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Humble English Teacher hoping to cut down on teachers' workload by providing high quality resources (from primary to secondary - mostly English but some other subjects too). Please share and review if you like what you see here.

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Humble English Teacher hoping to cut down on teachers' workload by providing high quality resources (from primary to secondary - mostly English but some other subjects too). Please share and review if you like what you see here.
The Importance of Being Earnest: Duality & Double Lives
MrGradgrindMrGradgrind

The Importance of Being Earnest: Duality & Double Lives

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This 28-slide lesson explores the themes of duality and double-lives in Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. The lesson encourages students to think about the numerous binaries and dualities throughout Wilde’s play, and how these relate to the idea of ‘earnestness’ that the play satirises. Sophisticated vocabulary is provided to help students with their analysis. Students are presented with important literary and historical context, including Wilde’s own ‘Picture of Dorian Gray’ and Stevenson’s ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, plus examples of real-life late-Victorian scandals which fed into and fuelled fin de siecle interests in the duality of man. We also explore dualities in Wilde’s own life. The lesson considers how deception plays into the play’s key themes, and explores Wilde’s literary preoccupation with ‘masks’. Key quotations from the play (linked to duality or double-lives) are considered throughout the lesson, and each of the key characters are dissected. Discussion points and questions are featured throughout. This lesson is ideal for A-level (age 16+) study of the text. PowerPoint saved as PDF.
Nineteen Eighty-Four: Context
MrGradgrindMrGradgrind

Nineteen Eighty-Four: Context

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This 20-slide lesson introduces the key context of George Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’. Students learn about Orwell’s works and social commentary before delving into the dystopian genre and its key features. Totalitarianism and the political turmoil of the Cold War are then discussed, inviting students to think critically about society, individuality, surveillance, and propaganda as a tool for oppressive regimes to maintain control. The novel’s key themes are introduced, and students are tasked with looking up and defining sophisticated vocabulary associated with the novel. At the end of the lesson is a potential class or homework task in which students research historical examples of totalitarianism. This is an ideal introduction to ‘1984’, and could easily cover more than one lesson if teachers would like to expand upon any ideas or tasks. The PowerPoint is saved as a pdf to maintain its layout.
Twelfth Night: Viola
MrGradgrindMrGradgrind

Twelfth Night: Viola

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This 34-slide lesson explores the character of Viola in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. With academic scrutiny, the lesson analyses one of Shakespeare’s most complex heroines, beginning with an overview of her key lines, attributes, and role in the plot. This then leads to analysis of her name, key vocabulary that we might use to describe her, and how her role as a cross-dressing protagonists compares to other Shakespearean comedies. Important historical and theatrical context is explored alongside Viola’s character, and we consider the debates around just how ‘proto-Feminist’ Shakespeare’s presentation of Viola really is. Interesting viewpoints from a range of critics, directors, and actors are discussed. Crucially, we also explore how Viola’s character catalyses other key events in the play and is central to the comedy of ‘Twelfth Night’. We look at how Viola interacts with other characters in the play and debate modern interpretations of whether homoeroticism is integral to her character. The role of twins in other Shakespearean plays is considered, and the Carnivalesque atmosphere of the play is analysed in light of Viola’s character. Questions, discussion points, and essay questions are featured throughout. Students are encouraged to consider Viola’s character at a high level, so this lesson would be ideal for students aged 16+. PowerPoint saved as PDF.
Twelfth Night: Malvolio
MrGradgrindMrGradgrind

Twelfth Night: Malvolio

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This 43-slide lesson explores the character of Malvolio in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. With academic scrutiny, the lesson analyses one of Shakespeare’s most famous and complex characters, beginning with an overview of his key lines, attributes, and role in the plot. This then leads to analysis of Malvolio’s name, key vocabulary that we might use to describe him, and how his ‘gulling’ threatens the comic spirit of the play. Important historical and theatrical context is explored alongside Malvolio’s character, and we look at how Shakespeare uses him to satirise Puritanism. Using Elizabethan debates surrounding acting and its influence, we think about how Malvolio functions as a metatheatrical symbol of anti-theatricality. Interesting viewpoints from a range of critics, directors, and actors are discussed. Crucially, we also explore how Malvolio’s character relates to the key themes of the play and is central to the comedy of ‘Twelfth Night’. We look at how Malvolio interacts with other characters in the play, the vivid imagery used in his gulling, and how his famous ending might be interpreted from a range of critical lenses. The Carnivalesque atmosphere of the play is analysed in light of Malvolio’s character. Questions, discussion points, and essay questions are featured throughout. Students are encouraged to consider Malvolio’s character at a high level, so this lesson would be ideal for students aged 16+. PowerPoint saved as PDF.
Twelfth Night: Sir Toby Belch
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Twelfth Night: Sir Toby Belch

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This 30-slide lesson explores the character of Sir Toby Belch in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. With academic scrutiny, this lesson analyses one of Shakespeare’s most iconic and riotous characters, beginning with an overview of Sir Toby’s key lines, attributes, and role in the plot. We consider Sir Toby’s role as a quintessential comic creation: his Falstaffian parallels, his festive spirit, and his role as the ‘Lord of Misrule’. Important historical and theatrical context is explored alongside Sir Toby’s character. We consider how self-aware Sir Toby is, thinking about his relationship with the audience and how he relates to Shakespeare’s stagecraft. Crucially, Sir Toby’s function as a comic character (and how he relates to other characters, including Malvolio, Sir Andrew, and Maria) is discussed. We scrutinise Sir Toby’s role in view of the Carnivalesque atmosphere of the play. Questions, discussion points, and essay questions are featured throughout. Students are encouraged to consider Sir Toby’s character at a high level, so this lesson would be ideal for students aged 16+. PowerPoint saved as PDF.
A Christmas Carol: Complete Lessons
MrGradgrindMrGradgrind

A Christmas Carol: Complete Lessons

8 Resources
This bundle includes complete resources for Charles Dickens’ timeless classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’. Detailed lessons are included on each of the novella’s five chapters, plus an introductory lesson on the story’s social and historical context. The bundle also includes a fun and engaging crossword activity for students based on the novella, as well as a worksheet for students to use to consolidate their understanding of the text’s key themes.
Twelfth Night: Olivia
MrGradgrindMrGradgrind

Twelfth Night: Olivia

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This 38-slide lesson explores the character of Olivia in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. With academic scrutiny, the lesson analyses one of Shakespeare’s most complex female characters, beginning with an overview of her key lines, attributes, and role in the plot. This then leads to analysis of her name, key vocabulary that we might use to describe her, and how there may be more than meets the eye to Olivia’s excessive mourning. Important historical and theatrical context is explored alongside Olivia’s character, and we consider the debates around how subversive and ‘proto-Feminist’ Shakespeare’s presentation of Olivia really is. Interesting viewpoints from a range of critics, directors, and actors are discussed. Crucially, we also explore how Olivia’s character relates to the key themes of the play and is central to the comedy of ‘Twelfth Night’. We look at how Olivia interacts with other characters in the play and debate modern interpretations of whether homoeroticism is integral to her character. Her connection to Queen Elizabeth I is considered, and the Carnivalesque atmosphere of the play is analysed in light of Olivia’s character. Questions, discussion points, and essay questions are featured throughout. Two exemplar paragraphs are included, too. Students are encouraged to consider Olivia’s character at a high level, so this lesson would be ideal for students aged 16+. PowerPoint saved as PDF.
The Importance of Being Earnest: Lady Bracknell
MrGradgrindMrGradgrind

The Importance of Being Earnest: Lady Bracknell

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This 24-slide lesson explores the character of Lady Bracknell from Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. Wilde’s presentation of Lady Bracknell is thoroughly deconstructed, with students asked to consider her theatrical heritage via Greek stock characters and the Comedy of Manners. We debate to what extent Lady Bracknell can be called the play’s ‘antagonist’, and how Wilde uses her to catalyse key events or provide comical obstacles in the play. Wilde’s structural use of Lady Bracknell is analysed, and important quotations from her and relating to her are dissected. We think about what we can learn from the stage directions about Lady Bracknell, and discuss how Wilde uses the offstage character of Lord Bracknell to inform Lady Bracknell’s character. We consider Lady Bracknell in the context of the ‘New Woman’ and students are provided with key vocabulary that might be used to analyse Lady Bracknell. Modern theatrical interpretations (including gender inversions) of Lady Bracknell are discussed. Students are also encouraged to think critically about how Lady Bracknell interacts with props and how Wilde positions her at the end of the play. Questions and discussion points are provided for students throughout the lesson. An exam-style essay question is featured at the end. Exemplar sentences and sentence openers are provided for students to enable sophisticated analysis, including purposeful introductions to extended essays. This lesson is ideal for high-level analysis of Lady Bracknell. PowerPoint saved as PDF.
Othello: Context
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Othello: Context

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This 27-slide lesson explores the context of Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’. In the lesson, students learn about Shakespeare and his sources for the play; why the Venetian setting is significant; some background to the Venetian-Ottoman conflicts; and the various historical connotations of the term ‘Moor’. We look at various images from ‘Othello’ - posters and stills from notable productions - to consider what the play might be about. The play’s genre as a tragedy is discussed, as are its key themes and the crucial recurring image of ‘jealousy’. Important (and high-level) vocabulary is also outlined. Questions, tasks, and discussion points are included for students. A research task/homework is featured at the end of the lesson. This lesson is an ideal introduction for GCSE or A level study of the text. PowerPoint saved as PDF.
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Context
MrGradgrindMrGradgrind

A Midsummer Night's Dream: Context

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This 28-slide lesson introduces the background and context of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. We begin with a series of posters, asking students to ‘judge a book by its cover’ and guess what the play might be about based on the images. We then dissect the play’s title, thinking about dreams, midsummer, and madness. Students are introduced to Shakespeare’s life and work before delving into the genre of comedy and its recurring features. Life in Shakespeare’s England - particularly for women - is discussed. We read and watch a summary of the play before considering the significance of the play’s setting. In addition, students explore some famous paintings inspired by the play in order to further discuss what the play might be about. Key themes and ideas about love and transformation are explored. Students are then given some ambitious vocabulary to define, using a dictionary (online or otherwise). Common attributes of Shakespeare’s stagecraft are explained, while images from the play onstage and on film are presented. The lesson ends with a research task inspired by Shakespeare’s theatre. This lesson is ideal for students aged 11-14. PowerPoint saved as PDF.
Giuseppe: Roderick Ford
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Giuseppe: Roderick Ford

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This 27-slide lesson explores Roderick Ford’s poem, ‘Giuseppe’. The lesson begins by encouraging students to think about how acts of atrocity have been justified throughout history, looking at one case study example. We then look at Ford’s writing career before delving into the poem itself and establishing its narrative. Language and imagery are deconstructed before analysing the poem’s form, structure, rhythm and rhyme. The backdrop of the Second World War, specifically concerning Sicily, is discussed, and the poem’s use of frame narrative and narrative distancing is considered. The numerous characters featured in the poem are explored, as well as the problematic gender dynamics of the poem. We zoom in on various symbols and key moments from the poem for close analysis. Students then consider the idea of ‘truth’ in the poem, before considering how the poem could be read via various critical lenses. Key vocabulary and key themes are also given to students to facilitate high-level analysis. At the end of the lesson, there are critical-thinking questions for pupils to consider about the poem, before an idea for a suitable poem to compare to ‘Giuseppe’ to strengthen comparative analytical skills. The lesson is ideal for those studying ‘Giuseppe’ as part of Pearson’s ‘Poems of the Decade’, but could easily be used for any purpose. Two files are included: one saved as a PDF (to retain font and layout); the other is saved as the original PPT so that teachers can edit the file accordingly.
A Streetcar Named Desire: Context
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A Streetcar Named Desire: Context

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This 31-slide lesson explores the context behind Tennessee Williams’ classic play, ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Designed to introduce students to key ideas essential to understanding the play’s historical and literary background, this lesson features discussions around key vocabulary, themes and techniques relevant to Williams’ theatrical vision. Students think critically about stagecraft and theatrical technique before learning about expressionism and the Deep South of the early 20th century (including an exploration of what is meant by a ‘Southern Belle’). There are further discussions of tragedy, the American Dream, post-war masculinity, homophobia, and psychiatry of the 1940s. The play’s key themes are outlined before students are given some examples of sophisticated vocabulary to enable precise analysis of the play. Questions, images and discussion points are included throughout the lesson. A research task is included at the end. This lesson is saved both as a PDF (to retain original design) and editable PowerPoint.
Othello: Complete Notes
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Othello: Complete Notes

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This bundle of resources is a comprehensive, detailed, and academic exploration of all scenes from Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ to provide the ideal companion for studying the play. Five presentations are included - one for each of the play’s five acts. Each presentation introduces the setting and context for each of the play’s scenes, before providing step-by-step supportive notes for the scenes. These notes not only explain what is happening as the scene progresses, but key dialogue, images, and stage directions are deconstructed with academic scrutiny. Questions are also posed for students at regular intervals to encourage a thematic and holistic understanding of the play. These resources can be used to support class readings of the texts, or made accessible to students at home to facilitate their understanding of each scene. In addition, students have found them extremely useful as revision resources to review in their own time. Act 1 Notes - 54 slides Act 2 Notes - 42 slides Act 3 Notes - 50 slides Act 4 Notes - 40 slides Act 5 Notes - 38 slides These resources are ideal for GCSE or A level study of ‘Othello’. 224 slides in total. PowerPoints saved as PDFs.
Eat Me: Patience Agbabi
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Eat Me: Patience Agbabi

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This 33-slide lesson explores Patience Agbabi’s poem, ‘Eat Me’. Students begin by discussing key ideas around the relationship between sex and food and society’s beauty standards. We then learn about Agbabi’s work before delving into the poem and establishing its narrative. The lesson then guides students methodically through extensive key ideas related to the poem, including title analysis; intertextual allusions; analysis of language; and analysis of form, structure, rhythm and rhyme. The nature of the dramatic monologue as a form is also discussed, before looking closely at some of the poem’s key images and the use of repetition. Each character in the poem is then dissected, while also looking at key symbols in the poem (eg. the cake, the bed). We also discuss the poem’s colonial undertones. Students are given a list of key themes and key vocabulary to facilitate high-level analysis. There are then some important questions for students to answer once they have explored the whole poem, and a list of potential poems which could be used to compare to ‘Eat Me’ to strengthen comparative analytical skills. This resource is particularly useful for those studying ‘Poems of the Decade’ with Pearson, but could easily be used for any purpose. Two files are included: one has the PowerPoint saved as a PDF so that the fonts and layout are firmly in place; the other is saved as a normal PPT file so that you can edit it.
Funeral Blues: W.H. Auden
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Funeral Blues: W.H. Auden

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This 23-slide lesson explores W.H. Auden’s ‘Funeral Blues’. The lesson begins with questions for students about the poem’s title and information about the poem’s history (including how it’s now so famous from ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’). Students then read the poem (a glossary of key terms is provided) and discuss their first impressions. The poem is summarised and explained generally before the lesson moves into detailed questions about the poem: its speaker, its tone, its language, its imagery, its ending, and its message. Notes are given about the poem’s key tensions, as well as form, structure and rhyme. Key themes are listed, and there is a list of sophisticated vocabulary to allow students to conduct precise and high-level analysis. There is an image-based task for students to match pictures to the poem. There are questions provided throughout, including comprehension and though-provoking questions at the end. An example of an essay question (particularly relevant to the Cambridge IGCSE) is also included. PowerPoint is attached as a PDF and in its original format. The PDF is recommended if you wish to retain the fonts, layout, and design.
King Lear: Context
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King Lear: Context

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This 40-slide lesson explores the context and background of Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’. Designed as both an introduction to the play and a revision resource for students to use when recapping the play’s context, this is a comprehensive and detailed exploration of Shakespeare’s sources and influences, as well as the play’s key themes, ideas and critical debates. Students are also equipped with important and precise vocabulary for analysing the play with sophistication. Among other key ideas, students are introduced to elements of tragedy, Jacobean ideas of kingship, Shakespearean staging and stagecraft, Christianity vs. Paganism, and the play’s preoccupation with absurdity and meaninglessness. The anonymous ‘King Leir’ is referenced along with other points about the play’s textual history, and contemporary debates around succession and the unification of Britain are discussed in detail. Images from various productions of ‘King Lear’ are included for discussion, and questions for students are included throughout the resource. The file is included here both as a PDF and PowerPoint. The latter file will not retain precise font choices and formatting.
On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book: Charles Tennyson Turner
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On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book: Charles Tennyson Turner

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This 30-slide lesson explores Charles Tennyson Turner’s poem, ‘On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book’. After some key starter questions, students learn about the poet’s life and context before reading the poem. A summary of the poem is included to support students’ understanding. Questions are asked about the poem’s use of symbolism and its function as a ‘memento mori’ poem. The lesson also encourages students to think about Tennyson Turner’s use of language and imagery. A detailed overview of form, structure and rhyme is also provided. Some examples of annotations are included to support students’ independent analysis of the poem. The lesson also explores the poem’s key themes, and a list of sophisticated vocabulary is given to facilitate precise analysis. At the end of the lesson, quick comprehension questions and an essay-style question are included. The lesson is saved as both an editable PowerPoint and PDF to retain aesthetic features.
Request to a Year: Judith Wright
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Request to a Year: Judith Wright

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This 26-slide lesson explores Judith Wright’s poem, ‘Request to a Year’. After some key starter questions about art, sacrifice and resolutions, students learn about the poet’s life and context before reading the poem. A summary of the poem is included to support students’ understanding. Questions are asked about the poem’s attitudes to gender and motherhood, thinking critically about the poem’s use of voice and tone. The lesson also encourages students to think about Wright’s use of language and imagery. A detailed overview of form, structure and rhyme is also provided. Students are encouraged to read the poem through a Feminist critical lens, discussing several allegorical readings. The lesson also explores the poem’s key themes, and a list of sophisticated vocabulary is given to facilitate precise analysis. At the end of the lesson, quick comprehension questions and an essay-style question are included. The lesson is saved as both an editable PowerPoint and PDF to retain aesthetic features.
The Telephone Call: Fleur Adcock
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The Telephone Call: Fleur Adcock

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This 20-slide lesson explores Fleur Adcock’s poem, ‘The Telephone Call’. Starter activities probe students to think about their attitude to the lottery and its anthropological implications. We then learn about the life and work of Fleur Adcock before reading the poem. Students are prompted to think about the two juxtaposing characters in the poem before delving into Adcock’s use of language, imagery, form, structure and rhyme. The significance of the poem’s 1980s context is also considered. Key themes and sophisticated vocabulary are listed to enable students to conduct precise analysis. We also ask what the poem’s true message may be, posing a variety of interpretations. This resource is ideal for those studying the poem as part of Cambridge IGCSE’s ‘Songs of Ourselves’, but is useful for anyone looking at the poem. Two versions of the lesson are attached: one is a PDF to save the best aesthetics and formatting; the other is a standard PowerPoint where fonts and formatting may be lost but can easily be edited.
Long Distance: Tony Harrison
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Long Distance: Tony Harrison

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This 21-slide lesson explores Tony Harrison’s poem, ‘Long Distance’. After some key starter questions about processes of grief, students learn about the poet’s life and context before reading the poem. A summary of the poem is included to support students’ understanding. Questions are asked about the poem’s attitudes to mourning, compassion, and masculinity, thinking critically about the poem’s use of voice and tone. The lesson also encourages students to think about Harrison’s use of language and imagery. A detailed overview of form, structure and rhyme is also provided. Students are encouraged to read the poem by focusing on several key themes, including appearance vs reality and routine & preservation. The lesson also explores the poem’s key themes, and a list of sophisticated vocabulary is given to facilitate precise analysis. At the end of the lesson, quick comprehension questions and an essay-style question are included. The lesson is saved as both an editable PowerPoint and PDF to retain aesthetic features.