This came from observing a colleague and an idea of making students use their knowledge in a more general way. I have gone from basic angle facts up to circle theorems. I have also (acting on advice) given example reasoning for students to circle on some questions…

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).

Estimate where each fraction is given a “marker” fraction. This is designed to get students thinking about the relative sizes of fractions including multiples and “factors” of the fractions. A discussion about how they reached their answer is what I’m planning to do, but you may well have better ideas. Inspired by Professor Smudge (on Twitter: @ProfSmudge) and his blog (decimalicious.blogspot.com)

This is a non-calculator sheet, using knowledge of exact trig values to solve problems. The joke is obviously hilarious… Designed for GCSE or AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate.

The usual answer the questions, reveal the joke, this time using multiple circle theorems or forming and solving equations using circle theorems.

This is purely aimed at Further Maths Level 2 where functions have three distinct parts. The joke is not my best to be honest, but I had to get one that was the right length!

Each tree has three or four questions that get progressively more challenging as you work your way to the top. The idea is for a student to start where they think they’ll be challenged and then move up from that point, but ultimately it can be used however.

Solve some quadratic inequalities, reveal a cheesy joke about fish. A simple but effective concept that always seems popular in my classroom, plus the answers are on the sheet so students know whether they are right or wrong as the answer will reveal itself. Typos corrected…

This is a version of the codebreaker with a fish/aquatic joke. Each of the 40+ comes with answers and provides students with a fun challenge that’s slightly different to working through exercises. These have worked well in online lessons. Topics include algebraic fractions, indices, compound measures, area and perimeter, ratio and proportion, equations of lines, inequalities, measures, volume, expressions and many more. Each of these is available individually for free.

Six trees to climb on percentages, covering equivalence, of an amount, change and repeated change. Each tree gets increasingly challenging as the tree is scaled so these might be useful for a plenary or starter to inform you of where they feel comfortable/challenged.

Six trees taking students through simplifying, fractions of an amount, add/subtracting, multiplying/dividing, mixed numbers. Four questions on each getting progressively harder so students can choose the level they start (and finish). Good for starters or plenaries(?).

Find an expression in terms of x for y using circle theorems and discover the punchline to a cheesy joke. Designed for AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate but could be used as an extension at GCSE. Typo corrected!

This is designed for students sitting AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate (it could be a basic A Level one too), but it is the usual thing: answer question, laugh at joke.

Three codebreakers covering area using trig, the sine rule and cosine rule respectively. Make sure that students do not round any answers until right at the end (it does state on each to round you “final answer”) and reveal the three cheesy jokes. These work well in my classes as starters, plenaries or main tasks. Each one is an anagram so that students are not tempted to guess letters. The final question on each is more of a problem solving question.

Written for the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate but could be used at A Level too. This is the usual “answer the questions, reveal the anagram of the punchline” thing, being an anagram so that student don’t guess the order/answers. I like this joke but others may not…

A sheet in four parts regarding functions: substitution, domain/range, inverses and composite. I have tried to cover as many different aspects of each part; each part contains eight questions and I have done it this way so you can use each part separately if you wish, or all together, whatever you like. The idea is to work forwards and backwards using the information given. Hopefully it is fairly self-explanatory but no doubt we will find out!

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,

Casey is doing the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate and struggling; Casey requires you class’ help to explain where they have gone wrong and then correct it. This chapter deals with trigonometry and Pythagoras including £D and non-right-angled triangles.

For those who have used these before it is the usual format where students answer questions to reveal a punchline to a cheesy joke. Student seem to like them as they offer a competitive edge and are different from answering questions out of a text book. I use these as starters/plenaries but occasionally as a main task. Topics here include inequalities, linear and quadratic graphs, simultaneous equations, transformations, expanding brackets, factorising expressions (including quadratics), rearranging formulae amongst others. Some of these are already available for free on TES.

Around 25 codebreakers (answer the questions, reveal the punchline to a joke) in this bundle. There are a number aimed at covering parts of the AQA Further Maths Level 2 Certificate but also ones covering topics on the GCSE curriculum too. Each of these is individually available for free but if you want all of them they are available here.