Mathematics

Mathematics

This page will keep you up to date with national initiatives and developments in numeracy as well as suggesting resources and websites that you may find useful.

I’d also be delighted to hear about any exciting and successful numeracy work that you and your class are have been involved in. Contact me at the Oban Education Office on 01631 564 908 or send me an email - Elaine.

Recommended resources and ideas

What’s new in numeracy resources and ideas?

Click here to find out about the latest numeracy resources and ideas to try.

Useful websites

www.ltscotland.org.uk - External Site

Learning and Teaching Scotland's homepage with information on national events, research, resources and examples of good practice. Click on Literacy and then on Literacy and Numeracy on the left hand side. Then choose Numeracy.

www.ltscotland.org.uk - External Site

Special reference to North Lanarkshire Council: developing numeracy through problem solving from nursery to primary.

For many years, it has been well-known that the best way for children to learn is through play. This project concentrated developing cross curricular problem solving through contextualised learning.

Teejay Maths Planners Levels B to D

Maths Planners used in conjunction with Teejay Maths (5-14 driven however, not Teejay driven!) have been developed by Kilcreggan Primary. These were positively viewed by HMIe in the recent school follow through visit. For further details contact Fran Bretman, Head Teacher of Kilcreggan Primary

Enterprise in Maths

An idea from Lynda Keith.

"£100 to spend"

Pupils are given the task of spending £100 ( hypothetically!!!) to answer the question ' What would help you learn in maths?'

They work in small groups (2/3) and use maths catalogues to make their list. They then have to feed back to the class on their choices and why they have chosen these items in relation to the key question.

Let's Go Shopping

Explain to the pupils that every letter of the alphabet is worth money: a=1p, b=2p and so on to z=26p. This can be displayed on the board or on paper for reference.

Then write a shopping list and ask the pupils to work out the cost of the items by adding together the values of the letters. For example; bread costs 2p+18p+5p+1p+4p - 30p.

This is a good opportunity to discuss strategies for adding mentally.

Then challenge the class. What is the cheapest items you can find? What is the most expensive?

Can they find an item worth exactly £1:00?

What is the cost of a certain selection of items in my shopping basket?

Can they make up shopping lists for their peers?

Add the challenge of timing the exercise.

You can vary this to reinforce spelling - eg Tudor words, poetry, seasonal variations for Christmas and Easter.

Card Sharp : I Spy....

Resource required : A pack of playing cards.
Set out a grid of eight rows of eight cards face up. The group of pupils sit round the cards. Teacher calls out "I spy with my maths eye....42".

The pupils look at the cards to find two cards which multiply together to make the target number. The first to spot the target number keeps the two cards from the grid. Play continues until all the cards have been taken. The player with the most cards is the winner.

Variations:
Pupils call the "I spy....." targets.
Find three numbers which multiply together to give the target number.
Have a pile of target number carsd which are turned over one at a time (instead of a caller).

Games - Fraction Wall

An idea from the Summer Issue of the Primary Mathematics Magazine.

Click here to download (JPEG)

Games - Guess My Pattern

An idea from the Summer Issue of the Primary Mathematics Magazine.

Click here to download (JPEG)

Interactive Games

A site with a great collection of interactive games such as Mathionaire, Countdown and Higher and Lower. Also some brain-scrubbing investigations, a pile of free resources and a revision section.

Well worth an investigation!!

Subtangent.org

Maths and Global Citizenship

Tullynessle Primary School - using Global Citizenship as the foundation for learning in the maths curriculum.

Information on this interesting development and information on relevant website links.

Stride Magazine (IDEAS) Spring / Summer Issue pages 12/13 Ideas - Stride Magazine information

Interdisciplinary Studies at Minard Primary

Congratulations to Minard Primary for the development of their Interdisciplinary Topic ; FLY MEGA.

This airport theme includes a focus on Maths with engagement with relevant outcomes.

Contact Fiona Macdonald, Head Teacher at Minard Primary for further details.

Click here to download (PDF)

Click here to download (PDF)

Click here to download (PDF)

Click here to download (PDF)

Click here to download (PDF)

Click here to download (PDF)

Numeracy Development Lines

Thanks to Easdale Primary for the development of these Numeracy development lines in line with the final versions of the Experiences and Outcomes.

Click here to download Early Level development line

Click here to download First level development line

Click here to download Second level development line

Click here to download Year Overview

Probationer Research 07/08 - Active Maths....

Active Maths, Does it Really Make a Difference?

Joint Research Project with Alison Kennedy – Park Primary School, and Jacqui MacPherson – Park Primary School

Aim of Research Project

To research the difficulties some children have coping with work book based mathematics by introducing a structured range of practical activities, including both teacher and child led examples, to assess the value of active maths within the learning outcome of understanding and using directions.

Click here to download a copy of the report.

Probationer Research 07/08 - Active Numeracy

Active Numeracy – What Impact Does an Active Approach to Numeracy Have on Motivation, Teaching and Learning?

Kandy Muggoch – Hermitage Primary School
Research Background

Helensburgh and Lomond Active Schools Group was set up in August 2007 after receiving funding of £5000 from Learning and Teaching Scotland to enable sharing of ideas and practice regarding active learning in numeracy. The group was made up of representatives of P1-3 staff from all 11 schools in the cluster group. A core group was established to deal with organisation and management of the group and finally myself, who was responsible for the final collation and presentation of the pack. In my class I had observed over terms 1-3 that some children were able to do much of the maths when presented with an activity but found it very hard to record their knowledge in the standard workbook format. They were either unable or just not motivated to record their ideas in this way.

Using the pack and ideas we had researched and compiled, I adopted an entirely active approach to maths across the whole class rather than with a particular group.

Research Aim

To investigate, using the pack and ideas discussed by the group, over a period of 4 weeks, whether an active approach impacts on learning and motivation.

Click here to download the full report.

Probationer Research 07/08 - Fantastic Friends or Maths Mates?

Suzi Jackson – St Andrews Primary

Research Aim

The aim of this research was to find the optimal seating plan for the newly formed maths groups within my classroom. My research is based on a comparison between social groupings, “Fantastic Friends”, and ability groupings, “Maths Mates”.

Click here to download the full report.

Progression Pathways

Pathways to Progression from LTS Curriculum for Excellence website : Mathematics

This material is for teachers to use as they work with the experiences and outcomes in mathematics and numeracy. It outlines how key mathematical skills and concepts can be securely built and extended within and across the levels.

Within mathematics there are rich opportunities for links among different concepts. These concepts are intertwined with each other rather than being separate ideas to be planned for. For this reason, the material is grouped under broad headings, not presented through one-to-one connection with individual experiences and outcomes. Through the learning and teaching which they plan, teachers are able to ensure that children and young people will see and understand the connections between the concepts and this will help to support the development of their mathematical thinking and skills.

The spirals are intended to reflect the fact that children and young people develop, consolidate and extend their understanding of mathematical concepts and their mathematical skills through discussing, practising, and applying them in an increasing range of more challenging contexts.

These will need continual reinforcement and revisiting in order to maintain progression.

Click here to download Pathways for Estimation and rounding; Number and number processes (PDF)
Click here to download Pathways for Data and analysis; and ideas of chance and uncertainty (PDF)
Click here to download Pathways for Algebraic thinking(PDF)

THE GRAFFITI WALL

WHAT DOES AN ACTIVE MATHS LESSON LOOK LIKE?

An idea from the Scottish Learning Festival!!

1. Pose the question – in this case “ What does an active maths lesson look like?” Write it on a large sheet of paper.

2. Staff discuss and post “answers” (post it notes) around the question – the Graffiti wall. This discussion opens staff up to a variety of ways to ensure that maths lessons at all stages involve active learning.

3. The resulting Graffiti wall is typed up. This forms a reference list created by staff for future reference.

4. This reference list can also be used for peer class observation. Staff observing a lesson highlight the aspects seen in the lesson.

5. This Graffiti wall strategy can be used for any question posed.

Click here to download an example of the Active Maths Graffiti Wall (pdf)

Scottish Heinemann Maths

Helping you to implement Curriculum for Excellence

Reflecting the key recommendations of Curriculum for Excellence, Scottish Heinemann Maths provides a programme of activities and gives advice on how to use the materials to help make your children successful, confident learners.

Take a look at the updated Curriculum for Excellence matching charts to see how each level of SHM is linked to the new curriculum.

Click here to download SHM 1 chart.

Click here to download SHM 2 chart.

Click here to download SHM 3 chart.

Click here to download SHM 4 chart.

Click here to download SHM 5 chart.

Click here to download SHM 6 chart.

Click here to download SHM 7 chart.