Two “Crack The Safe” activities on solving linear equations (one on two-step and one on more than two-step, including fractions and brackets). These contain six questions but six possible answers for each question meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Three “Crack The Safe” activities on expressions: expanding and factorising, including quadratics and expanding three brackets. These contain six questions (four on the three brackets) but three possible answers for each question meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Three “Crack The Safe” activities on graphs (one on calculating gradient, one on y=mx+c, one on finding coordinates given an equation, one on transforming functions: two quadratics and a trigonometric function). These contain six questions but ten possible answers meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Four screens each with four questions that have the same answer but the question is missing information; can your class work out what information is missing? This is designed to create discussion (some questions have multiple answers possible and can be extended by asking students to find general solutions) and I intend to use these as starters. All these are algebra based questions involving solving equations, inequalities, equations of lines, formulae and more. I use these as starters; I put them on the board and students can get straight on with them upon their arrival.

Four screens each with four questions that have the same answer but the question is missing information; can your class work out what information is missing? This is designed to create discussion (some questions have multiple answers possible and can be extended by asking students to find general solutions) and I intend to use these as starters. All these are number based questions involving fractions, percentages, ratio, directed numbers and more. I use these as starters; I put them on the board and students can get straight on with them upon their arrival.

Three “Crack The Safe” activities on standard form and surds (one on simplifying and one on expanding brackets and rationalising the denominator). These contain six questions but six possible answers for each question meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Three “Crack The Safe” activities on time problems, converting metric units and compound measures (speed and density). These contain six questions but ten possible answers meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

The students are given the answer and asked to fill in the gaps in the question. Topics used involve probability, equations, simultaneous equations, fractions, percentages, ratio, speed, distance, time and many others. Some of the questions allow for multiple answers so discussion could be had. Designed to be used as starters/plenaries to get the grey matter moving. The Christmas theme runs through every question and is a tad tenuous at times but there you go.

Two “Crack The Safe” activities on rounding, estimation and bounds; the first one is simple decimal places and significant figures and the second involves bounds. These contain six questions but ten possible answers meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Three “Crack The Safe” activities on decimals (stuff related to decimals). There is one on calculating with decimals, one on equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages and one on recurring decimals. These contain six questions but ten possible answers (bar the equivalence worksheet) meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Two “Crack The Safe” activities on types of numbers and HCF/LCM. The two sheets are split into types of number and HCF/LCM problems. These contain six questions but ten possible answers meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Mick Carter, landlord of the Queen Vic in Eastenders, requires help with some fractions that he’s trying to shift. Can your class help him? This involves converting between mixed and improper fractions as well as calculating with them. Eastenders theme tune is optional…

Four “Crack The Safe” activities on percentages. They work their way up from percentage of a number, through multipliers, percentage change and repeated percentage change. These contain six questions but ten possible answers meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Four screens each with four questions that have the same answer but the question is missing information; can your class work out what information is missing? This is designed to create discussion (some questions have multiple answers possible) and I intend to use these as starters. Topics include ratio, probability, solving equations, indices, angles and many more.

Four “Crack The Safe” activities on ratio and proportion: three on ratio and one on proportion, although the ratio problems sheet has a couple of inverse proportion problems. These contain six questions but ten possible answers meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you. The emphasis in the ratio sheets is upon worded questions so discussion may be generated here.

Four sets of four problems where students have the answer but there are blanks in the questions which require filling in. This is designed to create discussion in class and hopefully provides natural differentiation (stretch the “top end” by finding the general solution where possible compared to finding a single solution). Whilst some of the questions can be answered without using algebra, this could be a way of convincing that the letters in algebra are just numbers! I will be using these as starters or plenaries as I believe they will develop deeper understanding of topics, but feel free to use them as you like.

Two “Crack The Safe” activities on indices: one on index laws and one on fractional and negative indices. These contain six questions but ten possible answers meaning that students can self-check their answers (are they in the list of possible answers?) whilst the teacher can help those who require it. I use these as starters and plenaries but that is obviously up to you.

Four “Crack The Safe” activities on fractions: adding/subtracting, multiplying/dividing, mixed numbers and fraction of an amount. Each contains six questions and ten possible answers. The reason behind this is to allow students to check their own answers whilst the teacher can spend time with anyone who requires more help. I find these work nicely as starters or plenaries but obviously you can use them however you like.

Four sets of four problems where students have the answer but there are blanks in the questions which require filling in. This is designed to create discussion in class and hopefully provides natural differentiation (stretch the “top end” by finding the general solution where possible compared to finding a single solution). It focuses on the more “challenging” aspects of indices including negative and fractional. I will be using these as starters or plenaries as I believe they will develop deeper understanding of topics, but feel free to use them as you like.

On a trip around my local record and charity shops I found the 7 inch single of the Fraggle Rock (a popular 1980s children’s TV show featuring muppet-like creatures) theme tune. Having posted a picture of my find on social media it was suggested that I should write a maths resource involving them and this is what occurred. It is essentially fractions, decimals and percentages (you probably guessed that from the title) and involves finding the fraction of an amount, comparing fractions, equivalent fractions, decimals, percentages, percentage of a number and repeated percentage change. The presentation includes links to the theme tune and uses the characters from the show. The last video link now updated.