Find the roots as complex numbers and reveal the punchline to a cheesy joke. Something different to ploughing through text book exercises…

This worksheet deals with symmetry of quadratics, where a quadratic function intersects with the y-axis and turning points/vertices of quadratics. It is aimed at Further Maths Level 2 students but could be used at the top level of GCSE as well.

We put on a Stem Day for Year 6 students and decided to do binary as the topic for a 45 minute session. This takes students through converting between binary and decimal numbers, including a couple of codebreakers (we produced a Stem leaflet for them to take away). The PowerPoint moves on to adding and subtracting in binary if you need it. It went well and was delivered by a range of people so if it’s useful to you… There’s even a bonus codebreaker on adding and subtracting in binary.

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.

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 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.

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.

More fish jokes having simplified some algebraic expressions; The first one is using just one variable, the second uses two. These offer incentive to complete the sheets (to find the joke) beyond just finishing and whilst the students often groan at the jokes they secretly love them (I have convinced myself).

Using the “Impossible” game show format where each question has three options: a correct answer, an incorrect answer which would be correct in a different concept and an impossible answer. There are 12 questions tackling transformations, surds, quadratics, inequalities and more. Students need to calculate which is the correct answer, which is impossible and which is incorrect but “partially right” so this should encourage discussion in class and develop a deeper understanding.

I realised that I didn’t have anything on currency conversion so I amended the situation and you get to reveal another lame fish joke. Typo corrected.

The usual thing: do some maths and find the punchline to a cheesy joke. Ideal for online learning or any other type of activity.

There are 10 statements for students to decide whather they are true or false regarding a pair of box plots. This should encourage mathematical discussion and these sheets seem to work well online too.

There are 6 sheets here covering finding the next term in a sequence, using the nth term, finding the nth term (arithmetic and quadratic), summing arithmetic and geometric sequences. These all contain the answers but there are more answers than questions to discourage guessing. this style of sheet has worked well both online and in classrooms in my experience and means that teacher can help those who require it whilst others get on, checking that their answers are on the sheet.

Each slide contains five questions that have been answered, but not necessarily correctly. Your class need to discuss whether the answer given is correct or not and find the correct answer if not. These bring up common errors and lots of discussions. Areas covered: substitution, inverses, composite, domain & range.

Casey is working through the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate and has reached the Calculus chapter; however, Casey requires the help of your class. Spot the mistakes, correct them and explain where Casey has gone wrong. These work well for discussions in class.

Formula, values, workings and answer columns; stuff is left blank, students fill in the blanks. It does what it says on the tin.

Designed for the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate, it struck me as we were covering matrices that a “fill in the blanks” sheets would (should?) work nicely with them. Hopefully I have come close to hitting the nail on the head… it involves multiplying and transformations.

Students must work out from the written transformations the transformation matrix in each case to reveal a punchline to a joke. This is designed for the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate qualification.

This asks students to estimate where a given fraction, decimal or percentage should be within a block; this uses students’ knowledge of the conversion between the three. Inspired by Professor Smudge (Twitter: @ProfSmudge).

Casey is now on the final chapter of the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate: matrices, including multiplying and transformations. Casey requires help because mistakes are being made; can your classes help and explain what Casey has done wrong? These work well as discussion activities in class in my experience, but use them (or not) how you wish,