This is the first of a series of 'stories' I have written for my students. This story involves some dinosaurs ('trinosaurs') in the shapes of common triangles. The 'trinosaurs' love to work out each others' perimeters and areas but have trouble working out their areas when they don't know their heights - cue 'The Pythagosaurus Rex' - who helps the other 'trinosaurs' work out their missing lengths (heights) using Pythagoras' Theorem. The story includes explaining how to find the perimeter and area of triangles (no trig involved), then explaining Pythagoras' theorem and some questions to attempt (answers at the back of the book). All pictures hand drawn by me! I show the story to my students at the start of teaching Pythagoras and get them to read it aloud in class - can be quite fun as it's a change from 'the norm'.

plate techtonics overview/review

Here is a starter I have used when teaching fractions/fractions of amounts. It involves working out the fraction of the cost of a PS3 various family members will pay towards a present. Could also be used as a plenary.

A powerpoint to explore the magnitude of numbers both positive and negative. An insight into algebra too. When I did this in class I explored what would happen with different values of a and x. I used this to explore negative numbers and as a starter to moving on to multiplying negatives

This is my fake class 'Twittter' page that I use once I have done a class 'Tweets' plenary. In the Class 'Tweets' plenary I get my classes to write in a Tweet (140 characters) on post-it notes something they have learnt during the lesson that they did not know previously. The class then stick their post-it notes on the IWB on the way out. I then type up their 'tweets' on to the powerpoint and show the class at the start of the next lesson to show the class what they learnt in their previous lesson

These are a series of revision lessons I have put together following a literacy exhibition lesson I observed. The idea is that you show the students the 1st slide on each & ask what is implied by the image - what could they be asked to do in a GCSE exam question if they were presented with that image? Following their ideas, there are lots of different questions using the intial image. For more information on how I have used these with my classes see http://mrcollinsmaths.blogspot.co.uk

This is a ppt of lessons for solving algebraic fractions. Starter involves solving linear equations that involve fractions (and brackets), answers included. Solving algebraic fractions by 'cross-multiplying' examples are then given for you to go through with your students before they attempt some questions, all answers included. Another quick starter on adding/subtracting fractions. Then, examples to solve algebraic fractions that deduce a quadratic equation to be solved. Use of a common denominator and then recapping of the methods to solve quadratic equations is necessary and can come out in the teacher's examples included. Questions then given for students to attempt, all answers given. Finally, a 'Finish Him' style plenary task for students to attempt after the teacher has started it off for them. All slides have 'tabs' to refer back to LOs and key words throughout the lesson - can be copied and pasted to any slide/ppt.

A powerpoint to aid review. This is part 4 of 8 powerpoints I used with my 10th Grade class.

A powerpoint to aid reviiew on 10th grade science test. This is part 2 of 6 powerpoints I used with my 10 Grade class. Look out for the others.

A powerpoint to aid review.

Run your very own game of ‘Deal or No Deal’ with this complete set of resources. Included are: a IWB (notebook) file that includes the main game board with amounts to swipe away, just like on the TV show, and your very own Banker’s phone call sound effect. Also, there is a random box generator, questions template and a specific circle theorems game board. I have also included some useful notes for teachers, which includes a link to my blog post providing further information on how to run the game. Your students will love this...you just need to get some boxes (ask your Art/DT department)!

An engaging game looking at the properties of quadrilaterals. The game is based on the popular board game 'Guess Who'. Students pick a playing card from the deck and then, in turn, ask each other questions to try and guess which quadrilateral their partner has. As the game progresses students eliminate (cross off) the quadrilaterals from their board, based on their partner's answers to their questions. The game is won when one student guesses, correctly, their partner's quadrilateral. Playing board and (back-to-back) playing cards included as well as full instructions and suggestions as to how best use the resource.

A PowerPoint packed full of Valentine’s Day themed activities. The first is to find your 'true love' by finding the number of vowels in a person’s name as a percentage of the number of letters in their name. The main involves listing outcomes of meal choices from a Valentine’s Day dinner menu. There is then a short task involving the love of the number 27 (or the numbers your students love). 2 investigative tasks are then posed based on the main task and finally there is another short task to find one’s ‘true love’! All the teacher notes are in the slides, examples are given and answers to the main task also included. Happy Valentine’s Day. Read more here...http://goo.gl/VAPnSS

A set of 100+ Plenary questions/tasks to use in your Mathematics lessons. Print, cut up and laminate each page of this resource before hole punching and binding the ‘sticks’ together for plenty of use in your lessons. Included in the resource, in addition to the 100+ questions/tasks are blank ‘sticks’ for you to create your own questions/tasks, plus suggestions as to how best use this resource with your students. Read more here...http://goo.gl/J2LYSe

This is an activity I use with my students after we have covered substitution into expressions. Students are given the MEGA substitution grid and a mini whiteboard/their exercise book and must substitute the values given in each column into the expressions in each row. The grid should be completely filled in. There are a few parts of the grid already filled in for the teacher to go through with the class - ensuring they are able to see how the values have been achieved. All answers included in the ppt. Grid displayed on the board throughout the activity so the teacher can refer to as students ask questions. The activity involves substituting integer values (positive, negative and zero) into simple expressions (including negatives), those with squared terms and brackets.

This is an IWB resource I created to go with my 'Mr Collins&' Table Sheets&'; resources. The idea is that I split my class into the two teams 'Collins City&' and &';Raymonds Rovers' and then using an inflatable football to play a &'match&'; of football with the class as a plenary activity; students answer questions to 'shoot&' or pass to another player. For more information on how I run this activity see my blog post at http://mrcollinsmaths.blogspot.com Resource can be used without the table sheets by printing and handing out the team shirts on slide 2.

I have created a class set of 'ABCD Plenary Fans' to use as a plenary/starter in my lessons. I have uploaded the file I created to create the fans themselves. I printed and cut out enough of the arrows to double side them before laminating and then fastening with paper fasteners. Then, I created the multiple choice Plenary presentation to use with the fans - all you need to do is add in the questions and answers. See my blog post for more info http://mrcollinsreflectivejournal.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/abcd-fans.html

A set of 3 calling cards I give to my students. They each get a set of three cards. I then put examples on the board and point to a specific length of a triangle. The class then hold up the card they think corresponds with the length.

An interactive PowerPoint for the IWB to help students recall of their times tables. Themed around the popular ‘Blockbusters’ TV programme format students (in teams) try and get times tables questions correct and create a row of answers from the left to the right of the grid. All slides are interactive with all controls explained the teacher instructions document. My students love the competitive nature of this game and learn their tables at the same time. All times tables 2-12 are included as well as separate games for square numbers, mixed times tables and a bonus ‘tricky’ game of the 12-19 times tables!

This a complete set of lessons on factorising quadratic expressions. Starter includes expanding single and double brackets, all answers included Then, a nice 'Products and Sums' task where students, on mini whiteboards, find which numbers have a product of ... and a sum of... . LOs, before examples for you to cover with your class on each permutation of signs in the brackets once factorised - a very scaffolded approach to suit lower ability students. All answers included for questions posed to students. Other starter activity is to find pairs of expressions that match before continuing with the series of lessons. Finally, a 'My favourite No' (see my blog mrcollinsmaths.blogspot.co.uk) plenary task to review students learning.