Students are give the answers but there are parts missing in the question; students must decide what should go in the blanks. This should cater for all ages and abilities at secondary (and some primary) and lead to discussion in classrooms. There are four slides of four questions and suggested values/expressions.

Four slides each containing four questions with parts missing but an answer to reach meaning that students have to demonstrate their understanding by filling in the blanks. This is designed to create discussion.

The usual answering of maths questions reveals the punchline; my classes like these and in this time of remote learning they are easy to mark! This involves set notation with three sets in some questions. Mistake on the last question now corrected!

Two codebreakers on factorising quadratics, some of which are a difference of two squares. The usual lame jokes…

Four slides each containing four inequalities questions where students are given the answers but are missing parts of the question; their job is to fill in the blanks. This should allow students to demonstrate their understanding as well as encouraging discussion as some of the blanks could be filled with numerous different values. This involves solving, satisfying (number lines etc), regions etc.

This is four sets of four questions on statistics, mainly involving statistical graphs including pictograms, bar charts, pie charts, frequency diagrams, scatter graphs, cumulative frequency, box plots and histograms. They get increasingly more difficult as you work your way through them. The answers are given but elements of each question are missing in each case and students are required to fill in the blanks so that the questions work. This is designed to create discussion and allow students to demonstrate that they can interpret statistical graphs.

I needed something for the lockdown on sets so here it is; the usual cheesy joke having answered some Maths questions on set notation.

This is a variation on a codebreaker; unfortunately the software (PowerPoint) won’t let me reflect words, but it will let me rotate them. The shapes fit together when transformed correctly and the words should form a cheesy joke.

Clive is having a go at some revision tests on some basic algebra, including simple algebraic fractions, like terms, expanding brackets, solving linear equations (including with variables on both sides), expanding two brackets and substitution. He has made a mistake on each question; your class needs to spot the error, correct it and then explain what it is. These are designed to encourage discussion in class and develop deeper understanding using common errors.

Two vectors codebreakers with cheesy jokes having answered some questions. My classes like these and I’ve been using them whilst remote learning as they are easy to mark and the students know whether they are right or not straight away or almost straight away.

Clive has a homework on function notation involving domains, ranges, inverses and composite functions. He has, as per usual, made errors that your class can find, correct and explain so that Clive learns from his mistakes. These are designed to create discussion in class and this one could be used as a transitional activity between GCSE/IGCSE and A level.

The name of these was born out of a typo (obviously) but it’s the usual format: do some maths (solve equations in this case) to find the punchline to a cheesy joke about fish, hence the “codbreaker”. Good for a starter, main activity or a plenary in my experience and the students enjoy finding the punchline, especially being the first to do so. This involves anything from two-step equations to variables on both sides including fractional parts. Number 2 is more challenging than number 1.

Clive is having a go at a couple of ratio and proportion tests but making mistakes as per usual; he desperately needs your help to set him straight. These are designed to create discussion in class using common mistakes. There are two tests, the second being more challenging than the first. The first concentrates on ratio whilst the second concentrates on proportion.

This is an activity designed to et students thinking about ratio but changing one value in a ratio to get another ratio. There are four ratios on each slide which get steadily more challenging and should create discussion. This also brings multiples and factors into play as well as simplifying/equivalent ratio.

Clive is tackling number in these two tests, including properties of number, HCF, LCM, prime factors, Venn diagrams and the product rule for counting. As ever he is making mistakes and needs help from your classes to help him correct his errors and then explain what he did wrong so that he (hopefully) doesn’t make the same mistakes again. This is designed to create discussion.

More fish jokes to be discovered having done some maths; there are two to do here, the first dealing with integers that satisfy inequalities (including number lines) and the second that deals with solving inequalities. I use these at various different times of a lesson but clearly the choice is yours whether you use them or not and when! They are always popular even though the groans over the jokes get louder each time.

Clive is tackling two tests on surds and indices; the second is more challenging than the first. As usual he is making mistakes and needs your students’ help to explain what he has done wrong and show him how he should have completed the questions correctly. These activities are designed to create discussion and develop understanding and model the new style “spot the error” questions that now appear in many exams.

There are four slides (and a template so you can create your own); there are 3 or 4 digits and students need to achieve certain number properties using add, subtract, multiply or divide and brackets where necessary. Many of the properties can be achieved in multiple ways (I think!) so this should create some discussion and allow for some challenge. I have given an example of a solution for each but there are more so students can demonstrate their thinking.

Two fish jokes to figure out; the first codbreaker asks students to find prime factors and the second is on finding HCF or LCM. I use these as starters, plenaries and main tasks as they are self-marking; this means that they have been useful for online learning/lessons too.

Clive is looking at some questions on linear graphs, but as usual he is making mistakes that your classes need to help him with, explaining what he has done incorrectly so that he (hopefully) doesn’t make the same mistakes in the future. This is designed to encourage discussion and help students to develop a deeper understanding of the topic.