Linear Graphs

One of the topics that my pupils fighting amongst the most, from Key Stage iii correct through to Year 12, is linear graphs.

My brilliant Year 11s know the dominion for finding the slope of a perpendicular line, but can't operate out how to respond a GCSE interrogation similar this:

Strangely, I learn this differently at GCSE too Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level.  At GCSE my pupils write down

y = mx + c

too substitute values for y, thousand too x, too thus solve for c.  Whereas at Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 marker my pupils utilization the equation

y - y₁ = m(x - x₁)

Essentially the same method but a slightly dissimilar approach. Perhaps I should hold out to a greater extent than consistent too innovate the 'A marker method' at GCSE. I'd similar to remove heed what other teachers do.

In this postal service I’ll advise closed to ideas too resources for didactics linear graphs.

Key words

Let's showtime amongst the basics. There's a lot of novel vocabulary inward coordinate geometry, closed to of which pupils volition accept encountered at primary school. This is a overnice vocabulary noesis survey every bit suggested inward my earlier post. 

Here's a overnice play a trick on for remembering the words parallel too perpendicular (this could hold out helpful for spellings - parallel is oftentimes misspelt): 

too this activity is suitable for Year six or 7. 

Introducing the shape y = mx + c
I'd unremarkably showtime this topic inward Year seven or 8 amongst plotting conduct work graphs (Teachit Maths provides an excellent Drawing Straight Line Graphs booklet for this purpose), before exploring the shape y = mx + c.

This topic provides an splendid chance for pupil investigation using Desmos. Use a worksheet to guide pupils through the lesson:

• Investigating Straight Lines amongst Desmos (by Tristan Jones on TES)
• Straight Line Graphs inward Desmos (by me!)

Once pupils are able to translate the values of thousand too c too thus they tin endeavour this exercise or this true/false activity (both from rogradymaths.blogspot.co.uk). Teachit Maths also has a overnice 'Understanding y = mx+c' worksheet and two activities on horizontal too vertical lines.

My weblog postal service 'All nigh gradient' features ideas too resources for didactics slope (the postal service focuses mainly on real-life applications of the concept of steepness, but also features links to slope worksheets too activities).

Understanding parallel too perpendicular gradients

So here's the primal data that pupils demand to understand:

(source)

If they know how to operate out a slope every bit 'rise over run' (or equivalent) too thus pupils should hold out able to derive the 'negative reciprocal' dominion for perpendicular gradients from an activeness similar this ane from MathsPad.

Here's a few activities for a lesson on perpendicular lines:

• Finding Equations of Parallel too Perpendicular Lines past times Mathematics Assessment Project
• Perpendicular Lines Worksheet (by me!)
• AS marker Parallel too Perpendicular Lines  (suitable for GCSE extension)
• Perpendicular lines: equations past times toticity.co.uk

Bringing it all together
When students written report linear graphs at AS level, they don't actually acquire anything novel - my GCSE pupils should accept the necessary skills too noesis to respond C1 coordinate geometry questions. I gave my Year xi pupils questions 5 - seven from this AS worksheet final twelvemonth - it took them ages to respond each question, but they were for sure capable. Essentially it's merely the wording of the questions that throws them.

Here's closed to to a greater extent than recommended resources suitable for GCSE students:

• Foundation: Linear Graphs 'I Can' from Mathsbox
• Mathattack Linear Graphs homework sheet
• Topic checklist
• MathsPad Linear Graphs Problems
• Rich activities from Five Triangles
• Rich activities from Median Don Steward

Finally, fun for puzzle-lovers in linear relationships sudoku and a overnice Key Stage iii Christmas activeness on plotting linear graphs from Teachit Maths - Mistletoe too Lines.

Finally, always wondered which countries utilization y = mx + c annotation too which countries utilization something different? Check out this map.

5 Maths Gems #15

Welcome to my 15th weekly gems post - this is where I characteristic to a greater extent than or less of the best teaching ideas I've seen on Twitter each week.

1. Slice The Pie

Paul Rehmet (@prehmet) has built an interactive tool to help students construct numerical fluency. It's a uncomplicated fraction game - Slice The Pie - which helps students railroad train an intuitive sense of the relative sizes of numbers. It's non compatible alongside mobiles yet but would piece of work on your interactive whiteboard. I honey this. Have a play alongside it, I think you'll honey it too. And follow Paul on Twitter because there's to a greater extent than to come upwardly from him.

2. Remembering Inequalities

In my post virtually Ideas from Shanghai I shared this visualisation which helps students cry back which inequality sign is which.

All students demand to exercise is visualise numbers equally blocks - the wider halt of the inequality symbol fits over the bigger stack of blocks. So if x > 2, nosotros know x must last a divulge bigger than 2. 

Chris Smith (@aap03102) pointed out that this doesn't piece of work for negative numbers. 

I'm sure as shooting our friends inwards Shanghai possess got a solution for this but that data hasn't filtered through to us, therefore let's come upwardly up alongside our ain alternative that industrial plant for both positive together with negative numbers. We only demand a agency for students to cry back which symbol is which.

I'm actually grateful to all the lovely creative tweeters who offered ideas - my favourite was this calligram from Chris. 

So if x < - 8, nosotros encounter the < symbol together with think of the alphabetic character L, therefore nosotros know x is less than -8.

Eventually students volition automatically know the important of the symbols on sight, without having to visualise blocks or words.

These methods are far meliorate than thinking of crocodiles - this tin confuse students, equally described inwards Nix the Tricks (extract below).

3. Squares together with Cubes
I'm enjoying La Salle Education's (@LaSalleEd) novel 'Problem of the Day' series.  You tin search the collection past times historic menses or topic. The instance below (Square Boxes) is a prissy logic occupation consolidating noesis of foursquare numbers.

If you're teaching foursquare numbers, you lot powerfulness also similar this 'Square together with Cube Numbers Puzzle' from MathsPad...

... together with this lovely square together with cube numbers display from Clarissa Grandi (@c0mplexnumber).

4. Mathsticks
I lately discovered the brilliant Mathsticks website which is created past times John Duffty (@johnduffty). I registered together with explored - it's to a greater extent than oftentimes than non primary materials but to a greater extent than or less of the ideas powerfulness last helpful at Key Stage 3. Here's a pair of examples:

This Parallel & Perpendicular Slope. Once you've taught students virtually the gradients of parallel together with perpendicular lines, larn them inwards a calculator room (or larn the iPads out, if you lot possess got them) together with give them this worksheet, which I think volition last really slow for them to follow independently. They are given sure as shooting lines which they plot (in Desmos, though I suppose this could last done past times hand) together with therefore they add together the right parallel or perpendicular lines to brand the required shape. It's a actually prissy activity which volition assistance you lot cheque their agreement of this topic.

Extract from Desmos Graph Challenge

Here's my respond to the minute interrogation inwards the extract above.

To extend this task, you lot could possess got students trammel the domains of the functions, equally I've done below. If you lot exercise this, it's of import that they figure out how to calculate the coordinates of the vertices.

If you're teaching parallel together with perpendicular lines therefore also cheque out my post linear graphs for to a greater extent than ideas together with resources.

A asking for misconceptions
When I project design lessons, I abide by it helpful to endeavour to predict the misconceptions that powerfulness come upwardly up. Sometimes I'm surprised past times the mistakes that students make, which are oftentimes the effect of my explanations non beingness clear enough. Knowledge of mutual misconceptions comes alongside sense but I think it would exercise goodness novel maths teachers if they could consult a website to encounter examples of the form of things students larn wrong. 

A not-so-common misconception from 1 of Chris Smith's students

American instructor Michael Pershan (@mpershan) has a bright website Math Mistakes where he compiles, analyses together with discusses the mathematical errors that students make. I desire to prepare something similar for the Great Britain (because our curricula together with vocabulary are therefore different), but I won't possess got fourth dimension to exercise the first-class analysis that Michael does. Instead it would only last a collection of misconceptions, tagged past times topic. But I even therefore think it powerfulness last useful.

So I possess got a asking - could you lot outset taking photos of misconceptions inwards your students' piece of work together with emailing or tweeting them to me? Once I've got a modest alternative I'll outset a website together with I hope, similar my Pret homework website, it volition grow speedily together with attempt to last a helpful resource. Thank you lot inwards advance!

That's it for today. Please don't forget to vote for me! :), I'll larn out you lot alongside this cute 'Math nosotros know drama', shared past times @FascinatingVids.

Tricks In Addition To Tips 2: Sequences, Linear Graphs In Addition To Surds

I lately presented a workshop at the National Mathematics Teacher Conference (Highest Common Factor.

Linear Sequences

What's the n^th term of the sequence below?

5, 8, 11, 14, 17, ...

It powerfulness solely guide keep you lot a instant to operate it out - how did you lot create it? This is roughly other 1 of those topics where there's lots of dissimilar approaches. Ask the same interrogation to a random sample of teenagers from across the United Kingdom of Great Britain in addition to Northern Ireland in addition to you'll regard a broad arrive at of methods used.

Here I'm going to depict 4 dissimilar methods (there may travel more!). As you lot read them, consider whether you're going to stick alongside the method you lot currently use, or bear witness something new.

1. Zeroth term
Inspired past times this post on Don Steward's blog, I taught the 0^th term method for the starting fourth dimension time this year. To operate out the value of q inwards the n^th term U_n = pn + q, nosotros precisely footstep dorsum from the starting fourth dimension term inwards the sequence (ie q = U₀).

In the illustration 5, 8, 11, 14, 17..., subtract 3 from the starting fourth dimension term to learn U₀ = 2. So the n^th term is 3n + 2. This method is thence quick that it's forthwith my preferred method for working out n^th terms.

When I taught this method it went well, although a misconception did surface afterwards on. When students were asked to 'write downwards the starting fourth dimension 3 price of the sequence 4n + 3', roughly of them gave the respond 3, 7, xi (ie they started their sequences from n = 0 instead of n = 1). This is something to travel aware of side past times side fourth dimension I instruct this method.

Jumping along a trace of piece of job - Median Don Steward

2. Shifting times tables
'Shifting times tables' is a pop method. The see is that nosotros compare our sequence to a times table.  In the illustration below, compare the sequence to the 3 times table. Ask your students how to shift the iii times tabular array to learn the sequence in addition to they'll topographic point that they demand to add together two, thence the  n^th term is 3n + 2.

If you lot project design to role this method for the starting fourth dimension time in addition to thence I recommend this NRICH article Shifting Times Tables, which comes alongside an interactive tool. If you lot subscribe to MathsPad, they also guide keep an interactive tool for identifying shifts.

This method plant good for quadratic sequences also (a topic on the novel GCSE syllabus). For illustration to notice the n^th term of the sequence 4, 7, 12, 19, 28 nosotros tin compare it to n² in addition to notice that it is shifted upwards past times 3 (ie the n^th term is n² + 3).

3. Formula
It's fairly straightforward to derive the next formula for the n^th term:

Why create nosotros confine this formula to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level? I 1 time took on a GCSE flat inwards Year xi in addition to asked them to notice roughly n^th terms inwards a revision lesson. I was surprised to regard them all using 'the Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 flat formula' - their previous instructor had taught them it, in addition to why not? They seemed quite happy alongside it. I wouldn't role it alongside my Year 7s though - their algebra skills are really basic when they starting fourth dimension encounter sequences. In our example, this is what they'd guide keep to create to notice the n^th term:

Perhaps this is to a greater extent than assay than necessary. The 0^th term method is considerably quicker.

4. Substitution
This is the means I taught sequences for years. To operate out the value of q inwards the n^th term U_n = pn + q, nosotros substitute a value for U_n, p in addition to n, in addition to thence solve for q. For illustration inwards the sequence below, nosotros know that U_n = 3n + q. We substitute the starting fourth dimension term to learn v = 3 + q. Therefore q = 2.

Thinking almost it, this is the same method I'd role to notice the value of c inwards y = mx + c if I know the slope in addition to a signal on the line. In fact given that linear graphs are precisely graphical representations of linear sequences, whatever methods for finding the equation of a direct trace of piece of job operate for finding the n^th term of a sequence. I don't create plenty to brand this connectedness alongside my students.

Linear Graphs

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 direct trace of piece of job through the signal (5, 7) has slope 4. How would you lot notice the equation of the line?

As I said inwards my ship almost linear graphs, I instruct this differently at GCSE in addition to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level. Wouldn't it travel amend to alternative my preferred approach in addition to stick alongside it? 

At GCSE my students write downwards y = mx + c in addition to substitute values for y, one thousand in addition to x, in addition to thence solve for c (let's telephone outcry upwards this Method 1). At Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 flat my pupils role the formula y - y₁ = m(x - x₁) (let's telephone outcry upwards this Method 2). Look at the steps involved - for this question, the methods are as efficient.

My electrical flow Year 10s had an American instructor terminal term - she covered linear graphs alongside them. When nosotros came to revise this topic, they took a piece to figure out where to start. Evetually I heard 1 say, "is this the point-slope thing? What was that formula again?". 

OK, thence they'd been taught to telephone outcry upwards slope 'slope', that's easily fixed. But they'd also been taught Method 2 in addition to they couldn't retrieve the formula. This is a problem. Given that there's less to memorise, I intend they'd travel amend off alongside Method 1. 

It's worth reading Nix the Tricks (essential reading for all maths teachers), we're shown a pedagogy clit a fast 1 on called 'Jailbreak Radicals'. Thankfully I've never seen this 'zero conceptual agreement method' used inwards the UK.

Instead, most teachers tell students to pose a foursquare component in addition to and thence dissever the surd accordingly eg √45 = √9√5 = 3√5.

Sometimes students scrap to topographic point foursquare factors. In this illustration they powerfulness prefer to simplify using prime number factors.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 geometric method is explained inwards the extract from Nix the Tricks below. Try to simplify a few surds similar this yourself in addition to regard what you lot think. Notice that you lot nonetheless demand to pose a foursquare factor.

Source: Nix the Tricks

The feedback from my conference workshop suggests that roughly people notice this unnecessarily complicated. But if you're going to bear witness it, I recommend this post by @ChrisHunter36 and this resource (pages v - 6) past times @314Piman.

That's it for today's post. I promise you've establish it helpful. Please comment below or tweet me if you lot know of whatever alternative methods for pedagogy these topics. My side past times side ship volition travel all almost quadratics - sketching, expanding in addition to factorising.

5 Maths Gems #34

Hello in addition to welcome to my 34^th gems post. This is where I portion 5 teaching ideas I've seen on Twitter. The summertime holidays are lastly here! Let's live honest though - although it's lovely to receive got the chance to residual in addition to play, the bulk of us practise a fair amount of schoolhouse go over summertime - creating resources, organising in addition to tidying, preparing for September, catching upwards on reading... Have y'all read all 34 of my gems posts? Now's a expert fourth dimension to start!

1. Magnitude
Standard Form is all virtually actually large numbers in addition to actually pocket-sized numbers. It's dainty to position the theme into context - I've written a few times virtually The beauty of the real very large in addition to the real very pocket-sized – Standard form' by @mhorley. Thanks too to the lovely @MissBLilley who shared this video which puts size into context - she used it to innovate Standard Form in addition to her students were amazed!



2. Prime Time
@MathedUp shared a dainty activity on prime number element decomposition. I actually similar this because it makes it thus clear that every position out is either prime number or composed of primes.

I beloved this prime clock from the vivid Minimal Math Concepts. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few tweeters were unhappy to regard the position out ane on it though!

Whilst on the dependent area of primes, banking concern gibe out this first-class primes in addition to factors puzzle from @LearningMaths:

@LearningMaths ever produces first-class resources. Here's unopen to other duet of examples:

Fractions starter by @LearningMaths

Number machines by @LearningMaths

3. Alphabet Lesson
In a Twitter give-and-take virtually origin lessons of the year, the ever creative @missradders shared an thought for a Maths Alphabet lesson. In this lesson, students come upwards up with the best tidings they tin transportation away for each letter. They ask to live able to tell y'all what it way - for event for the missive of the alphabet Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 they mightiness define add, angle, area, average, needlelike or adjacent... As Hannah says, "this is a expert approximate of prior knowledge/ability ... in addition to gives y'all fourth dimension to chat to them". What a lovely thought for a origin lesson with Year 7.

If y'all desire to accept this thought further, your class could blueprint in addition to create a maths alphabet poster similar the examples shown below. 

Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/09F-MPS-MATH.htm

Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/04R-B-M.htm

Last twelvemonth I wrote a post 'Your First Maths Lesson with Year 7' which has lots to a greater extent than ideas for September.

4. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Level Prompts
@dannytybrown has been busy developing a serial of pre-teaching prompts for Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree topics. These are designed to live given to students a few days earlier a theme is taught. They are intended to prompt course of educational activity give-and-take in addition to potentially cut back the variation inward prior cognition with students. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few examples are shown below. Do go along an optic on Danny's weblog squeaktime.com for to a greater extent than on this.

 5. Maths with Pizzazz
Thank y'all to @japleen_kaur1 for sharing a ready of resources I've never seen earlier - Maths with Pizzazz worksheets. Hundreds of topics are covered. Many of the activities involve practising skills in addition to using answers to go out riddles in addition to jokes. Here's a duet of extracts:

Extract from Page 211 - Algebra with Pizzazz!

Extract from Page 159 - Pre-Algebra with Pizzazz!

I could pass days looking through these resources! Thankfully there's an index. What I actually ask to practise is split upwards the PDFs into separate worksheets, labelled in addition to grouped past times topic. But that would accept weeks. Any volunteers?!

Recommended Reading
This summer @DrBennison in addition to @MissNorledge are task an impressive #summerblogchallenge. They recollect to write a post every day, thus go along an optic on their blogs this summertime - blog.ifem.co.uk in addition to storeroom.norledgemaths.com.

Here's a few recent posts that I recommend:

• The beauty of the real very large in addition to the real very pocket-sized – Standard form' by @mhorley. Thanks too to the lovely @MissBLilley who shared this video which puts size into context - she used it to innovate Standard Form in addition to her students were amazed!
  
  
  
  2. Prime Time
  @MathedUp shared a dainty activity on prime number element decomposition. I actually similar this because it makes it thus clear that every position out is either prime number or composed of primes.
  
  
  I beloved this prime clock from the vivid Minimal Math Concepts. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few tweeters were unhappy to regard the position out ane on it though!
  
  
  Whilst on the dependent area of primes, banking concern gibe out this first-class primes in addition to factors puzzle from @LearningMaths:
  
  
  @LearningMaths ever produces first-class resources. Here's unopen to other duet of examples:
  

  

  Fractions starter by @LearningMaths

  

  Number machines by @LearningMaths

  
  
  
  
  3. Alphabet Lesson
  In a Twitter give-and-take virtually origin lessons of the year, the ever creative @missradders shared an thought for a Maths Alphabet lesson. In this lesson, students come upwards up with the best tidings they tin transportation away for each letter. They ask to live able to tell y'all what it way - for event for the missive of the alphabet Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 they mightiness define add, angle, area, average, needlelike or adjacent... As Hannah says, "this is a expert approximate of prior knowledge/ability ... in addition to gives y'all fourth dimension to chat to them". What a lovely thought for a origin lesson with Year 7.
  
  
  
  If y'all desire to accept this thought further, your class could blueprint in addition to create a maths alphabet poster similar the examples shown below. 

  

  Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/09F-MPS-MATH.htm

  

  Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/04R-B-M.htm

  
  
  Last twelvemonth I wrote a post 'Well whistle me Dixie, the reply is Pi!" virtually maths inward the movies.
• The beauty of the real very large in addition to the real very pocket-sized – Standard form' by @mhorley. Thanks too to the lovely @MissBLilley who shared this video which puts size into context - she used it to innovate Standard Form in addition to her students were amazed!
  
  
  
  2. Prime Time
  @MathedUp shared a dainty activity on prime number element decomposition. I actually similar this because it makes it thus clear that every position out is either prime number or composed of primes.
  
  
  I beloved this prime clock from the vivid Minimal Math Concepts. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few tweeters were unhappy to regard the position out ane on it though!
  
  
  Whilst on the dependent area of primes, banking concern gibe out this first-class primes in addition to factors puzzle from @LearningMaths:
  
  
  @LearningMaths ever produces first-class resources. Here's unopen to other duet of examples:
  

  

  Fractions starter by @LearningMaths

  

  Number machines by @LearningMaths

  
  
  
  
  3. Alphabet Lesson
  In a Twitter give-and-take virtually origin lessons of the year, the ever creative @missradders shared an thought for a Maths Alphabet lesson. In this lesson, students come upwards up with the best tidings they tin transportation away for each letter. They ask to live able to tell y'all what it way - for event for the missive of the alphabet Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 they mightiness define add, angle, area, average, needlelike or adjacent... As Hannah says, "this is a expert approximate of prior knowledge/ability ... in addition to gives y'all fourth dimension to chat to them". What a lovely thought for a origin lesson with Year 7.
  
  
  
  If y'all desire to accept this thought further, your class could blueprint in addition to create a maths alphabet poster similar the examples shown below. 

  

  Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/09F-MPS-MATH.htm

  

  Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/04R-B-M.htm

  
  
  Last twelvemonth I wrote a post 'A degree resources libraries. My presentation is nearly finished in addition to I'm actually pleased with it - if y'all instruct Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree in addition to you're coming to the conference in addition to then practise come upwards to my workshop to regard what I've discovered.
  
  My 2 most recent weblog posts both characteristic inward my 5 most pop posts ever - ane was virtually The beauty of the real very large in addition to the real very pocket-sized – Standard form' by @mhorley. Thanks too to the lovely @MissBLilley who shared this video which puts size into context - she used it to innovate Standard Form in addition to her students were amazed!
  
  
  
  2. Prime Time
  @MathedUp shared a dainty activity on prime number element decomposition. I actually similar this because it makes it thus clear that every position out is either prime number or composed of primes.
  

  

  I beloved this prime clock from the vivid Minimal Math Concepts. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few tweeters were unhappy to regard the position out ane on it though!
  

  

  Whilst on the dependent area of primes, banking concern gibe out this first-class primes in addition to factors puzzle from @LearningMaths:
  

  

  @LearningMaths ever produces first-class resources. Here's unopen to other duet of examples:
  

  

  Fractions starter by @LearningMaths

  

  Number machines by @LearningMaths

  
  

  
  

  3. Alphabet Lesson
  In a Twitter give-and-take virtually origin lessons of the year, the ever creative @missradders shared an thought for a Maths Alphabet lesson. In this lesson, students come upwards up with the best tidings they tin transportation away for each letter. They ask to live able to tell y'all what it way - for event for the missive of the alphabet Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 they mightiness define add, angle, area, average, needlelike or adjacent... As Hannah says, "this is a expert approximate of prior knowledge/ability ... in addition to gives y'all fourth dimension to chat to them". What a lovely thought for a origin lesson with Year 7.
  

  
  

  If y'all desire to accept this thought further, your class could blueprint in addition to create a maths alphabet poster similar the examples shown below. 

  

  Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/09F-MPS-MATH.htm

  

  Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/04R-B-M.htm

  
  

  Last twelvemonth I wrote a post 'resources for terminate of term lessons, the other The beauty of the real very large in addition to the real very pocket-sized – Standard form' by @mhorley. Thanks too to the lovely @MissBLilley who shared this video which puts size into context - she used it to innovate Standard Form in addition to her students were amazed!
  
  
  
  2. Prime Time
  @MathedUp shared a dainty activity on prime number element decomposition. I actually similar this because it makes it thus clear that every position out is either prime number or composed of primes.
  

  

  I beloved this prime clock from the vivid Minimal Math Concepts. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few tweeters were unhappy to regard the position out ane on it though!
  

  

  Whilst on the dependent area of primes, banking concern gibe out this first-class primes in addition to factors puzzle from @LearningMaths:
  

  

  @LearningMaths ever produces first-class resources. Here's unopen to other duet of examples:
  

  

  Fractions starter by @LearningMaths

  

  Number machines by @LearningMaths

  
  

  
  

  3. Alphabet Lesson
  In a Twitter give-and-take virtually origin lessons of the year, the ever creative @missradders shared an thought for a Maths Alphabet lesson. In this lesson, students come upwards up with the best tidings they tin transportation away for each letter. They ask to live able to tell y'all what it way - for event for the missive of the alphabet Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 they mightiness define add, angle, area, average, needlelike or adjacent... As Hannah says, "this is a expert approximate of prior knowledge/ability ... in addition to gives y'all fourth dimension to chat to them". What a lovely thought for a origin lesson with Year 7.
  

  
  

  If y'all desire to accept this thought further, your class could blueprint in addition to create a maths alphabet poster similar the examples shown below. 

  

  Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/09F-MPS-MATH.htm

  

  Source: http://www.vernalpool.org/treefrog/pop/04R-B-M.htm

  
  

  Last twelvemonth I wrote a post 'shared advice for teaching depression attaining students.
  
  My youngest immature lady Hettie in addition to I had the pleasance of coming together Rob Smith (@RJS2212) yesterday. Rob has spent the origin calendar week of the summertime holidays travelling the length of the province to see every bit many tweeting maths teachers every bit he tin transportation away - banking concern gibe out #48hourmathstour to regard what he's been upwards to.
  
  Finally, await what I've got - Mathematical Mr Men stickers! If you've non seen the fifty Mathematical Mr Men earlier in addition to then practise banking concern gibe out them out on solvemymaths.com. They're awesome.