5 Maths Gems #38

Hello as well as welcome to my 38^th gems post. This is where I percentage v teaching ideas I've seen on Twitter. As teachers start making plans as well as preparing resources for September, there's been a flurry of inspiring ideas on Twitter - I tin barely boot the bucket on up!

1. Tessellation
It's quite rare that there's exciting intelligence inwards the footing of mathematics, precisely we've of late seen the regain of a novel type of Surrounding a Point activity from Don Steward pictured below. Mathigon has a lovely tessellation department featuring overnice pictures as well as an online tool.

I've never seen tessellation animations earlier as well as then thank y'all to @MathsMastery for sharing these, I'll purpose them the side yesteryear side fourth dimension I learn tessellation.

2. Displays

There's been lots of tweets as well as posts virtually displays this week. I similar these lovely vinyl corridor displays from @cOmplexnumber.

I also similar this increment mindset display from English linguistic communication teacher Rebecca Foster (Gems 3, precisely would stand upward for on a smaller noticeboard. 

One of my favourite classroom display ideas is the judgement stems display from Gems 26. It's skillful to bring displays that are of existent purpose to students throughout the year.

It's worth reading Paul Collins' (post virtually the novel displays he's lay upward inwards his classroom as well as corridors.

3. History of Maths
I don't know rattling much virtually the history of maths as well as that's a non bad shame. It's a priority for me to meliorate my champaign of report noesis inwards this area. I intend to start yesteryear aid @Kris_Boulton's workshop at the side yesteryear side maths conference.

Kris' post A History of Maths features a timeline showing people as well as societies of cardinal influence inwards mathematics. It also shows cardinal publications as well as ideas. The picture below is exclusively a rattling pocket-size extract - bring a human face through the amount timeline. It's fascinating to encounter the social club of things. Perhaps display this inwards your classroom as well as say your students virtually the origins of the topics they're studying.

4. Challenge Questions for Year 12
Stuart Price ‏(@sxpmaths) has collated unopen to AS stretch as well as challenge questions for inwardness topics. They tin endure accessed here. Thanks Stuart for this helpful resource.

If y'all learn Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 score as well as are coming to the maths conference inwards Sheffield on 26^th September, produce come upward along to my workshop virtually Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 score resources.

5. Exit Tickets
Many maths teachers purpose larn out tickets inwards every lesson. The stance is that y'all laid a unmarried inquiry or curt laid of questions at the halt of the lesson as well as analyse the results. Typically students would paw their larn out ticket to y'all equally they leave of absence the classroom. It's of import to boot the bucket on the questions unproblematic – if students larn them incorrect y'all request to know why. It's an effective agency of identifying misconceptions as well as deciding whether students are laid to motion on. 

Lesley Hall (RAG123.

Update
I've published 4 weblog posts inwards the final calendar week as well as I bring unopen to other 4 posts inwards draft - I actually request to halt all the blogging as well as pass unopen to fourth dimension preparing my offset lessons! Here's what I've been upward to since my final gems post:

• I wrote an article virtually conferences for the NCETM Secondary Magazine.
• I wrote a post Behaviour Management for Beginners which features a few resources I've prepared for September - my expectations videos bring been popular.
  

• I was chuffed that my weblog appeared on Vuelio's Words to Avoid page - these are definitely worth a read.
• I was rattling pleased that @oldandrewuk as well as @Just_Maths set upward an Echo Chamber specifically for U.K. maths didactics blogs. Follow @MathsEcho to boot the bucket on up-to-date alongside all the latest posts.
• I popped into schoolhouse and, borrowing a lovely stance from Danielle Bartram (@MissBsResources), lay Maths Mr Men stickers from @solvemymaths on my new calculators as well as then I tin boot the bucket on rail of them.

Finally, 4 reminders:

• If y'all haven't already done so, y'all tin 'like' my new Facebook page for updates.
• #mathstlp volition supply at 7pm on Lord's Day 30^th August for lesson planning advice.
• My tangents as well as areas is worth reading if you're teaching GCSE side yesteryear side year.
• Check out my hashtag #mathsgems for inspiring ideas from previous gems posts.

That's it from me. I'll leave of absence y'all alongside this overnice puzzle from the ATM (@ATMMathematics).

Multiple Alternative Questions

Multiple choice questions (MCQs) bring ever been pop inward maths inward roughly parts of the world. In recent years they bring gained popularity inward England in addition to Wales, in addition to are similar a shot usually used every bit a diagnostic tool inward the classroom. MCQs are also similar a shot a commutation characteristic of AQA's GCSE papers.

Some teachers bring been scream for where they tin discovery MCQs that are aligned amongst our curriculum. I've listed roughly sources below - if y'all bring anything to add, delight email me.

1. Foundation in addition to Higher GCSE Multiple Choice Questions by Topic
Suitable for Key Stage three in addition to 4.
I institute these multiple choice quizzes at function - I believe they were written past times Julie Bolter, likely to accompany a textbook. There are quizzes for a seat out of topics including sequences, measure shape in addition to coordinates.

2. Foundation in addition to Higher GCSE Multiple Choice Revision Questions
Suitable for Key Stage three in addition to 4.
There's a large selection of multiple choice questions here, both inward PowerPoint in addition to Word. The topics are mixed then these would move useful for examination revision or retrieval practice. Thanks to Mitesh Patel for sending me these. We don't know the master copy source then delight tweet or e-mail me if y'all know.

3. Diagnostic Questions
Suitable for Key Stages ane - 5.
This fantastic website from Craig Barton has a huge hit of multiple choice questions, contributed past times users. You tin chop-chop do quizzes for purpose amongst mini-whiteboards, voting cards or Plickers. The most powerful seem of this website is the chance to laid students quizzes online - this allows teachers to read explanations in addition to thence analyse students' thinking.

It's worth checking out the ready made quiz collections including quizzes from White Rose, UKMT, Edexcel, AQA in addition to OCR.

Grace Horne, who is Head of Maths at Kettering Science Academy, has sent me her amazing set of multiple choice quizzes. She's made 85 consistently formatted quizzes, each containing 5 questions drawn from diagnosticquestions.com. Quizzes are categorised past times topic in addition to GCSE tier. Answers are provided. This is a really helpful resource! Huge thank y'all to Grace for sharing this.

4. SQA
Suitable for Key Stage 5.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority used to set Objective Tests for Higher Mathematics. These comprise lovely questions for Year 12 in addition to 13, roofing topics such every bit calculus, trigonometry, sequences, vectors in addition to the equation of a circle. Thanks to Helen Dey for telling me most these. Thanks also to @mrallanmaths for sharing this editable banking concern of Objective Test questions.

5. Integral

Suitable for Key Stage 5.
MEI provides a slap-up selection of multiple choice tests for H5N1 score Maths in addition to Further Maths on Integral (school login required). The representative below is from a Normal Distribution assessment for Edexcel S1.

6. 30 Number Starters
Suitable for Key Stage three in addition to 4.
Ben Cooper (@bcoops_online) on TES provides a PowerPoint of 30 multiple choice quizzes for diverse seat out topics including fractions, decimals in addition to percentages. 

7. Functional MCQs
Suitable for Key Stage ii in addition to 3.
Thanks to Jon Treby for this laid of Functional Multiple Choice Questions. They are separate past times topic in addition to all questions are contextual.

8. Foundation of Advanced Mathematics 

Suitable for Key Stage 4.

Stuart Price (@sxpmaths) wrote a post most using multiple choice questions from Foundation of Advanced Mathematics exams for Year 10 revision competitions. There's a seat out of past times papers to depict questions from - most of the topics are from GCSE in addition to the questions are suitable for extension inward Year 10 in addition to 11.

There's lots to explore here! If I've missed anything, delight e-mail it to resourceaholic@gmail.com. Thank you!

Icebreakers

I've seen a lot of dandy icebreaker ideas this calendar week therefore I thought it mightiness endure helpful to portion simply about of my favourites here. Most of us volition endure coming together novel classes for the offset fourth dimension adjacent week. I'll endure getting a novel tutor grouping - I demand activities that volition assist me larn to know my students together with assist them larn to know each other too.

Creeping Death
First, a floor nigh what not do. When I was at academy I attended a two-day residential alternative centre for a graduate project at Esso. I intend at that spot were twelve candidates, all Russell Group, all inwards smart novel suits. Naturally nosotros started alongside an icebreaker. We were told to nation something interesting nigh ourselves. I had a few ideas for what I was going to nation - I used to alive inwards Africa together with convey a duet of stories to tell - but all of a abrupt I had argue to panic. The other candidates - every ane of them - had far to a greater extent than interesting stories than me. They'd met royalty, they'd been on TV, they'd won awards, they were related to celebrities, they'd saved lives. I'll never forget that feeling of impending doom equally I waited for my plough to speak, together with therefore the embarrassment together with feeling of inferiority. It shook my confidence for the residuum of the alternative centre.

'Say something interesting nigh yourself' is non a proficient means to intermission the ice, especially alongside xi yr olds who may good intend they convey goose egg interesting to say. If yous must ask a tike to nation something interesting nigh themselves, position simply about suggestions on the board inwards instance they're stuck for ideas (eg publish of siblings, what they did over summertime etc). Or, fifty-fifty better, purpose simply about of the activities listed below.

Me... By the Numbers
Donna Boucher (post. Students gain total inwards the template alongside numerical facts nigh themselves.

Numbers Quiz
H5N1 related thought comes from this post from Sarah Hagan. Ask each educatee to brand a quiz nigh themselves. The answers should endure numerical together with students should furnish an reply depository fiscal establishment at the bottom, similar my illustration below. Sarah completed all her students' quizzes together with they marked her answers. Alternatively, if students haven't met each other before, they could inquire simply about other educatee to consummate their quiz. This gives them a run a peril to chat nigh their answers together with larn to know each other. Even the shy students should endure happy alongside this activity.

Two Truths together with a Lie

When I returned from motherhood exit inwards Jan I took over a Year xi tutor group. To larn to know them I did 'Two truths together with a lie'. I told them 2 facts nigh myself together with ane prevarication - they had to approximate which was the lie. Then I gave them simply about fourth dimension to write downward their 2 truths together with a lie. I allow them volunteer to read their facts out - each fourth dimension I had to approximate the lie. It was a actually fun action (they were surprised past times how proficient I was at detecting their lies!). They all enjoyed it and, because they were confident students who already knew each other well, most volunteered to convey a go.

Blobs together with Lines
This post service Icebreakers That Rock is bright - it's total of proficient ideas. I specially similar Blobs together with Lines - students are prompted to either employment upward inwards simply about item companionship (eg past times birthday) or get together inwards 'blobs' based on something they convey inwards mutual (eg how they larn to school). Students rapidly uncovering things they convey inwards common.

Who I Am
Dan Meyer's post service The First Day Wiki from dorsum inwards 2007 provides a link to his well-known 'Who I Am' activity.

His post service also features a flat scavenger hunt, shown below. I innovation to purpose adaptations of both activities alongside my novel Year 12 tutor grouping adjacent calendar week - my versions are here.

Dan's post service also includes a shape that students consummate piece yous beak through rules together with expectations.

If you're looking for to a greater extent than ideas for communicating expectations, depository fiscal establishment lucifer out the videos inwards my recent post service post. Students gain total inwards the template alongside numerical facts nigh themselves.

Numbers Quiz
H5N1 related thought comes from Behaviour Management for Beginners.

Also, shape tutors looking for ideas to gain total daily shape fourth dimension volition dear formtimeideas.com.

First Maths Lessons
In this post service I've focused on icebreakers. I've written previously nigh maths activities for offset lessons - reckon post. Students gain total inwards the template alongside numerical facts nigh themselves.

Numbers Quiz
H5N1 related thought comes from Gems 2, addition the lovely alphabet thought inwards post. Students gain total inwards the template alongside numerical facts nigh themselves.

Numbers Quiz
H5N1 related thought comes from Gems 34. I also convey 2 posts that mightiness endure of interest:

• post. Students gain total inwards the template alongside numerical facts nigh themselves.
  
  
  Numbers Quiz
  H5N1 related thought comes from Your First Maths Lesson alongside Year 7 
• post. Students gain total inwards the template alongside numerical facts nigh themselves.
  
  
  Numbers Quiz
  H5N1 related thought comes from Kicking off Year 12

I promise these ideas are helpful. Good luck everyone!

5 Maths Gems #39

Hello as well as welcome to my 39^th gems post. This is where I part 5 maths teaching ideas I've seen on Twitter. This volition survive my final post of the summertime holidays - I've been a busy blogger this summertime simply lesson planning takes priority this weekend. We all know how manic things larn at schoolhouse inwards September.

1. Bojagi
I'm excited virtually this. Dave Radcliffe (Gems 35) simply he intends to alter the moving-picture present every calendar week or fortnight, for event to display information virtually revision session, star students as well as hence on.

Complete The Rules

I said I wouldn't write whatsoever to a greater extent than posts this summer, but this is simply a quick 1 to percentage something I've simply made.

You may direct keep already seen the expectations videos I made for Year 10 in addition to Year 11. I was considering making these for Year 12 in addition to xiii also but wasn't certain it would endure good amongst these groups. Then I stumbled across this infographic that I made end twelvemonth in addition to never had the direct a opportunity to use.

I made it using Piktochart, inspired past times an infographic syllabus made by Anna Hester (@TypeAMathLand).

I similar this a lot, but there's 2 problems. First, it requires color printing, which I don't do. Second, it's possible that students volition simply glance at it in addition to non actually direct keep anything in.

Then I spotted this cool thought inwards Dan Meyer's post  The First Day Wiki.

Students are given the blank version to fill upward in. Because they direct keep to consummate it themselves they're to a greater extent than probable to pay attention.

I mean value this volition endure good amongst my Sixth Form classes, then I made my ain version - this 1 is for Year 12:

My editable version of this is here inwards illustration y'all desire to adjust this for your ain classes.

High Expectations

During Wednesday's Inset I delivered a 5 infinitesimal presentation to all teaching staff most high expectations.

At my novel school, teachers are encouraged to engage inwards enquiry - in that place is a comprehensive programme of internal CPD too a seat out of teachers are task masters degrees. The school, to a greater extent than hence than some others, has high expectations of its teaching staff. So inwards my presentation I had to travel careful non to Blue Planet the obvious. I gave a real curt summary of the Pygmalion effect (ie that having high expectations of students volition Pb to higher achievement). I also spoke briefly most the comport on of using encouraging linguistic communication alongside students, too how teachers alongside depression expectations oftentimes neglect to give their students constructive feedback.

I did desire to include at to the lowest degree ane practical thought inwards my presentation, hence I shared @MathedUp's 'Request a Work Selfie' which went downwards well. This is a peachy agency to signal high expectations from the outset. It industrial plant good inwards whatsoever subject.

I've been doing a lot of thinking most expectations lately. Teachers receive got to bargain alongside conflicts hither - practise I actually receive got high expectations of a educatee who I acquire into for Foundation GCSE? It presents a moral dilemma. Sometimes it's useful to footstep dorsum too aspect at the bigger picture. What should children experience at school? What's the bespeak of it all?

Why practise y'all sentinel University Challenge?
I bask watching University Challenge. I marvel at the noesis of the contestants too experience a peachy feel of achievement if I acquire fifty-fifty simply ane or 2 questions right. I don't know most of the answers, simply similar some students inwards my lessons, but I nevertheless bask watching it. Why? Because University Challenge has high expectations of its audience. The questions are hard, in that place are no gimmicks, too I respond good to that. The makers don't dumb it down. They aspect a lot of me. And I similar it that they aspect a lot of me.

The argue Brian Cox is hence successful alongside serial such equally Wonders of the Universe is that these programmes receive got high expectations of their audience. We rising to these expectations.

If nosotros receive got high expectations of our students hence they volition rising to them.

What would y'all prefer - an hr alongside Joey Essex or 5 minutes alongside Stephen Hawking? I'm sure we'd all pick out the latter. Even if everything he said went over our heads, we'd practise goodness from beingness inwards an intellectually stimulating environment.

I attended the MEI Conference inwards June. There was a lecture called 'Bouncing Bombs too Boomerangs' yesteryear Dr Hugh Hunt, Senior Lecturer inwards the Department of Engineering at Cambridge University. I wasn't familiar alongside much of the maths too physics he spoke about. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture too got a lot out of the experience. Dr Hunt spoke alongside passion, engaged his audience, too had high expectations.

'The biggest comport on on a educatee is from a instructor inwards honey alongside their subject'
People who are actually involved alongside their dependent area never tell ‘I’d honey to tell y'all most this but I can't because y'all won’t empathize it’.

I ane time attended a lecture yesteryear Simon Singh most The Simpsons too their Mathematical Secrets. I learnt lots of novel things too I came away to a greater extent than excited most my dependent area than I'd e'er been before. I rushed domicile to my husband, grabbed a pen too paper, too talked him through Fermat's Last Theorem. I excitedly showed him the 'near miss' solution that appeared on The Simpsons. Did he empathize what I was talking about? Of course of written report he did. In fact, I after heard him telling mortal else most it. Here's what's interesting: my hubby got an E inwards his maths GCSE. He retook it inwards Year 12 too got an E again. Over the course of written report of our 17 twelvemonth relationship, I'd never tried to explicate anything mathematical to him before. But my excitement most sharing this actually interesting mathematics overrode whatsoever expectations.

This is why the best teachers are those who are passionate most their subject. They don't say, 'It mightiness travel likewise difficult for them to understand'. They say, 'I can't hold off to tell them most it'.

It's all most narrative
Adding depth doesn't hateful making something to a greater extent than complicated. To add together depth to a topic nosotros verbalize most historical perspective, social dimensions too practical applications. The fundamental to making complex ideas manageable is narrative. For example, the causes of the Second World War are deeply complex too whole libraries could travel filled alongside books analysing those causes. It's a complex topic but practise history teachers tell it's likewise difficult to teach? No, they learn it yesteryear telling stories. It is those stories that spark the involvement of their students.

We must receive got high expectations of ourselves too what nosotros are capable of explaining.

I was lately teaching a marker of depression attaining Year 8s. I decided to learn them Pythagoras' Theorem, too was warned that it mightiness travel likewise much for them. I started alongside stories of the eccentric Pythagoras of Samos - they listened too learnt because these stories are interesting. By the halt of the lesson perhaps solely one-half the marker could confidently solve a work using Pythagoras' Theorem, but the lesson nevertheless had a far improve resultant than if I'd had depression expectations of the marker too had non tried to learn the topic at all.

Pitch it right, but don't dumb it down
If a topic is hard, don’t dorsum down. If y'all aim high too receive got mixed success hence y'all volition nevertheless accomplish to a greater extent than than if you'd aimed low. If your students fifty-fifty acquire 5% of what y'all say, hence improve they were inwards that top flying academic surroundings too got solely 5% than they were inwards a 'dumbed down' lesson. Why? Because educational activity should accept students from the known to the unknown. It should give them noesis that they couldn't maybe brand it their everyday lives. If nosotros trammel the intellectual horizon of our lessons, nosotros missy the bespeak completely.

If nosotros receive got high expectations of our pupils, nosotros are relaxed that they mightiness non 'get' all of it, because nosotros are showing them the "best that has been thought too said" inwards this area. They deserve that.

I did lots of reading over summertime to ready for my presentation. I especially enjoyed this post from @HuntingEnglish most the comport on of a maths instructor alongside high expectations - it's good worth a read.

I promise I've managed to give y'all some nutrient for thought most high expectations. My operate on this has sure had an comport on on the agency I've started off the twelvemonth alongside my novel classes. You tin discovery the slides from my presentation here. Thanks for reading.

Image source: wiziq.com