DOMINO PUZZLES. By David Fielker. BEAM pound;12.50 plus pound;3.53 postage. Tel: 020 7684 3323
David Fielker has been an innovative maths teacher for more years than he or I care to remember. Nevertheless there are few books by him available, so Domino Puzzles is of particular interest. Dominoes are greatly under-used in maths teaching (even though the National Numeracy Strategy recommends they should be in every classroom); they are cheap and robust, and many children are familiar with them from an early age. And of course a set of dominoes forms a simple and rigorously structured mathematical miniworld.
Fielker concentrates on usng dominoes as a resource for investigative working. There is little overlap with other resource collections, and many of the problems are, to the best of my knowledge, original. All call extensively on the reasoning and logic element of Using and Applying Mathematics.
The book is suitable for the upper end of key stage 2 and KS3. Teachers (and, I would suggest, supply teachers as well) will find many possible uses - extension material, maths club, games and puzzles for homework and holidays. It would also make a stimulating present or prize.
Alan Parr is a primary maths writer and in-service training provider