Hello, thank you for looking around my shop. I am a teaching deputy head teacher, with 16 years of experience, who works in a rural primary school. I know how wearing many hats can eat into your time but understand how important excellent resources are for engaging pupils so they make accelerated progress. I have included lots of free resources in my shop but placed a small charge for resources which have taken me many hours to create. I hope you enjoy them and use them to motivate your pupils.
Hello, thank you for looking around my shop. I am a teaching deputy head teacher, with 16 years of experience, who works in a rural primary school. I know how wearing many hats can eat into your time but understand how important excellent resources are for engaging pupils so they make accelerated progress. I have included lots of free resources in my shop but placed a small charge for resources which have taken me many hours to create. I hope you enjoy them and use them to motivate your pupils.
This is a 4 week unit of planning that produces a flashback recount from the time during the Lebanese civil war by a young girl called Ayesha. She has to brave the war zone to travel across enemy lines to find help for her sick granny by searching for medicine from a doctor. The story is fantastic and the writing produced as a result of it is even better. This text is best suited to Y4 and above as there are aspects of war such as loss (her mother dies after a shell hits their house) but the richness of the text has really engaged all my class and especially the boys.
I have listed the learning objectives for all of the lessons below. Also I have included all of the worksheets, PowerPoints, links and resources you will need to teach this unit straight away.
Stage 1- Stimulate and generate- Learning outcomes
• To write a flashback.
• To find the meaning of words.
• To retrieve and record information from text.
• To take notes to summarise details.
• To retrieve and record information from text.
• To write a diary extract as a character from a story.
• To retrieve and record information from text.
Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes
• To find the key features of a flashback.
• To write expanded noun phrases.
• To write similes using abstract nouns.
• To find near synonyms of verbs.
• To write in the past tense.
• To write a descriptive setting.
• To modify adjectives with adverbs.
• To use a fronted adverbial to explain how, when or where something took place.
Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes
• To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing.
• To convey viewpoint by writing in role.
• To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing.
• To convey viewpoint by writing in role.
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a 3-week unit which I have planned to support my pupils to write a short story, with a twist in the tale, for the BBC 500-word competition. It is a challenging unit as pupils learn to plan backwards so they decide upon the ending first. Pupils decide upon a theme for their short story and plan where they are going to place this throughout the short story. I have set my short story loosely around an old Fairground which allows pupils lots of scope to decide upon what happens in there or did happen in there when it was open. My class love this unit as it allows them to be creative and cunning when they write their twist in the tale.
I have listed the learning objectives for all of the lessons below. Also, I have included all of the worksheets, PowerPoints, links and resources you will need to teach this unit straight away.
Stage 1 - Stimulate and generate- Learning outcomes
• To understand the key features of a short story
• To understand themes in stories
• To decide a theme for my short story
Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes
• To write an engaging setting
• To improve a piece of writing by using fronted adverbials
• To write engaging character descriptions
• To create an engaging character
• To write a twist in the tale
• To write a climatic ending with a twist in the tale
• To write a list of escalating emotions to build tension
• To use dialogue in story to give clues about the characters
Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes
• To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing
• To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a 3 week unit of work which focuses upon writing in an informal style. The end written piece is an informal email from Jamie to his Father who is an astronaut. The tone is conversational as he expresses how much he is missing him . It also teaches pupils how to use idioms, lively language, anecdotal comments all while writing in role as a character from a book. Pupils love this unit as it allows them to write in a different style that to what they normally undertake in class too.
The book is great class reader which makes for an excellent guided reading text. I have included all the resources including worksheets, WAGOLL and displays so you can start using this straight away. The learning objectives for this unit are;
Stimulate & Generate
• To use a range of strategies to explore a text
• To describe using expanded noun phrases and powerful adjectives
• To use inference to build knowledge about a character
• To draw inferences from the text
• To justify inferences with evidence from the text
Capture, Sift and Sort
• To imitate an author’s style
• To find the key features of an informal email
• To describe using expanded noun phrases and powerful adjectives
• To edit my writing to improve and clarify
• To write in a conversational tone
• To generate ideas in role
Create, Refine and Evaluate
• To draft writing by composing orally first
• To write an informal email in role
• To edit my writing to improve and clarify
This unit of work uses the 3 stage planning process of:
• Stimulate and Generate
• Capture, Sift and Sort
• Create, Refine and Evaluate
Stimulate and Generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, Sift and Sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, Refine and Evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a 2 and a half week unit of work which focuses upon writing a persuasive letter to a famous footballer to stop them from releasing thousands of balloons when they open a supermarket. The main character is a boy called Finn who is trying to save the dolphins that swim near his Scottish seaside house. He discovers they eat them as they look like jellyfish and this can have very dangerous consequences. The unit is great for looking at plastic pollution in our seas and explores some interesting subjects as his Mum is rumoured to be a Selkie. The author is Elizabeth Laird and she writes very descriptive, funny and engaging stories that children love.
The end written piece is an opportunity to generate a great piece of writing as there is a well-structured plan to support your less able pupils. My class have always loved this unit as the story is great and they get very interested in how they can improve awareness about plastic pollution in our oceans. I have included all the resources including worksheets and displays so you can start using this straight away. The learning objectives for this unit are;
Stimulate & Generate
• • To locate and retrieve information using skimming, scanning
• To retrieve and record information from non-fiction
• To discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination
• To draw sound inferences, supported through reference to the text
• To identify how language, contribute to meaning
• To identify key points of an argument
• To make persuasive statements
• To write a balanced argument
• To write persuasive statements
Capture, Sift and Sort
• To find the key features of a persuasive letter
• To use a variety of conjunctions
• To write a cohesive paragraph
• To write convincing conclusions
Create, Refine and Evaluate
• To plan a letter written as a character in a story
• To write and edit a letter written as a character in a story
This unit of work uses the 3-stage planning process of:
• Stimulate and Generate
• Capture, Sift and Sort
• Create, Refine and Evaluate
Stimulate and Generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, Sift and Sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, Refine and Evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a word mat I made for my class to help them choose the correct conjunctions for their writing. The list includes:
• Causal
• Comparative
• Coordinating
• Explaining
• Listing
• Opposing
• Subordinating
• Time
There is also an explanation which I stick on the back of the list as a reminder to the pupils what a conjunction is.
Here are 6 versions of a storyboard to save yourself time creating your own. There are 2 with 8, 6 and 4 squares. One of the versions have larger areas for drawing with the other version more lines for writing. I have included it in a PowerPoint format so you can alter it if you want. I have also included it in a pdf format to make it easier to print.
This is a list of over 140 fronted adverbials that include:
• How
• When
• Where
• Frequency
This is a great resource to improve pupils sentence starters that I use in most creative writing sessions in my class.
This is a 4 week unit of planning that supports pupils to write an ancient Greek Quest Myth. The beginning part of this unit is focussed on Persephone by Sally Pomme Clayton and Virginia Lee. This is used as a model and WAGOLL for pupils to write their own story. All children love Greek gods and goddesses and this unit of work has never failed in supporting pupils write some excellent myths that are richly descriptive and engaging for the reader.
I have listed the learning objectives for all of the lessons below. Also I have included all of the worksheets, PowerPoints, links and resources you will need to teach this unit straight away.
Stage 1 = Stimulate & Generate
• To write a review of an ancient Greek myth
• To use a range of strategies to explore a text
• To show understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action when performing a playscripts
• To retrieve and record information from non-fiction
• To describe using adverbial phrases and drop in clauses
• To demonstrate understanding of key details and main points of a text
Stage 2 = Capture, Sift & Sort
• To find the key features of a myth
• To start sentences using verbs, adverbs and connectives
• To write using commas to clarify meaning
• To use an increasing range of sentence starters
• To write in the style of the model text
• To edit writing to improve sentence structures and range of vocabulary
Stage 3 = Create, Refine & Evaluate
• To use expanded noun phrases and figurative language to describe
• To vary sentence structure and type for effect
• To plan a quest myth
• To write a descriptive setting for my myth
• To write a build-up in my myth
• To write a conflict
• To write a resolution to my myth
• To edit and improve my work
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece
This is a word mat of words with the prefix mis. This is targeted at years 3 and 4 as it is part of the spelling curriculum. This is a useful resource for pupils to use to improve their spellings as well as a useful tool to improve their word choices and quality of their writing. It has two versions; one with colour and the other just in black and white to save on printing costs.
This is a grammar test I made for my year 5 class. It has 14 questions where pupils can get a total of 20 marks. The questions ask pupils to answer to complete sentences, find adverbs, phrases with types of sentences, add prefixes, change tense, write in direct speech and much more. It is a great resource to assess how well your grammar sessions are going and adapt your planning accordingly. I have included a mark scheme as well as the test.
This is a 3 and a ½ week unit of work where pupils create their own charity inspired leaflet. The book used to stimulate the thoughts of being unselfish and thinking of others is ‘The Selfish Giant’ by Oscar Wilde. This is a great story with a strong moral of sharing one’s wealth in order to find happiness.
The end piece is a digitally created persuasive leaflet where pupils create logos, slogans and persuasive writing to produce an engaging charity inspired leaflet. This unit of work is targeted best at Year 4 - 6 pupils. I have included all the resources you need to start teaching this tomorrow. Below are all the learning objectives and resources included for the unit:
Stage 1- Stimulate and generate - Learning outcomes
• To write a letter to a persuade
• To understand themes in a book
• To draw inferences from the text.
• To retrieve and record information from a piece of text.
• To discuss philosophical ideas
• To find the meaning of words
Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes
• To find the key features of a leaflet
• To write a persuasive slogan
• To write captions
• To write an engaging opening statement
• To write a heading and subheadings
• To use causal conjunctions
Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes
• To retrieve and record information from a piece of text
• To design a campaign slogan and logo
• To write an engaging opening statement
• To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing
Resources Include:
• Selfish Giant LOs PowerPoint
• 1 – Sign
• 2 - Themes in a book
• 3 - Extract of the Selfish Giant
• 4 - Philosophical Questions
• 5 - The Selfish Giant Word Mat
• 6 - Key Features of Leaflets
• SEAQAB PowerPoint
• 7 – Slogans
• 8 – To write captions
• iPads & Computers
• 10 - Headings & Subheadings
• 11 – Causal Conjunctions
• 15 – Plan a Leaflet
This unit of work uses the 3 stage planning process of:
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a colourful display that is great to have displayed all year round. It explains what a simple, compound and complex sentence is. Each type of sentence has a description and an example with each part colour coded.
There are over 1650 different words in these word mats which include:
• Adjectives (137 different words)
• Adverbs (over 800 different words)
• Conjunctions (over 350 different words)
• Fronted Adverbials (142 different words)
• Synonyms (240 different words)
The conjunctions types are:
• Causal
• Comparative
• Coordinating
• Explaining
• Listing
• Opposing
• Subordinating
• Time
This is a great resource for improving the quality of pupil's writing. I use it for all non-fiction pieces that require dialogue. This allows pupils to add inferences into their writing which gives their characters more depth subtly. The usual word of said is no longer used as pupils upscale their word choices making their writing even more engaging.
This is a word mat of words with the prefix un. This is targeted at years 3 and 4 as it is part of the spelling curriculum. This is a useful resource for pupils to use to improve their spellings as well as a useful tool to improve their word choices and quality of their writing. It has two versions; one with colour and the other just in black and white to save on printing costs.
This is a great resource for working on pupils speaking and listening skills. Pupils choose a category and then have to describe the object, character, adjective or nature suggestion without using that word. I give the pupils a set time of 1 minute to try to describe as many different suggestions from each category. I have included the Excel version so it is fully adaptable to suit your class.
This is a great whole book planned guided reading unit based on the book Mysterious Traveller by Mal Peet & Elspeth Graham. The story tells of an old man finding an abandoned baby in the desert who he adopts as his own grand-daughter. he teaches her how to track her way through the desert and she travels with him while he guides traders through the deserts of northern Africa. When he loses his vision she becomes his eyes and they work in tandem on their adventures. I have planned a unit of work that is split into 9 different reading comprehensions as each set of questions has between 6 and 8 questions and covers 5 pages of the book.
I have also included printer friendly pages where there are 3 copies of the questions on each page so it is easy to prepare for lessons. I have included all the answers too as this is a great time saver. The questions are designed to easily fit English books as I have adjusted the margins so they fit. I hope your class enjoys this book as much as mine have always done.
This is a short poetry unit based on the great poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes. The end piece of writing is a retelling of the story but from another character's perspective. This unit includes lots of drama and role play to stimulate the pupil's ideas. I have included all the resources you will need and have listed the learning objectives below:
Stage 1: Stimulate and generate learning outcomes
• To deduce information about a character from a picture.
• To recite poetry.
• To explore the themes of a text.
• To use drama to explore characters’ feelings.
• To tell a story from a character’s perspective.
Stage 2: Capture, sift and sort learning outcomes
• To identify the language used for effect.
• To write metaphors.
• To tell a story from a character’s perspective.
• To recount a story as a news report.
Stage 3: Create, refine and evaluate learning outcomes
• To write a story from a character’s perspective.
• To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing.
• Perform own writing by reading it to a group.
This is a great template that has boxes to write questions for the different domains:
• Word reading
• Inference
• Language for effect
• Comprehension – Monitor & Summarise
• Comprehension – Clarify
• Comprehension – Reason & Explain
• Comprehension – Select & Retrieve
• Themes and conventions
It also includes a table to record your pupil’s performance in each of these domains. This is a great way to collect evidence of pupils reading ability. I have included a pdf for printing easily and a word version so you can alter it however you want.
There are 34 crucial terms for pupils aged 7 to 11 explained with examples. They are saved onto a PowerPoint for ease of use and quick reference when you are teaching.
Some of the key terms are verbs (both active and passive), adverbs, connectives, clause, paragraph, personification, similes, metaphors and many more.