowledge of the following concepts: Metaphor Repetition for effect Simile Sentence Structure (simple, compound and complex) Onomatopoeia Adverbs and adjectives Personification Structure of the Lesson: Do Now task based on photo prompt (see cover image) Feedback slide MRS SOAP techniques crossword (teacher answers included) A worksheet/planning sheet based on the main photo prompt WAGOLL Writing Time Peer Assessment Learning Review Lessons in the MRS SOAP Creative Writing Series can be found here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/developing-skills-in-creative-writing-12079150