A gentle starter for those beginning to grasp proportionality. It enables extension by encouraging pupils to design their own questions (with answers). Proportionality is visualised using a familiar item (beans) that they may see at home. Recognising that such a familiar item may be used in this way may lead to experimentation beyond the classroom.

Key Stage 3. Ratio & Proportional Reasoning 4. For the beginnings of ratio and where it is found and used.

Trigonometric Ratios from first principles & pythagoras’ theorem. Set in context of tracking a star orbiting an Earth assumed to be flat (as it seemingly was at the time the principles were first developed!).

Self explanatory. Identify gradient and y-intercept of line so correct shot is taken by laser to stop Kim Jong Il’s missiles. If the wrong equations are chosen, and the back-up fails, the consequences are clear…

Expanding one and two binomials (single and double brackets); with positively wibbly wobbly variables.

Subject to further development…

Adding Multiplication Estimation

Seeing gradient.

**A couple of poems with a few mathematical questions. Nothing too heavy; but enough to spur some thought.

Place Bearing Point on ground and calibrate to magnetic north using compass/GPS. Pupil stands on Bearing Point with trundle wheel. Giant scale map-making/diagram-drawing begins. Corners/Vertices can be marked using cones. Bearing point can be lifted and replaced with cone at each vertex to aid taking further bearings. £4.50 IKEA Mat: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40239429/ Chalk pen: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pens+chalkérh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Apens+chalk [might work with Tippex pen]

Print the .pdf using the multiple pages per sheet option; or create GIANT WHOLE CLASS card sort by printing each page on A4. Several ways to sort these effectively. Be inventive!

Maths Revision for Red Nose Day. *All* monies I recieve from TES website (60% of what you pay) for this resource will be given to Comic Relief. I will keep nothing! What TES choose to do with their 40% is up to them! :-) You can: (i) run it as a plenary on screen. (ii) print the full set of 9 nose's questions on a single sheet of A4 and then photocopy onto a larger (A3) quiz sheet. Answers included for each option in format consistent with the option (one-to-one & block of nine).

Differentiated questions with two different answer approaches: Allowing progression by attempting one at each level of difficulty then marking before returning to try each again. Allowing progression by attempting all at each level of difficulty and then marking before moving up a level.

A mini task. Defining and redefining 'the counted thing': one. Leads to creation of Venn diagram. Requires or tests recognition of circle, square and rectangle. Once they've understood the ideas, pupils can be encouraged to apply them when they are next in the garden of an English pub

Revision of English Mathematics Key Stage 3 and/or Key Stage 4 basics. Giant floor puzzle. Print to A3 paper and then cut out the triangles. Laminate if you wish to reuse. Testing suggests optimum size for groups is 8-10 pupils. Alternately, give a couple of pieces to each pupil at the start; then as pieces placed and pupils sit in circle to watch the “core team” fit the pairs together, run substitutions in/out of the choir team from the chairs. Alternately, insist each pupil holds a single puzzle piece and finds every match for his/her piece and then stands up holding their piece in the air. This requires an overhead fish-eye/sports camera looking down on your hall/room - and a bigger than A3 print.

A set of three colourful questions to encourage pupils to understand: (i) why angle-naming conventions exist and (ii) how to apply them.

Scaffolded. On a journey toward stronger work with pie charts and elsewhere.

It's a card sort: to match cubic graphs and cubic equations; possibly by utilising factor theorem to analyse the cubic equations into their factors.

Trigonometry - Card sort - all three ratios - all three types (labelled bronze; silver; gold)

A mind-opening starter pair.