Page 11 – Teaching Ideas

Match the Contractions

by Ideas Help 19 May 2025

written by Ideas Help

Ages: 7 – 11

Use this free resource when teaching your children about contractions.

On this sheet, the children have to match the contractions in the grid to the words listed below.

This resource is from our Contractions Activity Pack. Find out more at Teaching Packs.

Downloads:

Match the Contractions

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19 May 2025 0 comments

Videos

Stranded

by Mark Warner 12 May 2025

written by Mark Warner

Ages: 7-11

Alaska in the 19th century: a trapper named Hawk meets a mysterious Moose. What is it trying to tell him?

English:

Write a short story about being stranded in a different setting, for example, a desert island or a spaceship.
Write some more dialogue that Hawk (the trapper) could say to Buck (his horse).
Write a character profile for the character of Hawk.
Write a letter home from Hawk describing his experience.
Create a comic strip illustrating a part of the video.
Have a class discussion about the equipment you would need to survive in a very cold environment like Alaska. Make a list.
Make a class collection of adventure and survival stories, like The Explorer by Katherine Rundell.
Create a vocabulary list of adjectives you could use to write about the setting.
Stop the video, for example, at 1:29, and write a thought bubble.
Watch one of our other videos set in a very cold environment, and discuss the similarities and differences:
Watch the section from 5:33 to 5:52. How does this change your understanding of the story? Why do you think the filmmakers chose to frame it in this way?
Write the story from Timothee’s point of view.
Write a short paragraph explaining the meaning of the moose. Why do you think it is in the story?
Try some of our ideas for the fabulous book, This Moose Belongs to Me.
Create a storyboard for a sequel to the video.

Science:

Create a fact file about the wildlife of Alaska. This page is a good place to start.
Try this interactive food web for Alaska.
Use our Arctic and Antarctic Pack to learn about life in extremely cold environments.

Try this activity that explores what animals and humans need to survive.
Find out how moose are adapted for life in Alaska.
Write an explanation for how a gas light works.

Computing:

Create a digital storyboard summarising the video.
Watch the Teaser video (trailer). Do you agree with the choices they have made? Storyboard your own teaser for this film.

Create a simple game in Scratch where the main character has to outrun an avalanche.

Design Technology:

Design a survival kit. What items would be in it? What would they be made from?
Make a magnetic compass.
Invent a new tool or gadget that could be used in survival situations
Research items that could save your life in an avalanche.
Hawk wears furs to keep warm. What other materials could be used to keep warm? Try this investigation into keeping warm in very cold environments.

Art:

Draw or paint a scene from the video
Use collage materials to make an image of the moose.
Create an ice sculpture.
Look at some art inspired by Alaska, and have a go at making your own version.
Look at some of Charles Pachter’s Moose images, like this one, and use cut-out paper to make your own.

Music:

Compose a new soundtrack for the video.
Listen to some classical music inspired by snow.

Geography:

Find Alaska on a globe or Google Maps.
Create a fact file about Alaska. This page has lots of information.
Choose one of Alaska’s mountains and create an information poster about it. This site is a good starting point.
Compare the conditions in Alaska to another extreme region, such as a hot desert. What are the similarities and differences?
Find out what causes avalanches.

History:

Hawk is a trapper, part of the fur trade. Find out more about the trade on this Kiddle page.
Research the history of Alaska.

Languages:

Learn vocabulary to describe a snowy environment in the language you are studying.
Find out the words for snow, ice and so on in a range of different languages. Use them to create a word cloud or use another way of presenting them.

PSHE:

Discuss how Hawk relies on Buck (his horse). Who or what do you rely on? Who relies on you?
Stop the video and note down how Hawk is feeling, for example, 0:45, 1:24, 2:40. Why is he feeling this way? How might you feel if this happened to you?

12 May 2025 0 comments

PSHE Art Colouring Pets Themes

Mindfulness Colouring – Pets

by Mark Warner 12 May 2025

written by Mark Warner

Ages: 5-11

Download a free collection of colouring pages based on cute pictures of pets!

Ten different pages are included in the set below, and the illustrations show dogs, cats, chickens, reptiles, rabbits, rodents and more!

If you use these resources with your children, let us know. We always love hearing your feedback.

Downloads:

Mindfulness Colouring – Pets

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12 May 2025 0 comments

Events Authors English

Teaching Ideas for a Shakespeare Day

by Mark Warner 12 May 2025

written by Mark Warner

Ages: 5-11

If your children are learning about Shakespeare or you are planning a special ‘Shakespeare Day’ to celebrate his birthday (23rd April), try some of the teaching ideas and activities below.

English:

Download our Shakespeare Pack for lots of resources and a guide all about his life.

Enjoy watching the BBC animated version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Try learning and performing some short extracts from a play. This page has a list of possible extracts to use.
Write a short story based on part of a play. Listen to one of these retellings of Shakespeare plays from the BBC for inspiration. Mr William Shakespeare’ Plays by Marcia Williams is a great book to use for this.
Turn part of a play into a comic strip.
Using this list of words, look up some of the words he invented or was the first to use in a dictionary.
Write a letter to a character from one of Shakespeare’s plays.
Write a page from Shakespeare’s diary.
Use our Shakespeare Fact Cards and display resources.
Visit The Primary Shakespeare Company for teaching resources for The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night and Julius Caesar.
Try a quiz about one of his plays: how much do you know about As You Like It, Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet or The Tempest?

Maths:

Calculate the distance between locations in Shakespeare’s plays, for example, from Verona to Venice.
Write a budget for a production of a Shakespeare play, including costs for costumes, sets, etc.

Science:

Study some of the plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays and their uses. This page from Kew Gardens is a useful resource.
Shakespeare often mentioned the moon and stars in his works. Create a fact file about the moon or a constellation.

Computing:

Create a digital storybook of a Shakespearean tale.
Program a simple animation or game based on a Shakespeare play.
Take a virtual tour around the Globe Theatre.
Use a digital art package to create an image from one of his plays.
Use PowerPoint or a similar program to create a Shakespeare Quiz.

Design Technology:

Design and a costume for a Shakespearean play character.
Create props for a scene in a Shakespeare play.
Design a poster advertising a Shakespeare play.
Construct a pop-up scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays.
Make masks representing different characters or emotions from his works.
Build a set model for a scene from a Shakespeare play using recycled materials.
Make an Elizabethan ruff collar.

Art:

Paint or sketch a scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays.
Look at and discuss some famous artworks based on Shakespeare’s work.
Make a portrait in the style of this famous image.
Make a mixed-media portrait of Shakespeare.
Use leaf printing to create a forest scene inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Try one of these ideas from Elm Shakespeare Company.

Music:

Rehearse and perform a Shakespeare Musical. Everything you need can be found here.
Use percussion instruments to compose and perform a piece that could fit in a Shakespeare play.
Clap the rhythms of lines from Shakespeare’s sonnets or plays.
Create sound effects for a play.
Listen to some music from that time. What do you notice about it? What instruments are used?

Geography:

Explore some locations associated with Shakespeare in London and Stratford-upon-Avon. Find them on Google Street View. What are they like now?
Explore this interactive map of London at the time Shakespeare was alive.

History:

Create a timeline of events in Shakespeare’s life.
Write a report about a significant place in Shakespeare’s life, such as the Globe Theatre.
Visit the CBBC Shakespeare page to learn about his life.
Explore the lives of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.
Look at this map from 1574. What do you notice? Compare it to a modern map of that area of London. What has changed, what is the same?
Read this page about Shakespeare’s education. What is the same and what is different about your education?
Listen to this Horrible Histories song about Shakespeare.

Physical Education:

Learn some moves for a Midsummer Dance Party.

Organise a “Shakespearean Olympics” with sports and games from the Elizabethan era. This page has some information that might inspire you.
Create a dance based on a scene from a Shakespeare play.

Languages:

Learn the words for vocabulary such as play and stage in the language you are studying.

PSHE:

Use a story from Shakespeare as a discussion starter. For example, use the story of Julius Caesar to talk about loyalty.

12 May 2025 0 comments

English Handwriting

Tips for Left Handed Writers

by Mark Warner 6 May 2025

written by Mark Warner

Ages: 5-11

This handy sheet includes a number of tips to help left-handed children with their writing.

This resource could be used as a display resource, a teaching tool or a reference mat on your students’ tables.

Add a comment below if you use this with your children!

Downloads:

Tips for Left Handed Writers

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6 May 2025 0 comments

Themes Habitats Science Under the Sea

Oceans Cloze Procedure

by Mark Warner 28 April 2025

written by Mark Warner

Ages: 7-11

Learn about life under the sea with this free cloze activity!

Challenge your children to read the text and put the missing words into the correct spaces. The word bank is provided on the sheet for them.

When they have completed this task, they could try to make one of their own… or use the information as the starting point for their own fact book about oceans.

Downloads:

Oceans Cloze Procedure

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28 April 2025 0 comments

Books

The Woolly Bear Caterpillar

by Mark Warner 28 April 2025

written by Mark Warner

Buy This Book * More books by Julia Donaldson

Crawling through the garden, the little Woolly Bear Caterpillar wonders what kind of moth she will become. Bonny and bright, stunning and smart, but not kind, the other caterpillars laugh at the small, plain Woolly Bear. There is one thing that they are sure of: Woolly Bear could never be as dramatic and beautiful as them! But could one little caterpillar be about to undergo a truly terrific transformation?

English:

Retell the story from the caterpillar’s point of view. Write diary entries at different points.
Write some descriptions of the woolly bear caterpillar and the garden tiger moth. How are they similar / different?
Write a description of the setting of this story. Could you plan a new story based in this setting?
Write a sequel to this book. What might happen to the garden tiger moth next?
The book’s blurb says that ‘sometimes pride comes before a fall’. What does this mean? Could you use this as inspiration for a new story?
Create a persuasive letter encouraging people to protect caterpillar habitats.
Use descriptive writing to imagine a new type of caterpillar with unique features.

Maths:

Explore symmetry by designing butterfly wings.

Science:

Find out more about woolly bear caterpillars. Where do they live? What do they eat? This video gives some information:

Learn about the life cycle of a caterpillar and create a visual timeline.
Learn about the different plants mentioned in the story (e.g. dandelions, apple trees, poplar trees). Where do they grow? What animals live around them?
Observe real caterpillars and document their changes over time.
Explore camouflage and adaptation in insects.

Computing:

Create an animation that shows the woolly bear caterpillar moving.
Make an animation to show the caterpillar’s metamorphosis.
Research caterpillar facts and present findings in a digital infographic.
Program a simple game where a caterpillar navigates obstacles.
Record a video in which you read this book to an audience. Could you add music, sound effects and other visual effects?

Design Technology:

Create some models of caterpillars and moths using recycled materials.
Design a butterfly-friendly garden.
Design some cuddly caterpillar toys.
Make some caterpillar puppets and use them to retell this story.
Create a pop-up book that illustrates the caterpillar’s transformation.
Design a simple mechanism that mimics the movement of a caterpillar.

Art:

Find some pictures of the woolly bear caterpillar (and the garden tiger moth) and create your own illustrations using different materials and techniques.
Create some pictures that show the life cycle of moths.
Retell the story in the form of a comic strip.
Create a collage of different caterpillar species.

Music:

Compose some melodies to accompany the other caterpillars’ songs.
Compose a simple song about the caterpillar’s journey.
Use instruments to mimic the sounds of nature in the story.
Create a rhythmic pattern inspired by the movement of caterpillars.

Geography:

Map out the habitats where different caterpillars live.
Discuss how climate affects caterpillar populations.
Explore migration patterns of butterflies.
Investigate local conservation efforts for insects.

Physical Education:

Create a movement-based activity mimicking the caterpillar’s journey.
Develop a yoga sequence inspired by caterpillar and butterfly movements.

Religious Education:

Discuss the symbolism of transformation in different religions.

PSHE:

The woolly bear caterpillar meets a number of other caterpillars. How do they treat her? How would you describe their behaviour?
The other caterpillars love to boast about their appearance. What does it mean to be ‘boastful’?
Think about changes and transformations in your life. How have these affected you?

28 April 2025 0 comments

English Grammar Vocabulary Writing

Add the Missing Pronouns

by Ideas Help 28 April 2025

written by Ideas Help

Ages: 5-7

This free worksheet can be used when teaching your children about pronouns. Can they choose the correct pronoun to complete each sentence?

A selection of pronouns is given at the bottom of the sheet and a set of answers is also provided.

This resource comes from out Pronouns Pack. Find out more at Teaching Packs

Downloads:

Add the Missing Pronouns

Download File

28 April 2025 0 comments

Themes Superheroes

Teaching Ideas for a Superhero Day

by Mark Warner 22 April 2025

written by Mark Warner

Ages: 5-11

Superhero Day takes place every 28th April, and is a day to celebrate fictional superheroes from comics, books and movies, as well as real-life heroes who inspire us.

If you’re celebrating the day, try some of these activities with your children. Don’t forget to add a comment below if you have any other ideas!

English:

Use our templates to create a profile of a superhero, detailing their secret identity, powers, and arch-enemy..
Write a short comic strip featuring a hero overcoming a challenge.
Write a letter to a favourite superhero, explaining why you admire them.
Create a vocabulary list linked to superheroes and powers.
Have a debate about who is the best superhero and why.
Write a poem about a superhero.
Create a superhero diary entry detailing their day saving the world.
Use our superhero transition resources.
Read a story about a superhero. Use some of our ideas for books like Send for a Superhero, Superkid, or Superfrog.
Create a list of words that use the prefix “super”.
Try one of these fun superhero-themed English activities from the BBC.
Use speech bubbles to create dialogue between superheroes and villains, then convert it to direct speech.
Explore our Superhero Guide for other ideas and resources.

Maths:

Invent some superhero-themed word problems and challenge a friend to solve them.
Make some superhero top trumps with our handy template.
Create a superhero shop in the role-play area.
Use a tally chart to record favourite superheroes, then show the data as a chart or graph.
Create symmetrical superhero logos.

Science:

Make oobleck from cornflour and water. Would it be a good defence for a superhero? Or a good weapon?
Discuss the human body using our Human Body Pack. How might a superhero’s body be different?
Create a simple circuit to power a superhero’s gadget.
Investigate real-life animals with “superpowers”. Our Senses Pack has a great comprehension text on this topic.
Use a torch and cardboard cutouts to create superhero signals.
Try one of these Superhero Science ideas. Science Sparks also has some great investigations.

Computing:

Code a simple game where a superhero must overcome obstacles to save the day.
Create a digital superhero comic.
Animate a superhero character using Scratch.
Program a Roamer or Beebot to navigate a superhero mat.
Make superhero digital art using graphic design software.
Use a device to record reading a superhero story.
Discuss online safety with these resources.

Design Technology:

Design and build a superhero vehicle or gadget from recycled materials.
Create a model of a superhero’s hideout.
Design a durable cape or costume that can withstand ‘superhero activities’.
Sew superhero masks.

Art:

Paint a portrait of a favourite superhero.
Sculpt superhero figures with clay or playdough.
Design a comic book cover.
Use this idea to create a group superhero picture.
Look at Superman by Andy Warhol and make your own version with a different superhero.

Music:

Compose a theme song for a superhero.
Create sound effects for superhero actions using instruments or everyday objects.
Play musical statues, freezing into superhero poses.

Geography:

Design a superhero-themed treasure hunt around the school or local area.
Match environments to superpowers, for example, if the superhero has a freeze power, they are matched to an icy environment. What kind of environment would be more difficult for them to operate in?
Create a map showing a superhero’s town or city. Where do they live? Where do they work?

History:

Create a superhero timeline showing the lives and achievements of fictional or real-life superheroes.
Discuss real-life heroes throughout history and their ‘superpowers’.
Look at a superhero based on a mythology, such as the Norse Gods. Can you see how the character has developed?

Physical Education:

Set up a superhero training camp with activities like obstacle courses, speed drills, and agility training.
Try some superhero yoga poses.
Try some partner exercises where one acts as the superhero and the other as the sidekick. Can you mirror each other?
Invent your own game based on a superhero.

Religious Education:

Discuss what religious figures might have in common with superheroes.
Discuss real-life ethical and religious heroes like Gandhi or Mother Teresa.

Languages:

Learn how to say “superhero” in different languages.
Invent a simple role play between a superhero and someone they have helped in the language you are studying.
Read a superhero story or comic in a different language.
Create superhero posters with multilingual slogans.

PSHE:

Discuss the concept of heroism in everyday life and how we can be heroes in our community.
Debate the characteristics of a superhero and relate them to personal development.
Discuss how superheroes handle failure and what we can learn from it.
Role-play scenarios where students solve problems like superheroes.
Create a class superhero, focusing on internal qualities.
Who is your everyday superhero and why? Write thank you notes to them.
Discuss questions such as: If you were a superhero, what would your power be? Why did you choose it? How would it help you?

22 April 2025 0 comments