the Challenge Cards
These Challenge Cards are specifically aimed at the more able pupils in the 8 – 14 age range. To give teachers maximum flexibility in their use, the four Challenge Card sets have been labelled A to D, rather than by year-groups. Ideally, pupils should start with whichever set they find moderately challenging and progress from there. The aim is to challenge and extend pupils by encouraging them to use their existing skills imaginatively and creatively as they tackle sometimes difficult, new or unfamiliar problems. None of the problems requires skills beyond Key Stage 2; in particular, no knowledge of algebra is required.
The cards in each set are of roughly the same difficulty (which means that they do not have to be tackled in any particular order). Each set comes with a set of answers.
The cards are designed to be printed up landscape on A4 card (giving two A5 cards per page). They can then be stored in a suitable box, for use in the classroom, either for ‘early finishers’ or for whole-class activity. With the problems at either A5 or reduced to A6 in size, they can be printed on paper; in this format, they are easily stuck into the pupil's maths book, making them useful for either classroom or home working.
The Challenge Cards have been extensively tried and tested in the classroom and many teachers have found them to be a valuable extra resource.
Challenge Cards Set A
Challenge Cards Set B
Challenge Cards Set C
Challenge Cards Set D
no problem! books 1 & 2
These are two books of original, colourful and engaging maths problems, designed to interest and challenge any young mathematician. In both books the aim is to help pupils develop imagination and confidence in problem-solving, together with a willingness to tackle the new and the unfamiliar.
Each of these books contains 50 problems, presented simply and clearly, together with detailed answers.
The page format is designed for ease of use with desktop computer, laptop, ipad or smartboard.
None of the problems requires maths knowledge or skills beyond those of a yr6 pupil; in particular, no knowledge of algebra is needed. The problems have been well tried and tested in the classroom and by home learners.
no problem books 1 & 2
Maths Investigations
The Maths Investigations pack offers a collection of worthwhile investigations with both the planning and the preparation of necessary photocopiable materials already done for you.
Extension activities are suggested where appropriate and photocopiable resource masters are provided where these would be helpful. None of the investigations requires materials beyond the usual classroom ones. These are ideal for any teacher or parent looking for ready-to-use but valuable maths investigations.
These investigations have been used with a variety of age-groups; a suggested year-group is listed for each but in practice any of them can be used with a range of pupils. Each one provides about the right amount of activity for a complete lesson but equally any of them can also be used as the starting-point for further activities.
Maths Investigations
Maths Games
The maths games in this selection have been chosen because they go beyond the purely recreational and because they have proved to be popular with pupils. Each of these games requires pupils to use reasoning and imagination as they pursue winning strategies. Some of these are games for two players, where the aim is to win and where competitive excitement can run high; others are solo games, where the aim is to achieve a particular objective and where the satisfaction is a more private one.
The Maths Games booklet provides clear instructions for each game, together with the appropriate grid for you to photocopy and laminate. None of the games requires complicated materials and all of them are easy to explain and to put into practice.
Maths Games
Each of these mini-problems presents a small challenge to the solver. None of them requires maths knowledge or skills beyond the Key Stage 2 level. The aim is to encourage pupils to use their existing skills creatively in solving the problems.
The problems cover a range of topic areas : number problems, geometric & spatial problems, problems on statistics, probability, logic, sets etc. These problems are somewhat easier than those in the ‘no problem’ books.
The layout is simple, with four mini-problems on each A4 page; cut up into the four separate items (ready to pritt-stick into maths exercise books), these mini-problems make excellent shorter exercises in problem-solving, ideal for individual early finishers or to give to a whole class for class or home working.
The answer-book includes full explanations. While repeatedly making the point that there is no one correct way to solve any of the problems, suggested approaches are offered for the benefit of those who have been unable to get started on a particular problem or for those who might be interested in comparing an alternative approach with the one they have already found.
mini-problems
mini-problems
grids, templates etc
This pdf contains a range of useful grids, templates and blanks (square grids, isometric grids, hexagon grids, co-ordinate grids, circle grids, venn diagram blanks, digital clock blanks, ºC thermometer blanks) together with selections of important number sets (number grids, square numbers, prime numbers, powers of 2, factorials, pascal's triangle, common fractions to percentages).
Some grids (eg square grids, isometric grids) are in full-page A4 format; others (smaller grids) are printed 2, 4, 6 or 8 to a page for class use.
grids, templates etc
Year 6 practice cards
The Year 6 Practice Cards have been created to provide extra useful practice over a range of topics for Year 6 pupils. They are designed to be printed up as A5 cards and each set comes complete with answers. The topic covered by any particular card is shown at the top. Calculators may be used for some of the questions and these questions are indicated by a small calculator image in the top right-hand corner of the card. These cards have been extensively tried and tested in the classroom and will provide a useful addition to your range of resources for Year 6.
Year 6 practice cards
long multiplication pack
This Long Multiplication pack contains two different groups of resources, all of which have been used extensively in the classroom :
The ‘Farming Times’ resources folder includes a full account of one colourful and cheerful approach to teaching grid multiplication. It also includes worked examples, blank grids for classroom use and a useful ‘Farming Times’ spreadsheet (presented here in two version : a Numbers version for Mac users and an Excel version for PC users).
The other folder contains a note on lattice multiplication, including a clear explanation of the well-known and ingenious Gelosia method and, uniquely, an explanation of our own Diamond Grid method (a lattice method for 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication which pupils have found attractively simple). Also included here are the necessary resources for introducing the Diamond Grid method in the classroom, namely blank grids for pupil use, a set of exercises (with answers) and a useful ‘Diamond Grid’ spreadsheet (presented, as before, in two versions).
long multiplication pack
loop cards
Loop Cards are back in fashion! Here are 16 colourful and engaging sets of loop cards ! The basic principle is to devise of a set of mental arithmetic questions and answers which can form an endless loop. These questions and answers are then printed onto cards which can be distributed among the pupils in a class. The loop begins when one pupil reads out the question printed on his card, after which somewhere in the class another pupil recognises that he has the answer on his card. This pupil may now read out the question on his card, which of course another pupil must recognise as the one on his card. Now this pupil takes the loop forward . . . Eventually someone asks a question which is answered by the very first pupil – and the loop is complete! Timing the whole procedure from start to finish adds to the drama. Without doubt, a good set of loop cards in the hands of a well-motivated class can produce a highly-charged and exciting start to any maths lesson. Sadly, the traditional format for these cards was not itself particularly colourful or appealing and so – we’ve reinvented loop cards to make them more attractive and appealing.
The loop cards zip file which you can download here contains pdf masters for 16 different sets of loop cards, together with instructions for use etc. As a guide, we’ve noted which loop cards have typically been used with which year-groups, although you may well choose to use them differently.
loop cards
percentages : the build-up method
Many pupils find the whole topic of percentages difficult and anxiety-raising. The ‘build-up method’ provides a simple approach to working out percentages. The method is explained in simple terms, with examples to illustrate. A useful footnote reveals a little-known but useful fact about percentages . . .
percentages : the build-up method
