This made me laugh:
Originally seen on Pinterest, linking to Fail blog
The main thing that caught my attention was how the infographic is constructed and how it could be used for other tasks. It’s made using Grafio. The app is available as a lite (free) version or a paid business version (£5.99 at the time of posting). Not available on Android devices.
This activity started as a simple card game to assess if pupils knew the difference between Similarity and Congruence. It’s grown into four tasks appropriate for small groups or whole classes, whether it is sunny or rainy.
Aim
To identify when simple shapes are similar and when they are congruent.
Equipment
Two identical sets of cards, either playing card size or A3/4. The cards can be downloaded in pdf or Word format here.
Mini-whiteboards (optional)
Chalk (optional)
Game 1: Snap
Using a set of playing cards, pairs or small groups of pupils play snap. Usual rules apply, with a twist. Instead of shouting ‘Snap’, you shout ‘Similar’ or ‘Congruent’. If you get it right, you win the cards. If you get it wrong, your opponent gets the cards.
Game 2: Find a …
Each pupil is given a card. The teacher says ‘Congruent’ and they must find a partner who is congruent to them. The teacher checks the pairs.
The pupils swap cards with their partner and the game restarts. The teacher continues to say congruent or similar until everyone has tried out a variety of shapes.
Game 3: Quiet cards
The teacher has two stacks of shuffled A4 cards at the front and the pupils have whiteboards. The teacher holds up two cards and the pupils secretly write down ‘Similar’, ‘Congruent’ or ‘Neither’. The class then share their results.
Variation: If a pupil gets it wrong, their whiteboard is taken away. The winner is the last pupil with a whiteboard.
Game 4: Loud cards
This works on a similar principle to quiet cards, except you are outside and louder.
Using chalk, allocate an area for each of the three answers. When the teacher holds up a pair of cards the pupils walk* to the correct answer. Pupils can be eliminated in a similar way to Game 4.
*Disclaimer: You know they are going to be running to their answers.
Romanesco Broccoli (Roman Cauliflower): mathematical art in a vegetable.
You can link the naturally occuring spirals to Fibonacci numbers in a similar way to the classic pine cone spirals.
Makes good cauliflower cheese too!
Okay, I may be a Maths geek, but bad spelling drives me crazy!
Belated ‘Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus!’
My non-welsh speaking classes had fun yesterday doing mental arithmetic in welsh to celebrate St David’s day.
This is a simple compass directions game which can be extended as you see fit. The basic concept was thought up by some KS3 pupils who were designing an activity for KS2 pupils.
Aim
To practise using compass directions (4 or 8).
To develop the concept of bearings (extension)
Equipment
Chalk
Coloured tokens (or equivalent) – optional
Compasses – optional
Dressing up hats – optional
Set Up
At opposite sides of the playground draw out two boat shapes. Draw a compass half-way between them.
Pick a pirate captain and first mate.
Pick a Navy captain and first mate.
This is where any dressing up hats make it fun.
Split the rest of the class randomly into pirates or sailors – tokens can help here.
Compass Game
Each captain must stay in their ship.
The class spread out across the playground. The first mates are rescuing their crewmates based on their captains’ instructions.
Each captain shouts instructions eg 4 steps north, 2 steps west.
(The instructions can be varied depending on the level of difficulty eg 5 steps NW).
Once a crewmate is reached, they ‘swim’ back to their boat.
Variation: If a sailor rescues a pirate (or vice-versa), they are held hostage for 10 seconds.
Winners
The first team to rescue their whole crew.
Variation:
When a person is rescued, the first-mate becomes the captain and the rescued person becomes first-mate. In this way lots of pupils get to practise using directions.
If you need a quieter version of this activity, the captains can hold up mini whiteboards with directions, rather than shouting.
Extension
Develop the concept of bearings with the first mate starting next to the captain and following a bearing.
