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MATHEMATICS |
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MATHEMATICS |
So much time can be wasted at the beginning of a lesson as pupils arrive spasmodically from the other side of the school or take too much time clearing away the equipment from the previous lesson. This time can be put to good use if pupils are familiar with the idea that there is always an activity for them to join in with for the first ten minutes of every mathematics lesson.
These "Starters" provide a clear, sharp start to the lesson as well as giving a useful "warm up" before the main focus.
Most teachers have a number of ideas for these activities and probably have one or two favourites. We could all benefit given the opportunity to share some of these ideas and to this end the following list is a starting point.
Newly Qualified Secondary Mathematics Teacher’s on their training day, (December 1996) were given 10 minutes or so to write down as many of these "starters" as they could. The ideas are reproduced below (some in cryptic note form) for you to use in your classroom.
Since then a collection of 365 different starters, one for each day of the year, have been collected together and are available here:
Click on this picture to see today's Starter!
Begin with one, double it, double it again and so on. How many numbers in this sequence can you write down before the register has been called?
1, 2, 4, 8, 16 ...
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Some spiders are drawn on the board before pupils enter the room. Number in the middle is the table you are practising. Either the operation on the leg or the answer in the foot is given. Pupils have ten minutes to complete the spiders in their exercise books. Worksheet/OHT (in Acrobat Reader format) |
Three letters D, I and Y (or other initials), with values, are written on the board. Pupils are asked to write down as many equations connecting these letters as possible. Diversity and imagination are encouraged. Possible formats for the initial instructions are given below for printing out onto an OHP transparency or enlarging to an A3 size poster. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)
BPS Equations (Key Stage 3/4) BPS Equations 2 (Key Stage 5)
Work out the numbers from the given clues. Eg:
It is a square number
It is an odd number
It is < 50 and > 20
7 is a factor
Here are some suggestions for printing out onto an OHP transparency or enlarging to an A3 size poster. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)
Riddles (Key Stage 3)
Two numbers
Find two numbers whose sum is ..... and product is ....
Vary the numbers according to the needs of the group ... from whole numbers less than 10 to complex numbers.
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Numbers 1-9 in a grid, in any order. Give a target for the total of the trail e.g. 25. How many trails can you find with this total? |
Pupils use only one number e.g. 2 and any operations to produce the numbers 1 - 20
ORPupils use at least one operation and numbers from a given set e.g. 1-5, pupils produce the numbers 1 - 20
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Fill in the missing numbers in the multiplication grids. |
Guess My Number
Generate a random number on a calculator and multiply it by 1000. Teacher places restrictions on how they describe each digit or the whole number e.g. relate to 5x table or only use relative to prime numbers.
e.g. 58 1st digit = 3rd prime number
2nd digit = 4th prime number +1
Countdown (as in TV programme)
30 number cards needed 1-20, 50, 100 and 8 other "random" numbers
Cards shuffled + 6 pupils choose a number. These are put/written on board.
Pupil generates a random number on a calculator
Pupils have to attempt to make that number using + - ¸ x (or as close as possible)
Each of the 6 numbers can only be used once.
Grid Lines
A grid is drawn on the board or OHP (can be a hundred square or similar). A set of number cards is shuffled. Pupils in two or three teams with a team leader. team leaders pick two cards from the pack and using the four rules make a number from the grid which is crossed out. First team to get 3 (or 4) numbers in a line (any direction) is the winner. If answer is wrong miss a go.
Ladders
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Each pupil draws ten boxes in the form of a ladder. Teacher throws two die numbered 0 to 9 which generates a 2 digit number. Pupils have to decide which position to write the number such that the larger numbers are above smaller numbers. Pupils are out when they cannot write a number in the correct space in the ladder. The range of numbers generated can be adapted to include negative numbers. |
Teacher (or pupil) writes the blanks for a sum on the board
e.g. _ _ _ _ _ = _ _
Pupils guess symbols and numbers that go in the spaces. Wrong answers, draw parts of hangman.
Just a minute
All pupils stand up and close their eyes. They sit down after they think one minute has passed.
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Teacher stands up with pupils watching then sits down after a period of time (37 seconds say). Pupils all estimate how many seconds the teacher was standing. Estimates could be collected together to consider the range, mean median etc.
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Pupils take turns to move a single counter around the pentagon. Pupils keep a running
total of the game (not just their own total) and the winner is the one who can achieve a
predetermined total (23 say). To go over that total is to go bust! Practises basic addition and subtraction similar to Black Jack. |
Cross Numbers
Just like crosswords but with numbers instead of words
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Cards numbered 0 è 9 are put into a hat or similar. As a number is picked out of the hat pupils decide which of the squares they will place that number. The idea is to make the total 120 - nearest wins. |
Blockbusters
A game for two pupils using a Blockbusters grid, 2 dice and counters. Roll the dice then add, divide, multiply or subtract to get an available number on the grid. One pupil tries to link top to bottom of grid while the other pupil tries to link the left hand side to the right.
Number Robots
e.g. 
and
Think Big
Teacher decides on a table to practise.
Pupils take it in turns to give multiples of the required number.
Encourage them to thing in hundreds, thousands, millions and billions.
People Numbers
Ten pupils are each given a large card with a number 0 - 9 on. The class call out numbers and the ten pupils at the front have to form that number so that it reads correctly to the class.
Encourage applause for correct answers/challenges.
Number Chains
Each pupils is given a card. On one side of the card is a sum and on the back of the card is an answer. The answer must not be the answer of the sum on the same card.
One pupil says the answer on their card. The pupil who has the card with that sum on stands next to them then calls out their answer. Pupils should all end up standing in a closed chain.
Following this pupils working in small groups can make another set of "Number chain" cards devising their own sums and answers.
Using A=1, B=2, C=3 etc. convert the letters in a word to numbers and find the word total; e.g. CAT = 3 + 1 + 20 = 24.
Find a word that totals 100 (or any other total). (Possible answers Telephone, Excellent, Telescope, Squares, Numeracy)
Extension.... even numbers count as positive numbers, odd numbers count as negative.
Could extend to multiplication. May choose to use calculators.
E.g.
2 2 2 2 2 = 4 (two ways)
2 2 2 2 2 = 2 (sixteen ways)
Insert operations to make the answer correct.
At Patana School, It is suggested that for these first six lessons of Secondary School all groups do the same starters.
Lesson 1 "Welcome to Year 7" (Gives the new teacher a good idea of pupil's competence)
Lesson 2 "Letters in a Number" (All sequences should end at FOUR)
Lesson 3 "Rectangles" (Answer is 60 I think)
Lesson 4 "Sum of the Century" (The answer is 5050)
Lesson 5 "Double Trouble" (Answers)
Lesson 6 "Eye Eye"After that a collection of 365 different starters, one for each day of the year, have been collected together and are available here:
Click on this picture to see today's Starter!
Copyright © 1998 [BASS]. All rights reserved.