Hi! I am a teacher with over 20 years' experience at Primary level. I try to make my resources as challenging as possible with a slice of fun, while cramming in as much detail as possible into the guided reading / writing activities, plays, worksheets and comprehension exercises that I produce. I also create and publish a range of free worksheets and resources, which now account for over 40% of my published resources. Any feedback and suggestions welcome!
Hi! I am a teacher with over 20 years' experience at Primary level. I try to make my resources as challenging as possible with a slice of fun, while cramming in as much detail as possible into the guided reading / writing activities, plays, worksheets and comprehension exercises that I produce. I also create and publish a range of free worksheets and resources, which now account for over 40% of my published resources. Any feedback and suggestions welcome!
There are 4 plays for use with Upper Key Stage Two:
Palm Sunday - 4 speaking parts
Palm Sunday - 7 speaking parts
Good Friday - 13 speaking parts
Peter’s Denial - 8 speaking parts
The plays can be used in guided reading sessions, as part of drama and R.E. lessons or even as class assemblies.
The two Palm Sunday plays are similar, with one being longer and having more speaking parts. They both use the modern day concept of ‘Live News’ reporting for dramatic effect.
Peter’s Denial and Good Friday could be acted out in small groups or read as a class.
Full chapter - by - chapter comprehension packs for 5 classic children’s books ideal for use in Key Stage Two:
*George’s Marvellous Medicine
*The Sheep - Pig
*The Angel of Nitshill Road
*The Firework-Maker’s Daughter
*The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler
A worksheet designed to teach about trickier connectives such as:
However
Therefore
In addition
Consequently
etc . . . to help build cohesion within a paragraph.
After discussion, pupils will redraft a paragraph about keeping fit. A simple but effective resource.
These resources focus on exploring rainforests through literacy and give lots of scope for follow up writing activities! They’re also useful in the study of conservation issues. As some of the language is tricky the comprehensions are mainly suitable for Year 5 and above, but could be a challenge for a bright Year 4 class!
Comprehension 1 - consists of a detailed A4 sized text on the Amazon rainforest, including conservation issues. The question sheet is designed to stick in the pupils’ books and includes lesson objectives and 2 differentiated dictionary challenges.
Comprehension 2 - an A4 - sized cloze procedure exercise called ‘What is a Rainforest?’
Map of world rainforests with space for written tasks.
Seven pages of rainforest images which are useful for initiating and inspiring a rainforest art project.
There are several resources designed to help Y5 and Y6 learn about the Bible.
Powerpoint Presentation
Two cloze proceduire reading activities
Bible Study Kit Activity
4 Pictures
One writing activity
A comprehension activity based on the story of Jonah and the Whale.
There are 12 questions and the activity is copied so two pupil sheets fit on one A4 sheet, needing to be trimmed in half.
It could be used simply as an aid to discussion or as an independent activity. There is a challenge activity where pupils are asked to draw a scene from the story.
Ten Comprehension questions plus a dictiuonary chjallenge on an A4 worksheet.
Could be used in a guided reading session or as an independent reading task.
The pack contains a set of comprehension exercises covering all 15 chapters of the book. The activities are presented in two different formats: the first format consists of handy A4 worksheets which the pupils work on. Each A4 worksheet includes a reading challenge extension task. The second format requires the pupils to write the answers in their exercise books, and as there are 2 question sheets per A4 sheet this means the question sheets can be easily cut in half and stuck into the pupils’ books if required.
Each comprehension worksheet has a range of different questions, with 20 marks available (allowing for a % score to be made too!). I have tried to design questions which allow success for less able children but with challenging, higher order questions for above average pupils. Harder questions are signified by being awarded extra marks (up to 3 marks as in the SATs and key stage tests). Each comprehension has a learning objective in line with Year 3/4 National Curriculum objectives and requires the reading of one, two or three chapters of the book (most chapters are small).
The worksheets are are all written in Word, so can be easily adapted - for instance you could also add your own questions, objectives etc.
There are various ways to use this resource, including
As part of a shared reading session, with the pupils completing the written tasks after discussion and analysis of the text as a class or group.
As independent written tasks for the rest of the class, while the teacher is reading with a smaller group.
As an additional, ready-made resource to support the study of George’s Marvellous Medicine as a Unit of Work / class book.
As a stand-alone, independent reading activity / assessment.
As a useful teacher prompt/ discussion leader when doing a guided read.
SPAG ACTIVITIES
I have also included 5 SPAG activities which are based on the first 6 chapters. They include practice in proof reading, verb tenses, spelling and questions based on SATS format.
A useful Curriculum Plan and lots of activities / worksheets / PPs / Pics / Posters on the geography of Brazil and the Amazon Rainforest.
List of Resources:
A factfile containing some basic facts about the country
A cloze procedure activity on Brazilian landscapes and the Amazon,
A mindmap task.
A research activity to help learn the basic facts about Brazil - where it is located in the world, population figures etc. This could be used alongside Activity 1 or as a research lesson to use when beginning the topic.
An investigating Brazil worksheet for pupils to use when researching using books and internet sources.
PP on the landscapes of Brazil.
Three posters which can be used as part of a display for your Brazil topic and also for comprehension / reading activities. Each poster is factual, with key geographical words highlighted, and uses illustrations. The three posters are:
Brazilian History People and Culture Wildlife
Two comprehension exercises based on the Amazon rainforest:
These resources focus on exploring rainforests through literacy and give lots of scope for follow up writing activities! They’re also useful in the study of conservation issues.
Comprehension 1 - consists of a detailed A4 sized text on the Amazon rainforest, including conservation issues. The question sheet is designed to stick in the pupils’ books and includes lesson objectives and 2 differentiated dictionary challenges.
Comprehension 2 - an A4 - sized cloze procedure exercise called ‘What is a Rainforest?’
Map of world rainforests with space for written tasks.
Seven pages of rainforest images which are useful for initiating and inspiring a rainforest art project.
Also included are three posters which can be used as part of a display for your Brazil topic and also for comprehension / reading activities. Each poster is factual, with key geographical words highlighted, and uses illustrations. The three posters are:
Brazilian History / People and Culture / Wildlife
Over resources altogether.
They are suitable for Years 4 to 6 and can be tweaked to suit your class. The following topics are included: Electricity, Sound, Tudors, Rainforests, Brazil, Great Britain, Victorian Toys and Games, Street Child by Berlie Doherty, Victorian Inventions and Penguins.
There are also plenty of other activities included to work alongside the comprehension activities, such as adjectives worksheets, vocabulary challenges, powerpoints, various sorting activities and research challenges.
11 wordsearch puzzles - some based on Key Stage 2 units, some just for fun!
Superheroes and Superheroines
Rainforests
Greek Myths
Fronted Adverbials
Sounds
Solar System
Tudor Explorers
Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler
Firework-Maker’s Daughter
Adjectives
Healthy Living
Thomas is trapped in a room but we don’t know why or how he has got there . . .
This resource can be used in a number of ways: as a story starter for a suspense / mystery story; for an example of creating empathy for a character; for a stimulus for a cold / independent write, etc.
I have used it as part of a wider drama scenario, whereby Tom has been arrested (wrongly) for shoplifting and is awaiting his mum whilst locked in the manager’s drab office, all alone with his mind racing . . .
This is a Y5/6 science assessment on the key facts learnt in the ‘Sounds’ topic.
It could be given at the end of a unit, as assessment; at the start of a unit as a pre - learning task or as a whole class teaching activity.
Can be used as part of a display for your Brazil topic and also for comprehension / reading activities. Each poster is factual, with key geographical words highlighted, and uses illustrations. The three posters are:
Brazilian History People and Culture Wildlife
These are weekly 15-word spelling lists and LSCWC practice based on the Regular Spelling and Common Exception spellings for both year 4 and year 5.
I have a mixed class this year so I have devised separate lists for the two year groups. Each worksheet contains a list of the weekly spellings alongside a table where the children practise the words 4 times using Look-Say-Cover-Write-Check. I usually let the children start off on a Monday morning, then take the sheet home to practise for a test on Friday.
There is 5 week's work included, alongside templates to make further lists of your own and displays of the weekly spellings for your literacy board.
This is a bundle of 4 activities based on a 21 page powerpoint presentation and a non fiction text called, ‘Why don’t penguins feel the cold?’ The PP could be used as a starter or discussion activity or as a stand alone activity. The other activities include:
* Cloze procedure - 10 missing words
* Dictionary Challenge
* Cartoon picture - invent a caption
There are also lots of opportunities, within this pack, for pupils to practise their non fiction writing .
Suitable for Years 4-6 and helps to support the skill of note taking.
Pupils love the latest text message abbreviations so will enjoy working in pairs to find all the abbreviations contained in this worksheet.
It is a worksheet in 2 halves, the second activity is simpler and can be used to support pupils with SEN.
This is a humorous, child - friendly 30 - 40 minute musical play with 10 separate scenes. It tells the story of Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to find a westward rout to the ‘Indies’.There are 6 main parts, 21 speaking parts altogether and other singing and dancing roles that will easily accommodate a class of 30. It can be practised and performed as a whole class or, as part of drama activities, in groups. Pupils will learn all about the conditions for sailors in the 15th century, the reasons why the voyage was so important and the story of why Columbus became known for discovering ‘The New World’.
However, the accent in this play is most definitely FUN!!! There are jokes, an S-Factor scene (giving opportunities for pupils talents to be showcased), magicians, singing, dancing and slots where you can insert your own class’s ideas!!!
If performed as a whole class play, it would take two or more weeks of rehearsals and learning the parts before delivering a performance. Alternatively, it can be used as a group reader for a group of 6 children, with the pupils switching roles and playing the roles of more than one character.
Key Stage 2 - can be used and adapted for years 3-6
Includes:
2 detailed lesson plans including writing / SPAG activities
Several UK and GB maps
‘Images of GB’ resource - 2 sides of A4 Landmark Pics. (Stonehenge, Blackpool Tower, Buckingham Palace etc.) for use with writing / art activities
Union Jack image
Comprehension activity to be used with Collins atlases
Uk facts sheet