An exciting new primary literacy resource called the Natural Curriculum has been produced by ERA in collaboration with the BBC. Based around fascinating clips from the BBC’s most iconic natural history programmes, the Natural Curriculum uses the natural world to engage children in English grammar.

Alan Thomson– a teacher at Cotham Gardens Primary School, Bristol, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 6 grammar section on the king penguin. Mel Leaford– a teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Wigan, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 6 grammar section on the bull shark. Claudia Grant-Dawson– a teacher at Chieveley Primary school, Newbury, who wrote lessons for the Year 3 grammar section. Her faulous lessons include the long-tongued bat and the money spider.

Emma Simm– a teacher at St Peter’s Smithills Dean C.E Primary School, Bolton, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 3 grammar section on the dipper. With an ERA Licence, schools can access all of the Natural Curriculum resources for free, whilst pupils and parents can access this content directly from home. Katie Cooper – a teacher at Steep CE Primary School, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 3 grammar section on the rhea. Adam Robertson– a teacher at Horfield C of E Primary School, Bristol, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 6 grammar section on the leopard seal. Paul Bastin– a teacher from English Martyrs, Manchester, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Y3 grammar section on the scarlet macaw.

I’ve always been passionate about using audio-visual media to inspire the children I teach, and nothing seems to captivate them more than the wonders of the natural world. Showing them a clip from one of the BBC’s natural history programmes such as Africa or Blue Planet immediately ignites a sense of awe, inspiring their imagination. Lisa Carey– a teacher at St Bernard’s RC Primary, Ellesmere Port, who has written lessons for the Year 6 grammar section. Her fabulous lessons include the spinner dolphin and the banded mongoose.Alex Jarman– a teacher at Cotham Gardens Primary School, Bristol, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 6 grammar section on the Megellanic penguin. Sophie Burton– a teacher at Fir Tree Primary School, Newbury, who wrote lessons for the Y3 grammar section. Her fabulous lessons include the moose, howler monkey and the salt flat lizard. Charlotte Jeffs– a teacher at Fordbridge Community Primary School, Solihull, who has written lessons for the Year 6 grammar section. Her fabulous lessons include the flying fish and the banana frog. Caroline Walker– a teacher at Gusford Primary School, Ipswich, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 3 grammar section on the emu. Laura Hilton – a teacher at Horfield C of E Primary school, Bristol, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 5 grammar section on the Grevy’s zebra.

First and foremost, the BBC– for producing the incredible programmes that make the Natural Curriculum possible, and everyone involved in the creation of the captivating natural history clips upon which each lesson is based. To get the Natural Curriculum to this point, thanks must be given to a number of organisations and individuals:

Sam Mumford– a teacher at Henleaze Junior School, Bristol, who has written lessons for the Year 4 grammar section. Her fabulous lessons include the harvest mouse, cotton-top tamarin and cheetah. Amy Parkin– a teacher at Horfield C of E Primary School, Bristol, who has written lessons for the Year 4 grammar section. Her fabulous lessons include the whale shark, spider monkey and firefly. Rhodri Thomas– a teacher at Frith Manor Primary School, London, who has written lessons for the Y3 grammar section. His fabulous lessons include the ibex and the sea otter. Brigette Eugster– a teacher at Shaftesbury Park Primary school ,who has written lessons for the Y3 grammar section. Her fabulous lessons include the monarch butterfly and the fennec fox. Mel Underwood– a teacher at Coates Way School, Watford, who wrote a fabulous lesson for the Year 3 grammar section on the poison-dart frog.

The Natural Curriculum currently provides 45 ready to use, high quality grammar lessons, each designed around a different captivating animal based film clip. With differentiated whiteboard activities, high quality sentence models, vocabulary word walls and plenty of opportunities for children to apply their grammar skills, the resource provides everything a teacher would need for delivering the grammar and punctuation aspects of the Year 5 Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar curriculum.