Two Ways To Role Comic Strips Inwards Maths Teaching

I stumbled across a overnice instruction persuasion inwards this blog post which is all most giving pupils fourth dimension to summarise what they've learnt.  The writer of the spider web log suggests that pupils depict comic strips inwards bird or for homework. Here's but about examples:

Example worksheet

Example of pupil's work

I in ane lawsuit used comic strips for a dissimilar utilization inwards my instruction - I produced this comic strip for my GCSE class, which I showed inwards this Prezi slideshow to generate intelligence most sampling methods.  The characters are all teachers at my schoolhouse (with slightly amended names...).  It went downward good amongst my bird in addition to I laid upwards them the chore of creating their ain versions. We used Bitstrips for Schools which is lovely but tin endure really time-consuming.

(that's meant to endure me past times the way!)

Maths Painting Quiz

Spiked Math has approximately first-class Maths Movie Quizzes.  I chose these ones to entertain my Year 13s at Christmas.  Great fun for Maths teachers too!

Binary

Maths pedagogy is oft rushed. We encompass topics also quickly, nosotros essay regularly, nosotros repeat the same matter every year. By Year 10 our pupils are bored. It's as well as then unnecessary as well as frustrating. If alone nosotros spent to a greater extent than fourth dimension on rich Mathematics. I'd honey to deadening down, become off on tangents, permit my pupils investigate as well as discover... The alone fourth dimension I learn the hazard to digress from the Scheme of Work is at the destination of the summertime term.  So I seize the chance to engage my pupils inwards interesting concepts as well as ideas - similar the binary system.

It's tardily to learn pupils interested inwards this topic. Here's around suggestions:

• Show them a painting demo of a binary watch. I 1 time knew a Year xiii who genuinely wore 1 of these to schoolhouse every day! My pupils were intrigued past times this as well as wanted to know how to read it.
• You could atomic number 82 into this theme through other seat out systems (Roman Numerals etc).
• Perform this fantastic binary magic trick.  My pupils loved it! They were desperate to know how it worked.
• Tell them the joke "There are alone 10 types of people inwards the world: those who sympathize binary as well as those who don't". 

Here's a few examples of resources y'all could purpose inwards a binary lesson:

• Nice PowerPoint 'Binary Bot' from MauveStorm on TES (designed for Key Stage two only could live on used for Year 7/8)
• The slides that I purpose when I learn binary.  Includes how to count binary on your fingers! 
• Binary Window Frames from mathsticks.com (free registration to access)
• A worksheet to practice converting to as well as from binary
• Binary Crossums
• PowerPoint from teachitmaths.co.uk on binary, denary as well as hexadecimal numbers
• Teaching binary using cups
• Lots to a greater extent than resources listed inwards this blog.

Last twelvemonth I went to a fantastic lecture past times Simon Singh (@SLSingh) close Maths inwards the Simpsons.  His book 'The Simpsons as well as their Mathematical Secrets' is absolutely brilliant, a must-read for all Maths teachers.  Singh writes close a scene inwards the Futurama episode 'The Honking' inwards which Bender is alarmed when he reads the binary code 0101100101. When read inwards a mirror, the code reads '666'.  I told my Year 13s close this - they loved it. I wanted to demo them the clip from Futurama only all I institute was this YouTube video in Castilian (?) which they view was hilarious. I also explained the reference to the 'Redrum' scene inwards The Shining - most of them had never seen the cinema as well as then I showed them this clip as well as managed to terrify one-half the class! Myself included. :)

End Of Term!

The summertime holidays are fast approaching. Although I'm a believer inward pedagogy maths correct upwards to the halt of term, it tin live difficult to learn a topic properly when lessons are beingness interrupted yesteryear sports day, assemblies, schoolhouse trips etc. But if nosotros don't deliver worthwhile lessons until the final solar daytime of term, as well as thus nosotros can't complain when parents desire to conduct maintain their children on vacation during term-time.

I'm non against the sentiment of watching a video or playing games inward maths lesson, exactly let's brand certain our students are either learning something novel or becoming to a greater extent than engaged as well as excited yesteryear mathematics.

My schoolhouse has a criterion prepare of challenges, games, projects as well as investigations that nosotros purpose every year, exactly here's a few of my choice suggestions for halt of term activities:

Fermat's Last Theorem as well as Pythagoras
Have you lot read The Simpsons as well as their Mathematical Secrets by Simon Singh? It's a bright book. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 overnice halt of term lesson could involve you lot explaining Fermat's Last Theorem (or purpose this BBC video to explicate it for you) as well as showing your flat how it features inward the Simpsons (it's actually rather clever that Homer seems to conduct maintain disproved it - inward fact it's a 'near miss' solution - every bit explained yesteryear Simon Singh in this video from Numberphile).

In this lesson your pupils could exercise approximately query into Fermat, or maybe other famous mathematicians - they could create a poster every bit suggested inward this lovely activity from Interactive Maths.  Alternatively, they could await at related Pythagorean problems, such every bit proving Pythagoras' Theorem (which tin live done alongside Origami!), finding Pythagorean triples or investigating Pythagoras alongside other polygons.

BBC iPlayer is currently showing the Fermat's Last Theorem episode of Horizon - although the maths is rather advanced (it made my encephalon hurt!), it's an interesting episode as well as gives an insight into the travel of mathematicians.

If you lot similar these Fermat lesson ideas, you lot mightiness also similar my postal service on teaching binary which features to a greater extent than ideas from Simon Singh's book.

Pascal Investigations
Pascal's Triangle contains lots of amazing patterns as well as you lot tin easily fill upwards a lesson exploring them. Teachit Maths has a swell PowerPoint as well as activity sheet for this lesson. In this short video a maths instructor briefly explains this history of the triangle. For older students you lot could also innovate 'choose' tone as well as link the triangle to binomial expansions.

Pi week
My colleague i time had a Pi themed final calendar week of term alongside i of his classes. The students all brought inward cakes as well as pies, they watched Life of Pi (a lovely cinema exactly non mathematical!) as well as they did Pi-based activities including a Pi recital competition, a freehand circle drawing contest as well as making a giant Pi paperchain (a unlike coloring per digit).

If you lot conduct maintain whatever other creative ideas for halt of term lessons, I'd dear to involve heed them.

Inspiration

I was really lucky to encounter Simon Singh verbalize at the Maths inward Action lectures inward London final year. My schoolhouse took twenty Year 12s to the outcome exactly this yr nosotros conception to conduct maintain xl because it was such a bright solar daytime of lectures. I came away feeling inspired. I actually recommend these lectures, which are for both Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 flat as well as GCSE students.

Do you lot know what makes the numbers on this jumbotron interesting?  Find out inward this article.

Your Commencement Maths Lesson Amongst Twelvemonth 7

A Year 7's first ever maths lesson inwards secondary schoolhouse is rather daunting. For both the students and the teacher. As this is the fourth dimension of twelvemonth when many maths teachers volition travel planning those initiative of all lessons, I thought it powerfulness travel helpful to advise about ideas.

With a novel Year seven class, the initiative of all lesson is non but almost setting expectations almost demeanor as well as the like, it’s also almost getting your students excited almost maths as well as edifice their confidence. It’s almost helping them to rapidly settle into their novel environment. And - on a to a greater extent than practical Federal Reserve annotation - it’s almost learning their names.

First I’ll speak yous through my suggestions for that initiative of all Year seven lesson, thence I’ll portion about ideas suggested past times other teachers. And I’d dearest to withdraw heed your ideas too.

A release lesson
As students arrive, greet them at your classroom door as well as manus them a carte du jour or sticker amongst a release on it. I advise the numbers 1 – xxx but whatever numbers volition work. While they notice their seats, an educational activity on the board tells them to holler back almost the properties of their release (bear inwards heed they powerfulness non know the important of the word belongings inwards this context).

Tell students to stand upward up as well as concord their carte du jour upward if they convey a multiple of 5. Each pupil standing upward says their holler as well as release inwards plough (one of the benefits of this activeness is that yous - as well as their classmates - acquire their names). Ask i of the students standing to define the word multiple.

Now produce the same for diverse release properties eg ‘stand upward if yous convey a portion of 24’, ‘stand upward if yous convey a prime number’, ‘stand upward if yous convey a foursquare number’ as well as thence on. There are diverse give-and-take points relating to the definitions, such equally whether i is a prime number. You acquire the idea. Try to adjust it thence each pupil stands upward at to the lowest degree twice, to assist amongst the holler learning.

There’s diverse other activities yous could purpose amongst students when they convey release cards. Perhaps acquire the pupils amongst numbers three – 8 to line of piece of occupation upward at the front end as well as enquire the flat to holler the polygons amongst each release of sides. It volition travel encouraging if yous start the twelvemonth past times letting students portion amongst yous about of the maths they already know. But yous could also give them a gustatory modality of the exciting novel maths to come. For event yous could enquire the students amongst the cards 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, thirteen as well as 21 to stand upward inwards companionship at the front end of the flat as well as enquire their classmates to location the blueprint (add an extra 1 at the beginning!). It's unlikely they would convey seen Fibonacci before.

Sticking amongst the release theme, yous could try:

• this Number Teams game from Teachit Maths 
• these 4 interactive whiteboard tasks, from MathsPad. 
• These number riddles from Transum. 

30 Maths Starters - Puzzle 2

If yous desire the flat to settle amongst about private or duo activities, endeavor about of these '30 Maths Starters'. I advise activities 2 as well as nine.

And how almost a squeamish game of Fizz Buzz to terminate the lesson?

If yous convey administrative bits to produce amongst the class, such equally handing out books, they could hold off until side past times side lesson.

More ideas
Here are a few ideas I've constitute online:

• Try these Ordering past times Numbers activities past times Frank Tapson 
• I similar 'Back to School' past times Transum
• Suffolk Maths suggests lots of proficient ideas for a Year seven transition lesson. This includes 'Stand Up' - which is similar to my suggestion. Whenever I holler back I've been creative as well as master copy I notice that someone's already thought of the same ideas! :)

While looking for these lessons, I constitute this 'Moving on inwards my Mathematics - Year six to Year 7' booklet that yous may travel interested in.

Craig Barton's blog post on transition inwards secondary maths is a must-read for novel Year seven teachers. I know that my Key Stage three teaching would travel improved if I knew to a greater extent than almost what children encompass at principal school.

And finally, here's about to a greater extent than ideas for learning names!

A level
I promise that’s been helpful. Please comment if yous convey your ain ideas to share. My side past times side post service volition travel almost the initiative of all Year 12 lesson of the year.

5 Maths Gems #2

Last calendar week I promised I'd write a weekly postal service summarising the novel teaching ideas I'd seen on Twitter. Afterwards I worried whether I'd direct maintain plenty cloth to write about, but this calendar week I wasn't disappointed. Plenty of ideas were shared - here's v of them.

1. Revision Whispers. As I've said before, I'm ever on the await out for engaging ideas for revision lessons. Billy Adamson (@Billyads_47) shared this fantastic sentiment 'Maths Whispers!' inwards which pupils are given a fact or formula to communicate amongst their classmates, 'Chinese Whispers' style. Billy says that when his students were walking downwards the corridor afterwards, they were excitedly talking most what each disceptation was initially too what it became. I dearest this idea. It would operate good inwards other subjects too. Check out Billy's resources on TES. Here's a variation I powerfulness endeavor for Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 plane revision: carve upwards the degree into teams. The teams shape lines from the dorsum of the classroom upwards to the board. The pupils at the dorsum are given a message to read. Here's an representative from S2:

All teams direct maintain the same message. The message is simultaneously passed along the lines inwards whispers. The finally pupil inwards each describe writes the message on the board. The most accurate squad wins! Then shuffle the students too endeavor some other message. My A plane revision cards direct maintain plenty of ideas for messages - definitions too formulae would operate well.

2. Post-its. Mr Allan (@mrallanmaths) wrote this blog post most his purpose of post-it notes inwards lessons. He displays questions on boards around his classroom. Students (in pairs or teams) operate their agency around the room answering the questions on post-it notes. It's a quick too tardily agency of assessing agreement too finding misconceptions. It's also really engaging, fifty-fifty though the questions are precisely from a textbook. The sentiment originated from a tweet past times Chris McGrane (@ChrisMcGrane84) back inwards January. Shelley Smith (@saxsmith27) successfully tried it out this week.

Speaking of post-it notes, I similar this 'What stuck amongst you?' idea, shared past times @RemindHQ. It could endure a prissy plenary activity ane time a week, or fifty-fifty at the terminate of every lesson.

If you lot desire to a greater extent than post-it banknote teaching ideas too then banking concern jibe out 'fractions weblog post this calendar week I discovered the blog Authentic Inquiry Maths which is total of skillful ideas, similar T-charts for highlighting similarities too differences. Pupils purpose ICT to create their charts too you lot larn a prissy mix of presentation styles, similar the representative below.

Ed Southall's (@edsouthall) tricky maths problems on his website solvemymaths.com are also actually visually appealing too I await forrad to using them to challenge too extend my students adjacent year.

Area employment #2 - solvemymaths.com

Here's some other 'attractive' activity I spotted on Twitter this week. This ane was shared past times Khan Academy (@khanacademy).  It's an engaging activity because it's visually striking, accessible too has a skillful plane of challenge for pupils who've studied Pythagoras' Theorem. Shame I don't direct maintain the budget for colour photocopying!

4. Starting a novel schoolhouse year. With exclusively ii weeks left inwards the summertime holidays, I've started to meet weblog posts most things to practise inwards starting fourth dimension lessons of the schoolhouse year. I wrote a pair myself a few weeks agone - ane on your starting fourth dimension lesson amongst Year 7 too ane on kicking off Year 12.  Here's a few to a greater extent than I've spotted late that are worth a read:

• This 'Deliberate Mistakes, Jo Boaler (@joboaler) talked this calendar week most the value of mistakes inwards ‘Setting upwards Positive Norms inwards Maths Class'. In this document, she suggests that nosotros brand a habit of inviting pupils to the board to portion their conceptual mistakes. She also suggests that pupils crumple a slice of newspaper too throw it at the board - precisely once, inwards a symbolic form of agency - non every fourth dimension they brand a mistake... Though I wonder if that would endure worth trying too, to works life a classroom civilization of ‘everyone makes mistakes’ too to encourage risk-taking. Can you lot imagine if your pupils threw all their mistakes at the board? It powerfulness larn a chip messy. Fun though.
  
  Jo makes a position out of other useful suggestions inwards her article, such equally writing students' skillful questions on posters around the room. She also talks most the importance of valuing depth over speed. Many of my students larn inwards in secondary schoolhouse amongst the impression that it’s of import to practise maths quickly. ‘Beat the clock’ type activities encourage this. What’s the rush?
  
  So, some helpful thoughts from Jo Boaler. Shame most the negative article she wrote this calendar week most maths teaching inwards the UK, but yay to the NCETM for defending us! It’s prissy to know somebody has our backs.
  
  And finally...
  I'll destination off today's postal service amongst 3 recommended reads:
  
  • Interactive Bulletin Boards for Secondary School Mathematics
  • here). By the way, all my weekly Maths Gems posts volition endure filed on this page, which you lot tin give the axe access from the 'Extras' bill of fare on my blog. Thanks for reading.
    
    
    

5 Maths Gems #4

Well the summertime holidays are good as well as really over. Many teachers, especially those who are relatively novel to teaching, volition pass this weekend making lists, planning lessons as well as experiencing that unsettling feeling of nervous excitement. If y'all create got fourth dimension to read this week's laid of maths gems, I promise they supply a petty calorie-free relief.

1. Maths lessons for maths teachers
I devote a lot of fourth dimension to thinking almost how to railroad train my teaching but pass far less fourth dimension edifice on my ain mathematical skills as well as knowledge. Whatever our background as well as nonetheless 'good' nosotros are at maths, there's ever to a greater extent than to learn. For example, I’ve never studied whatever mechanics inwards my life (I did Pure Maths Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 flat as well as a statistics degree) but SUVAT is on the novel GCSE syllabus as well as then I'd ameliorate uncovering out what it is.

I experience that my cognition of secondary schoolhouse core mathematics is pretty audio but this calendar week Ed Southall (@edsouthall) inadvertently pointed me inwards the administration of James Tanton's website (@jamestanton) and inside minutes I was learning novel things! Here's a few examples.

If asked to sketch the graph of y = x² + 4x + 5, I'd realise that it can't live factorised as well as then I'd cheque the discriminant to confirm that this constituent has no existent roots. My side past times side pace would live to consummate the foursquare to create upwards one's heed the vertex. I don't similar completing the square. I've never thought to uncovering the vertex using this post written past times a pupil I flora out that inwards Republic of Lithuania 1st September is a 'celebration of cognition day'. Also, inwards the Lithuanian equivalent of our Year 13, they create got a '100 twenty-four lx minutes catamenia celebration' inwards which they create got a prom to commemorate that they create got solely 100 days left of school. The residuum of the post is to a greater extent than oftentimes than non almost clothing shopping for Lithuanian teenagers, as well as then non quite as well as then interesting... I'd similar to uncovering out to a greater extent than almost traditions inwards teaching around the world.

Open Evening

Open Evening flavor is underway. In this post I desire to portion a few ideas for activities that a Maths Department tin run. Before I produce so, it's helpful to intend virtually the run of Open Evenings.

According to the Good Schools Guide, this is why a bring upwards should attend an Open Evening: "They may non genuinely reverberate twenty-four hr menstruation to twenty-four hr menstruation life at a schoolhouse (this volition travel schoolhouse at its best) but they'll give yous a flavour of what's happening as well as allow yous to soak-up or repel the atmosphere. They are your conduct chances to conduct maintain the upper-hand, acquire a experience for the schoolhouse as well as chat amongst pupils as well as staff. Do take in to a greater extent than than i school, it’s useful to compare as well as contrast. Remember it's non merely schools that select as well as pick out pupils, parents select as well as pick out schools too; thus seize the night!".

Amongst the advice that the Good Schools Guide gives to parents virtually what to produce on the night, nosotros conduct maintain the following:

• Quiz youngsters virtually how much attention they acquire from teachers, whether lessons are fun, noisy, long... Are they allowed to beak inward class? What happens if mortal is beingness a nuisance? 
• Is outstanding piece of work rewarded? Is homework gear upwards (and marked)? 
• What happens if they don’t empathize the piece of work or detect it likewise easy?
• If children are task activities peculiarly inward the center subjects such equally maths, enquire if this is park fodder. The agency a kid responds (or instructor flaps) may travel to a greater extent than telling than the responses they give.

In my experience, it's rare for parents to inquire questions similar these. Nevertheless, it's worth telling staff as well as students that this is the form of affair they may travel asked.

I was rattling interested inward what Mel (blank clock templates as well as offering children the chance to pattern a maths clock. You could conduct maintain a large empty display board available thus they tin pivot upwards their designs.

2. Four Fours
Write the next on a whiteboard or flipchart for the numbers 1 - 20:
4 4 4 4 = 0
4 4 4 4 = 1
4 4 4 4 = 2
4 4 4 4 = 3
etc

Have a pupil helper resultant board pens as well as instructions. Children conduct maintain a acquire at filling inward the operations. They detect this quite challenging. Parents relish it too.

Possible solution - @edfromo

3. Estimation Games
As I mentioned inward my most recent gems post, estimation develops seat out feel as well as employment solving skills. Children could gauge the weight of a large pumpkin, the value of coin inward a appall or the seat out of sweets inward a bowl. Alternatively, convey inward an assortment of circles or rings (plates, saucers, large hula hoops, polo mints) as well as inquire children to estimate, as well as thus measure, the circumferences.

Speaking of circles, children could endeavour to depict a circle freehand, amongst your pupil helpers judging their accuracy. This is rattling a practiced learning chance for your students because the
judging involves circle theorems, thus yous could conduct maintain GCSE students produce the judging equally an extension to their circle theorem lessons.

4. Shapes
@sxpmaths suggests a fun game of human quadrilaterals. In pairs, children conduct maintain to cast diverse quadrilaterals amongst their arms/legs/bodies. 

If yous conduct maintain access to an interactive whiteboard, how virtually the bully game 'Shape Shoot' from flashmaths.co.uk?

Another shape game involves children writing downwards the shout out of a shape on a post-it as well as sticking it to the caput of a pupil helper, who as well as thus has to guess what the shape is using upwards to 10 yes/no questions.

5. Lowest Number Competition

My schoolhouse holds a 'Lowest Number Competition' which ever goes downwards well. Each kid completes the sideslip below as well as puts it inward a sealed box. The adjacent twenty-four hr menstruation nosotros sort though the responses - there's ever lots of 'ones' from children who conduct maintain missed the indicate (or peradventure they've tried to travel clever as well as assumed that no-one else would give such an obvious answer! Worth a try!). The winning seat out is unremarkably inward the belatedly teens or early on 20s. The Maths Department tin also produce a sweepstake on what the winning seat out volition be.

Read this Twitter discussion for more opened upwards eventide action ideas.