Lessons on a page

The current situation has really honed my thinking about how I teach some aspects. Time is short and there is only so much that you can do. For several years now, we have been using booklets. Each year we adapt, change and shape the booklets to be what we want them to cover. However, there arises occasions where something else is needed. That’s why we created lessons on a page.

A lesson on a page is simply a double-sided A3 sheet. It takes students through a sequence of activities building to some form of  writing. Mainly we use them for KS4 and largely they are used with Year 11. They usually take two lessons to complete. The focus is usually quite streamlined and, umm, very direct. 

The great thing about them is that they save time and we can use them again and again. My big problem with resource making is that a single resource is used only once. If you use the resource next year is largely based on where you store it and if you remember you have it saved.

We’ve got these LOAP for the poems and they will be used next year. Without a doubt. I hate little bits of paper and folders of stuff. I want to rock up to a lesson with the minimal amount of materials. We now have a department style for these LOAPs and we are adding to them each year. We can now pull off the peg lessons on several things.  

Here are just some ways we have used them for different parts of the course.

Poetry Revision

 Comparison of two poems – including annotation and analysis

 

Drafting a response to include some prepared vocabulary and phrases

   

Shakespeare Revision

   Defining a theme

2.       Linking a theme to characters

3.       Exploring how language reflects a theme

4.       Planning an essay

 Exploring some aspect to add depth

6.       Drafting a paragraph

 

Non-fiction reading

1.       Gather ideas

2.       Analyse a typical answer

3.       Explore grading criteria

 

    Plan a response

5.       Turn into a paragraph

6.       Compare the two texts

 

Non-fiction writing

   Decide perspective

2.       Generate ideas

3.       Select idea and link to Pathos, Logos and Ethos

4.       Draft writing

 

Don’t get me wrong. I love messy, rough around the edges, teaching too, but when you have three lessons to prepare students for an assessment on Shakespeare. You need to streamline things down. These have certainly helped us this year as we became nomadic teachers, but they have helped to narrow the focus down and be a bit precise with things.

We have found this approach invaluable as we guide Year 11 in this difficult phase. After two years of sporadic teaching with them, we needed something focused and direct. Oh, and fast! 

As an Easter gift, I am sharing the LOAPs I have already made. Feel free to steal, use and adapt for your own use.

The link to the Dropbox folder is here. 

 

Thanks for reading,

 Xris