This is a very short and straightforward activity, originally planned as revision for a cover lesson. It could also be used as a taught lesson or could be set for homework. It uses an excerpt (abridged) from William Hope Hodgson’s “Carnacki the Ghost Finder” and the students are asked to identify a range of methods in the text and then select two of those methods and explain their effect. A model response is provided - and the powerpoint is very easily editable if you want to make the task more or less challenging.

This is a straightforward multiple-choice quiz (answers provided) focusing on the description of Fred from Stave 1 and how his characterisation contrasts that of Scrooge. Useful for homework or could be used as a starter to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge so that subsequent teaching can be more sharply focused.

This is a simple and straightforward powerpoint, created for lower ability students but easily editable for the specific needs of your class. There are 3 pre-1914 excerpts, one about the Regent’s Park skating disaster and two about Prince Albert falling through ice while skating. The tasks provided focus on basic reading skills: inference and information retrieval. These can be used as a diagnostic tool before students embark on analysis and evaluation. Alternatively, the tasks could be tweaked to make them more analytical if your students’ reading skills are securely embedded. The powerpoint ends with a letter-writing task linked to the idea of ice skating and more dangerous sports generally.

This is a short and straightforward powerpoint which guides the students through a short and straightforward poem by Thomas Hood (public domain). There are two slides with specific questions about the poem. These were planned for classroom use as a peer think/pair/share opportunity. Alternatively, these could be used to guide a student, working individually, through some thinking about the poem. The questions could be used by a tutor to prompt a discussion about the poem. After this, students are asked to write an exam-style response and the final slide offers some further comments to add depth and detail to the response.

This is a comprehension activity (suggested answers provided) which leads into an exam-style unseen poetry response task. Could be used for cover, for revision or to structure a guided reading activity.

The extract used describes the first sight of the old curiosity shop of the title. There are seven questions (though some are broken down into segments, so 12 to answer altogether). Suggested responses are provided. The questions test vocabulary, comprehension, analysis and evaluation, albeit at a basic level. Useful for homework or cover. Could also be used to structure a guided reading activity.

A multiple choice quiz based on Dickens’ description of Arthur Gride from “Nicholas Nickleby”. There are 15 questions and answers are provided. This could be a cover activity or used for a reading homework. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity.

This is a multiple choice quiz (answers provided) based on the description of Nicholas’s arrival at Dotheboys Hall. Useful for cover or as a homework activity. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity or for flipped learning, to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding so that the subsequent lesson can be more precisely focused.

This is a comprehension activity based on the first description of the Artful Dodger from “Oliver Twist”. There are 8 questions and suggested answers are provided. This could be used in class or set as homework or left as a cover activity. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity.

This is a 14-slide powerpoint which guides students through an exploration of Sassoon’s blistering poem, “Atrocities”. This is easily adapted to suit the ability of your class. Slides 12, 13 and 14 can be used either to structure whole-class question and answer or could be an opportunity for students to work in pairs to discuss the questions and annotate the poem with their thoughts. The final slide reiterates the question from the lesson aim - How does Sassoon communicate his feelings towards the person being addressed in the poem? Depending on the students’ confidence, this could be an opportunity to model a paraqraph or two or they could go straight into writing a response.

This is a simple and straightforward powerpoint intended to help students practise an approach to an unseen poetry question. It uses “At the Movies” by Florence Ripley Mastin. There are several slides of questions which can be used for whole-class discussion or to prompt paired work. The powerpoint ends with an exam-style question.

This was planned for a group who are working to try to raise their grades from 3 to 4/5. The powerpoint uses two short extracts from “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. The focus is on questions 2 (language analysis) and 3 (analysis of structure). There are opportunities for independent work and suggested models at the relevant level.

This is an excerpt from a speech given by Dickens on 5th November 1857. There are ten questions with suggested answers provided. This could be used in class, for cover or as homework. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading session. Competing this activity will give students a sound understanding of Dickens’ viewpoint and so this activity could usefully be used alongside the Ghost of Christmas Past and the description of Scrooge’s schooldays.

This resource uses Walter de la Mare’s poem, “All But Blind” and there are 9 attached tasks. Originally created for homework for a mixed-ability task, the intention was that pupils would choose five tasks from the grid. This could also be used for cover or in class. It would work well as part of a unit on writing about the natural world. Alternatively, the tasks on the grid could be used to structure a guided reading session.

This was planned as a homework task for a mixed-ability year 7 class but would work for KS2. The intention was that the pupils would choose five of the nine available tasks. This could be used in class, set as cover or even used to structure a guided reading session. Suggested responses are provided. This is a really good way into the skills of analysis that will be needed at KS3 and even more at KS4.

This grid has 12, short activities, all linked to the genre of gothic horror. Activities should take roughly ten to fifteen minutes. Originally created as homework to support a unit on gothic horror but could also be developed for cover.

There is a multiple-choice quiz with 15 questions (answers provided). This quiz focuses on the first paragraph of a longer extract, asking students to think about the writer’s viewpoint and the methods that he uses to express this viewpoint. In class, I have used this prior to a lesson which then uses the whole text (included) which is an article from 1857 by Daniel Clarke Eddy on parenting. If you don’t wish to use it in this way, the quiz could serve as a useful homework or cover activity. The questions could be used to structure a guided reading or revision session. There is scope for students to use the text as a springboard for their own, transactional writing, expressing views about effective guidance and support for young people.

This is a gentle way into an unseen poetry response. It uses Rossetti’s poem, “Song” and there are 12 multiple-choice questions (answers provided). This could be used for flipped learning so that students have had an opportunity to think about the poem before writing an exam-style response. I’d suggest something like: How does the writer present the speaker’s feelings? For greater challenge, you could ask the students to create their own title, filling in the blank: How does the writer present the speaker’s feelings about __________? Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided-reading session or used for a revision homework or for cover.

This multiple-choice quiz has 20 questions and could be used in a variety of ways. It could be used prior to a lesson so that subsequent teaching can be more precisely focused on gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. It could be used to structure a revision session on the poem. It could be set as a homework or as a cover activity. Answers are provided.

This multiple choice quiz has 14 questions (answers provided) and can be used for flipped learning, identifying gaps in students’ knowledge and understanding so that subsequent teaching can be more precisely focused. Alternatively, it can be set as homework or used for cover. I have used it to structure a guided reading/revision session as some of the questions lend themselves to further discussion about the effect of the writer’s methods. The extract is a good one for students to practise their ability to understand a writer’s viewpoint.