reading | Creative STAR Learning | I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!

Story Stones and Thinking Skills

Apr 17, 2024 | Literacy Outdoors

My painted stones remain a much treasured resource that I continue to adapt and refine. Children like them and are happy to spend time looking and talking about the simple illustrations. Some are themed. Below is my minibeast collection. Here is is fairly easy to work...

A Flock of Words

Jan 7, 2023 | Art & Music Outdoors, Literacy Outdoors

This blog post is about exploring the links between literacy and birds through the medium of an an arts-based regeneration project based upon the bird life around the area of Morecambe Bay. A Flock of Words, was created by Gordon Young, Russ Coleman and Why Not...

A Poetry Walk at The Coombes School

Sep 13, 2022 | Literacy Outdoors

NOTE: This blog post was first published in 2010 and the photos clearly show that laminated sheets have been used. Please have a look at this post for lots of alternatives to laminating paper. It really isn’t necessary. I love simple ideas that one teacher can...

The Stone Jetty Ramblings

Sep 1, 2012 | Art & Music Outdoors, Personal & Holidays

I feel like I should be apologising madly for being a disorganised blogger. I know a lot of people pop by this site around this time of the year as the school year begins. In a perfect world, I’d be giving you my “Top 10 tips for starting outside with your...

A Fish Trail not a Fishy Tale

Jul 21, 2012 | Art & Music Outdoors, Literacy Outdoors

Last week my son and I went to visit Hull. This is not a regular destination on most tourists’ “to do” list when exploring England, but it has many hidden surprises including the Fish Trail, which is one of the most inspired and quirky public works...