This is a classic maths investigation I liked to do with year 3/4s. I’ve simple made it pirate themed. The goal is to work systematically to find all the possible combinations and to keep track of your answers. We usually attempted this in pairs. It’s nice to let the children have a go themselves and then discuss ideas about systematic recording. I hope you enjoy it! :) Please, leave a review if you have time.

This is an investigation on money I made during our Anglo Saxon topic. I did this with a year 3/4 class, but older children would enjoy it too. The children work together in partners or threes to solve these money-based addition and subtraction problems. They can use whichever methods you have been teaching. There are two levels of difficulty, plus a bonus multiplication sheet for an extra challenge. I hope you enjoy this investigation! :) Please, leave a review if you have time.

This is maths investigation for year 3/4 children. It can be attempted in pairs of threes with support and manipulatives. It encourages children to recognise subtraction as the inverse of addition and shows how this can be used to solve problems. It’s Narnia themed, but this could easily be changed. The answers are included. I hope you enjoy this investigation! :) Please, leave a review if you have time.

This is a maths investigation using Cuisenaire rods to find different ways of making a half, a third and three quarters (equivalent fractions). We attempted this in a year 3/4 class in pairs and threes. You could also use it for older children. The investigation is pirate themed, as that was our topic, but you could easily change the name to something else. Enjoy your work on fractions! :) Please, leave a review if you have time.

I designed this map to accompany The Once Upon a Time Map book by G. Hennessy. It has space for children to add their own coordinates. They can write down a list of things for a partner to find and then swap maps. It was loads of fun! You could also use this map for work on pirates or any topic to do with fairy tales. I hope you enjoy it! :)

This is a maths trail I created for our primary school. Parents were invited to school for the afternoon to complete the trail with their children. Some teaching staff helped the children whose parents couldn’t attend do the challenge in groups. Other staff were positioned around the school to offer help and talk with parents. Several teachers were stationed at a desk where the participants could have their photos taken and get a certificate once they’d finished. There was also a refreshments desk manned by parent volunteers. Although I designed this maths trail using photos of my school, the ideas for the challenges are quite applicable to any school. You could use this file to give you ideas for your maths trail, or edit it using photos of your school. Just make sure you work out what the answers are! I hope your maths event is as successful as ours. The parents and children loved it! :) This pack includes the following: my maths trail, answer sheet, explainer sheet for staff and a certificate.