This is a Playground Project activity I have used many times before and adapted it to suit the needs of the age group and audience. I have provided a wide variety of tasks which will hopefully allow all children to develop creativity in their presentation skills and writing tasks. I have used this as an after SATs activity and it worked pretty well.

English resource for improving the quality of your sentences. Ideal for KS2 children. It can support work completed in class or it can be used as a homework activity.

Creating themed artwork from natural materials. Now is your chance to get outside and explore your local surroundings. Use what natural materials you find and reuse them to create an artistic masterpiece. This activity is suitable for any Primary age group and has really good potential to be extended into other areas of the school curriculum. Perfect for Writing lessons and Drama activities.

English resource - Identifying the key features of an Information Text. I made and used this resource with my class of 8 year olds. They seemed to like it, when identifying the key features of an Information Text. Easy to use and can be adapted to suit the needs to f the class.

Here is a Christmas Holiday recount template for your pupils to reflect upon and complete after the festive season. This can be done in school, through distance learning or for homework! This template includes a planning sheet, targets and self-reflection boxes, as well as writing paper. Happy Christmas! www.garethmate.com

A very simple activity that encourages storytelling in the wonderful outdoors. An activity that can be easily adapted in order promote key skills like storytelling, together with Drama, and Speaking and Listening. Suitable for any age and outdoor environment. www.garethmate.com

Here is a simple Outdoor Checklist resource for use in the outdoors and also in the classroom. This resource is suitable for both KS1 and KS2 levels. It can be used as a stand-alone resource within a Forest Schools or Outdoor Learning context and can also support Literacy-based activities back in the classroom. The resources develops great self-awareness and further interest about the wider world around us. It also helps to develop simple Literacy skills through sentence structure. More information on www.garethmate.com

A helpful resource for the start of a new school year. This resource can be used mainly in KS2 7-11 years. It provides children with an opportunity to explain a little more about themselves. Pages include: Introduction Coat of Arms Quote for the year ahead My Hobbies Things I like, Things I find tricky My Targets for the year ahead I have used this many times before and it always provides an easy way into a new school year. More information can be found on my website www.garethmate.com

A great resource and effective way to start the day or start lessons. I have used these Creative Questions, as a means of developing Speaking and Listening exercises in class. Very useful recource for high order thinking skills, at Upper Primary levels.

An Outdoor Learning template for you to use both inside and outside of the classroom. This template can be adapted to suit your needs. It provides a great opportunity to develop an ongoing journal about thoughts and stories about the outdoors.

Experience the wonders of the Great Outdoors with this simple Observation Alphabet resource. For use in the outdoors and also back in the classroom. This resource is suitable for both KS1 and KS2 levels. It can be used as a stand-alone resource within a Forest Schools or Outdoor Learning context and can also support extended Literacy-based activities. The resources develops great self-awareness and further interest about the wider world around us. It also helps to develop simple Literacy skills through descriptive sentence work and poetry. More information can be found on my website www.garethmate.com

Here is a selection of thinking tasks that will support the History topic of Ancient Egyptians. There are 8 different thinking tasks that can be used in any History lesson. They can be delivered as a stand-alone activity or further developed into a mini topic, to support other ideas. These tasks are ideal for developing Creative Thinking and Speaking and Listening within your class. They can be used across both KS1 and KS2.

Leaves are pretty fantastic, all different shapes, sizes and colours. They can be easily used as the ideal resource, which can help with Speaking and Listening activities, as well as Creative Writing tasks. I feel the possibilities are endless. I have compiled a simple activity that helps promote Creative Writing in your class. It can be adapted to suit the needs of the audience or age group. I have even added suitable suggestions for integrating ICT and the use of the iPad or Tablet. This task has been ideal for my class of 8 & 9 year olds, but can be easily adapted and used in all age ranges.

Outdoor Learning - Nature Walk resource. Nature Walk resource that can be implemented at both KS1 and KS2 levels. It can be used as a stand-alone resource within Forest Schools lessons and can also support Literacy-based activities in the classroom. Resources develop the use of our sense together with Literacy skills. More Outdoor resources will follow.

Here is a selection of interesting writing prompts for you to use and enjoy. Let’s find a cool way of writing about the outdoors and sharing our interesting ideas with others. My website (http://www.garethmate.com) will eventually have more information about this.

Here is the first list of ideas in my series of Creative Writing prompts. The purpose of these writing prompts is to encourage both children and adults to get outside, be inspired by their natural surroundings and start writing. These prompts focus on Trees.

This a simple and enjoyable activity based around going for a walk in the school grounds or further afield. It is a walk with a twist and a curricular focus that can have a wonderful educational impact on learning back in the classroom.

A lesson starter activity that gets all children talking and thinking about the questions posed. Questions more suitable for Upper KS2 children.

An Art / Literacy activity sheet for use in the outdoors and also in the classroom. This resource is suitable for both KS1 and KS2 levels. It can be used as a stand-alone resource within a Forest Schools or Outdoor Learning context and can also support Literacy-based activities back in the classroom. It is ideal for Speaking & Listening or small group work. This resource promotes a response and great understanding to what can be found all around us and how we can develop this into something more creative and interesting. It develops great self-awareness and further interest about the wider world around us. More information on www.garethmate.com