Graham Colman has been a UK high school and sixth form maths teacher since September 2001. Here you'll find a wealth of great maths and space science resources which have been used, tried and tested and actually work in the classroom. Graham runs his own popular maths website at www.colmanweb.co.uk where you'll find many more resources like these. You can email Graham at grahamcolman@colmanweb.co.uk
Graham Colman has been a UK high school and sixth form maths teacher since September 2001. Here you'll find a wealth of great maths and space science resources which have been used, tried and tested and actually work in the classroom. Graham runs his own popular maths website at www.colmanweb.co.uk where you'll find many more resources like these. You can email Graham at grahamcolman@colmanweb.co.uk
An info sheet and questions on identifying aspects to look for when deciding which method for integration. Questions are mostly exam questions to practise each method. Includes answers. Tried and tested successfully in the classroom many times. This download includes a pdf file as well as the original word file for easy editing.
Bonus resource - Choosing which method to Integrate (Word and PDF files). A flowchart to help students decide which method to use when.
GCSE higher, inverse proportion activity/worksheet.
Mathematics, Physics cross-curricular task based on applying the inverse square law to Newton’s laws of gravity.
In this real life application of inverse proportion, pupils will investigate how gravity fields on various planets are inversely proportional to their radius and, subsequently, how they are related to their mass. This is followed by some particularly testing questions to really check pupil’s mathematical, physical and logical reasoning.
Answers and internet links included.
Video guide to this resource at www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ7yDRU1vxg.
Write reports easily with this template/writing frame. It will save you hours - aim to create a set of good reports in 20mins per class. With this full version of this resource you can write reports on up to 35 students at a time and this version includes more ready made comments.
An important note… This file uses macros to do all the fancy stuff, but macros don’t work on Macs so you’ll need to run this file on a windows computer. It’s an Apple thing and is the same with all macro-based files.
Use the existing maths comments or add/replace with your own, following the instructions and formats given. When report day comes around just choose the relevant comments by typing a number and hitting ‘create&save’ and your reports are written. Simply copy and paste into eportal/sims etc.
This download includes a BONUS RESOURCE – Easy UCAS Report Writer ‘Lite’ Excel file. This file is based on the same style as the original report writer but is adapted for writing UCAS reports with sections for comments including Work Ethic, Teamwork, Written, Verbal, Degree and Tail. With this file you can write up to 5 UCAS subject reports at a time. There is a premium version of this file available too which has more comments and enables you to write up to 35 reports at a time. Upgrade to the full version of this resource at https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/easy-ucas-report-writer-premium-11845636.
If you find this useful please leave a positive comment. Any issues at all, please contact me at grahamcolman@colmanweb.co.uk.
This bundle includes the Chain, Product and Quotient rule match-up activities. All with answers. All as pdfs file as well as the original powerpoint files for easy editing. Bonus resource = Chain Rule Practice activity. A well thought out series of questions based on variation theory for students to progress through learning how to use the chain rule.
This is a great, open ended, rich maths task which encourages students to understand connections - relationships - between many areas of maths.
Here is…
a number machine,
algebra,
graph,
sentence,
sequence and
input/output table
for students to investigate… and hopefully come to the conclusion that all represent the same relationship in different ways. I’ve tried this a few times with Yr7, 8, 9 students and, although they start off slow and I keep my own input to a minimum, they usually get there and appreciate it all the more after a while. If the class is really struggling then you could use the suggestions for ways to investigate which are on slide 4. To extend this rich, open task students could create their own set of cards.
The file ‘Relationships’ is the main activity and the ‘LessonPlan’ goes with this. I suggest print out the main page for pairs of students as well as projecting from of class.
A subsequent activity / lesson could be students to complete the number machine, table, sentence and graph from the algebra. The file ‘Relationships2’ are the resources that you’ll need for this with the file ‘LessonPlan2’ as the lesson plan.
Tried and tested, and corrected(!), in the classroom many times. This download includes a pdf files as well as the original powerpoint and word files for easy editing.
A match-up activity for students to learn about the history of maths. Students match up famous mathematicians names, pictures, dates, 'most famous for', 'something else' and 'about the person' cards.
I suggest allow students to use laptops etc to support. Designed to instigate knowledge and awareness of some of the most famous mathematicians as well as learning methods for finding info online. My Year 12 groups really enjoy this and we drop aspects of some of the mathematicians into appropriate topics. Tried and tested in the classroom many times.
This download includes a pdf file as well as the original powerpoint file 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.
Video guide to this resource at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ7yDRU1vxg.
This file has been adapted from the original Easy Report Writer to make writing UCAS reports quick and easy. There are sections for comments including Work Ethic, Teamwork, Written, Verbal, Degree and Tail. With this ‘Premium’ version of this file you can write up to 35 UCAS subject reports at a time.
Please create your own UCAS comments rather than using the example ones here and make sure that your reports conform to format and requirements of your school/organisation.
Once you’ve created your comment banks, this file will save you hours and hours.
If you find this useful please leave a positive comment.
An important note… This file uses macros to do all the fancy stuff, but macros don’t work on Macs so you’ll need to run this file on a windows computer. It’s an Apple thing and is the same with all macro-based files. Any issues at all, please contact me at grahamcolman@colmanweb.co.uk.
A series of Decision Maths activities based on the London Underground network graph. Includes shortest path, TSP, route inspection and others. Loads of real life application & SMSC here.
Some answers included, more to be added. If you or your class find more before I do, please email grahamcolman@colmanweb.co.uk
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.
Perfect for top-end GCSE or A level/GCSE consolidation. Here’s a well laid out task consisting of 20 questions, being 4 questions based on each of;
Pythagoras
Standard right-angled trig
Sine rule
Cosine rule
Sine rule for area.
As well as a couple of straightforward questions there’s also real clanger or two of a question in each section. This will keep students busy for a full lesson. Answers included.
Tried and tested, and corrected(!), in the classroom many times. This download includes a pdf file as well as the original powerpoint file for easy editing.
This task was created at the request of my Yr13 sixthformers, “we don’t know any of this stuff, we don’t know how to adult!”
So, this activity consists of four pages with lots of finance words and terms together with information and definitions of what these are. The task is to match up the terms with their definitions. Words are grouped into four pages by:
The Basics
Using Money
Saving Money
Borrowing Money
We have deliberately included some simple and straightforward information as well as some of the more complicated technicalities. The task of matching up is designed to be fairly easy but the real goal here is to easily learn lots about these financial words, products, services etc.
Answers are included, just scroll down (or turn the page) to find them. The matching patterns have been designed to be easy to check pupils work but it’ll probably be easier still to print these off beforehand so that you can refer to them if necessary during the lesson. As mentioned above, we’ve included simple information as well as more complicated but you’re not expected to know all of this yourself. You may even take something from this activity too!
This download includes a pdf file as well as the original powerpoint file for easy editing.
Here’s a well thought out set of binomial expansion questions for Year 13 students (A level Year 2). Includes the general formula at top of page then eight questions for learning plus another eight for more practice plus an* application of* style question to finish.
Tried and tested in the classroom many times.
This download includes a pdf file as well as the original word file for easy editing.
Set of questions of progressive difficulty, based on variation theory and grouped into clear sections for students to familiarise themselves with the chain rule, answers included. Tried and tested successfully in the classroom many times. This download includes a pdf file as well as the original word file for easy editing.
Notes on how exam marks are typically awarded for integration by parts questions. Includes a writing frame, practice of several questions and answers. Questions taken from the AQA syllabus as shown on document. Tried and tested successfully in the classroom many times.
This download includes a pdf file as well as the original word file for easy editing.
Quick link to AQA pastpapers here: http://www.colmanweb.co.uk/pastpapers/Pages/aqaalevel.html.
This is one of a series of three 'How to get exam marks in integration by substitution / differential equations / integration by parts' resources. Also available as a bundle, search for 'Get exam marks in...'
Notes on how exam marks are typically awarded for integration by substitution questions. Includes a writing frame, practice of several questions and answers. Questions taken from the AQA syllabus as shown on document. Tried and tested successfully in the classroom many times.
This download includes a pdf file as well as the original word file for easy editing.
Quick link to AQA pastpapers here: http://www.colmanweb.co.uk/pastpapers/Pages/aqaalevel.html.
This is one of a series of three 'How to get exam marks in integration by substitution / differential equations / integration by parts' resources. Also available as a bundle, search for 'Get exam marks in...'
A set of some of the most popular and inspiring maths tricks for printing off as A5 size playing cards.
Each trick could provoke a lesson in itself. Files here include notes answers and links for each 'trick'. Here is also a copy of the Maths Tricks cards for displaying on the whiteboard. Various 'levels' of tricks and questions but these are largely suitable for Yr8-Yr12. Tried and tested, and corrected(!), in the classroom many times. Tried and tested many times in the classroom, as talks and as promo events with various age groups many times. This download includes pdf files as well as the orginal powerpoint and word files for easy editing.
Three match-up puzzles for pupils to practice product rule. First is straightforward polynomial brackets, second involves square roots and negative &/or fractional indices, the third involves exponentials and trig functions. The stars indicate the questions but you can choose whether or not to tell students this.
Answers included together with blank templates for pupils to create their own puzzles.
Tried and tested, and corrected(!), in the classroom many times. This download includes a pdf file as well as the original powerpoint file for easy editing.
Also available as complete set together with chain rule and quotient rule match-ups.
Three match-up puzzles for pupils to practice chain rule. First is straightforward polynomial brackets, second involves square roots and negative &/or fractional indices, the third involves exponentials and trig functions. The stars indicate the questions but you can choose whether or not to tell students this.
Answers included together with blank templates for pupils to create their own puzzles.
Tried and tested, and corrected(!), in the classroom many times. This download includes a pdf file as well as the original powerpoint file for easy editing.
Also available as complete set together with match-up product and quotient rule questions.
Three match-up puzzles for pupils to practice chain rule. First is straightforward polynomial brackets, second involves square roots and negative &/or fractional indices, the third involves exponentials and trig functions. The stars indicate the questions but you can choose whether or not to tell students this.
Answers included together with blank templates for pupils to create their own puzzles.
Tried and tested, and corrected(!), in the classroom many times. This download includes a pdf file as well as the original powerpoint file for easy editing.
Also available as complete set together with chain and product rule match-ups.