Nice ideas kickstart students investigations into the special values of pi, phi (golden ratio) and root2. Students will investigate the relationship between a circles diameter and its circumference and area, the numbers of the fibonacci sequence and real life and then the relationship between A3, A4, A5 paper.

Prove the trigonometric identities by matching up the peices, (steps) in the correct order. Supports students by providing the steps, and avoiding alebraic mistakes that confuse the key learning outcomes, whilst challenging them to understand the order and making connections between each step. Answers Included.

Pupils earn points by solving the equations. Easier questions earn less points so pupils self-differentiate and decide their own level of difficulty for themselves (although the teacher should check that they do this sensibly of course!). I tell pupils that those with most points after a given time period win. The competitive nature of this activity encourages pupils to push themselves more than they would usually and I’m always pleasantly surprised at what equations they can do here. Answers to the equations are included. as well as an easier version (v3) with no negative answers. Tried and tested in the classroom many times. This download includes a files as well as the original word files for easy editing.

This is a space-based KS2 / KS3 / GCSE matchup activity. Pupils consider and then rank relative altitudes of Earth features, satellites (natural & artificial) & stars. Pupils will match up and order the images, numbers and written information about each object. There are loads of maths aspects in here, deliberately included to make pupils think and question the points raised. A good real life ordering task or use as a prompt to introduce scale and scale models. Includes plenty of information to inspire as well as aspects to prompt questions and thinking skills. As well as maths and space science, can also be used as a literacy resource. Tried and tested in the classroom with various groups and ages (Yr5, Yr7, Yr8, Yr9, PGCE students). This download includes three versions of this activity - one specifically for primary pupils. Includes pdf files as well as the original powerpoint/word documents for easy editing.

Loads of files here… MathsTricks.ppt is a collection of some of the best, most engaging, maths questions and ideas that I’ve collected over several years of high school maths teaching. Use as lesson starters, discussion points, presentation/assembly materials or whatever other purpose you desire. Files here include… MathsTricks.ppt is a version to print, laminate and create a set of A5 playing cards where each card is one ‘trick’, like a magician! Includes both an editable Powerpoint file and a PDF. MathsTricksICT.ppt is a version of Maths Tricks to display on the whiteboard. This is same as above but with teacher’s notes removed. Includes both an editable Powerpoint file and a PDF. LinksAndNotes.doc is notes, answers and further links (YouTube videos etc.) for each trick. Includes both an editable Word file and a PDF. GreatQuestionsInMaths.docx is a small but great collection of interesting maths questions suitable for GCSE higher or A Level students. No answers here I’m afraid but some can be found in the links & notes document for the main Maths Tricks file. Includes both an editable Word file and a PDF. All of the Summer Fayre documents are a probability task extension of the original question Maths Tricks question. Files here include… SummerFayre.ppt is a single slide containing the original question TheSummerFayreAnswerAndNotes.doc explains the maths behind this game including the probability of winning / losing and the probability of the school winning / losing over multiple plays. TheSummerFayrePrompts.doc is a few starter questions that you could ask students to get them thinking about the maths behind this game. TheSummerFayreSimulation.xlsx is an Excel file demonstration of the probabilities behind playing this game many times.

This is an activity for Yr13 pupils to check and extend their understanding of vectors. This is a a set of questions to really check understanding of several vector concepts including magnitudes of vectors, vector equations of lines, scalar product and closest distance between a point and a line. Answers and workings included for our suggested vectors but you, the teacher, could choose to ask students for their own vector suggestions which would give completely different answers. Bonus Resource 1: Notes on Vectors. This is the set of ‘notes on a page’ that I give to my students doing this topic. Bonus Resource 2: Vector Triangles in 3D Space - A great problem-solving-style, simple question with many approaches and possible answers; Sort these triangles into scalene, isosceles and equilateral. Which are right angled too? The task involves using lots of those key vector techniques that students need to be able to perform. Sorry, no answers here this time though. Tried and tested in the classroom many times. This download includes all files as pdfs as well as the original word files for easy editing.

Matchup the graph to its equation. These are all of the type linear/linear. To extend students there are eight equations but only six graphs; students must work out which are missing and draw the other two. As a further extension, two equations produce the same graph, how come?

KS2, KS3, GCSE matchup activity. Pupils consider order and relative altitudes of Earth features, satellites (natural & artificial) é stars. A good real life ordering task or use as a prompt to introduce scale and scale models. Answer included.

A set of questions for students to check that they really know their way around their calculators; pi, stanard form, fractions, trig, multi-step calcs, reciprocals... Answers included.

** Error now corrected. Matchup the: Equation, Differential equation, Specific coordinate, Gradient at specific point, Stationary points and Tangent. Includes two versions; one Core 1, one Core 2 9use this to extend). Includes Geogebra file used (edit the equation to fit) and images of the graphs used (use this to support). Probably better printed on A3 if possible.

KS3 and GCSE, circles (circumference formula) activity. Real life application of circumference of a circle formula to work out the circumference of the Earth using altitude, speed and orbital time of the International Space Station. A good extension task is to then find percentage error between this answer and actual answer. Teachers notes, internet links, the answer and workings are included, in both miles and kilometres, together with printer-friendly version of main slide.

Notes on the ellipse, hyperbola, parabola, circle. Includes eccentricity, foci and the directrix. A second page tabulates transformations (translation, reflection in y=x, stretch vertical and horizontal). A whole (AQA) FP1 chapter summarised on an A4 side with extension material on the reverse. Making learning easy.

A high school assembly presentation on the search for & implications of alien life. A 10-15 minute talk on various sensible aspects concerned with the question of alien life. Use the commentary alongside the presentation/link. This assembly was very well received by all yeargroups at my school and would also work well as a starting point for a citizenship, physics or applied science lesson.

This is a set of chain rule, product rule and quotient rule differentiation questions for students to check their understanding (and/or recollection). The activity is divided into one set each of chain, product and quotient rule questions with each set consisting of easy, medium and hard questions (the rows) as well as polynomial, trigonometrical and exponential equations (the columns). Tried and tested on my Year 13 students (single maths and further maths students) who have enjoyed recapping their knowledge with this task this week. And the best bit... answers included!

This is a similar triangles activity based on the real life science behind a total solar eclipse. Use the inspiring context of what a total solar eclipse is and why it causes a path of shadow on the Earth to engage students in proportional reasoning. Easier and harder version of the main task each followed by several extension tasks including a metric/imperial measures exercise and a practical ‘pin hole camera’ activity where students calculate distance to and/or size of the sun. Two tasks, answers, lesson plan, lesson bullet points, internet links and eclipse map included.

Notes and proofs of standard integrals for AQA Core 3. Suggested use in classroom; pupils to read and understand proof of integral involving arctan and then construct a similar proof for integral involving arcsin. Intention is to provide solid proof and argument why this integration introduces arctan & arcsin.

Complete the steps in the table to get from ax^2+bx+c=0 to the quadratic formula. Or, to support, cut out the steps and ask students to arrange them in the correct order. Answers on page 1, empty table on page 2. Best printed on A3. Great for engagement on sixth form open evenings.

AQA Core 2 Revision. All the formulae required on a single A4 side. Word document. Split into those to remember and those given in the formula book. Tested and much appreciated by students in my class!

GCSE higher extension, proportion activity. Mathematics, Physics cross-curricular task based on exploring Keplar’s third law. Students learn how to apply this to the planets, as they orbit the sun, and then to the moon, space station and geostationary satellites, as they orbit the Earth. Answers, internet links and lesson plan included.

KS2, KS3, GCSE Powerpoint animation about scale and sizes of various astronomical objects. How exactly do all of those astronomical things shape up? Which are bigger & which are smaller than others? This Powerpoint animation shows the relative sizes of planets, the solar system, our galaxy and beyond. Possible extensions include using a prompt to explore standard form and/or the speed of light. Open powerpoint, begin slideshow, prepare to discuss various concepts that arise. Pdf version also included.