Functional Maths - measures, shape & space

Resources particularly suitable for teaching and underpinning Functional Mathematics - using common measures, shape and space.  May cover any or all of the following topics:

  • money (inc. simple interest);
  • time
  • metric and Imperial measures of length, weight and capacity
  • temperature
  • compound measures  inc. speed, density & rates of pay
  • 2D and 3D shapes inc. line symmetry
  • positional and directional vocabulary
  • reading scales / using measuring instruments
  • maps and scale plans
  • coordinates (positive & negative)
  • angles
  • constructing and interpreting geometric diagrams and models (inc. nets and elevations)
  • perimeter, area and volume.

I wanted to create a resource to enable my students to practise calculating with time.

Most of the students work in Wiltshire, but live in Yorkshire, so I thought it would be fun if they explored different travel methods to Yorkshire to see which was the fastest. The travel distances and times were from the Internet and I created this resource differentiated for Levels 1 and 2.

Editor’s note
Clever differentiation. Although both sets of questions are the same, the Level 2 learner has more complex information to choose from.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Maths
AN MSS1/L2.2 Calculate, measure and record time
AN MSS1/L1.2 Read & measure time and use timetables
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space
Context
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

A challenging set of questions based on a short text about the stunning Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation at the Tower of London.
Questions cover number measures, time, money, area – many calculations involve working with very large numbers.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Maths
Functional Maths - numbers and the number system
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space
General numeracy / maths
Context
Voluntary, Charity and Community
News, Politics & Government items
History, culture, museums, libraries

A very useful PPT with guidance and examples on finding the perimeter and area of complex shapes.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Maths
MSS1/L2.8
MSS1/L2.7
MSS1/L1.9
MSS1/L1.8
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space

A worksheet where learners research and record findings using Google maps. The idea is to get them familiar with reference points for distances. Gives learners an idea how far places are from them in real terms, and teaches them to estimate with measurements.
Also provides good practice with the Google maps app on phones, Mac or PC.

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Maths
AN Length weight capacity temperature scales
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space
ICT
Functional Skills ICT: Finding and selecting information
Context
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism
Independent living

Budgeting Spreadsheet: Students enter amounts into a self calculating spreadsheet to work out a persons budget for the month.
This resource is best used around the topic of budgeting and bank accounts. I used it alongside the excellent Barclays Money Skills site.

Level
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Maths
MSS1/E3.2
AN MSS1/E3.1 Add & subtract money using decimal notation
MSS1/E2.2
MSS1/E2.1
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space
Functional Maths - handling information and data
Context
Independent living
Business & Money management

I have created this worksheet to assess learners studying maths at level 2 in solving problems which involve extracting and interpreting continuous data from the conversion line graph metres to feet and calculating, comparing and estimating with units of length in the Imperial and metric system.

Level
Level 2
Maths
MSS1/L2.6
HD1/L2.1
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space
Functional Maths

I have created this worksheet to assess Entry Level 3 maths learners in their ability to understand time in the 12-hour and 24-hour clock and reading analogue and 12-hour digital clocks to the nearest five minutes.

Level
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Maths
AN MSS1/E3.3
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space

I have created this mini task to assess numeracy/functional skills learners (Entry level 3 to level 1) in
- understanding and using common date formats
- using a calendar
- reading time in the 12-hour and 24-hour formats
- recording time in the 12-hour analogue clock
- knowing that 12:00 or 1200 is midday

Level
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Maths
AN MSS1/L1.3 Calculate with and convert between units of time
AN MSS1/L1.2 Read & measure time and use timetables
AN MSS1/E3.3
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space
Context
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

Eight different tasks based on three delightful Christmas mincemeat recipes – accompanied by very enticing photographs!. Suitable for E3-L2. Tasks cover metric measures, a web investigation, converting between metric and Imperial units, and ratio and proportion. Fully mapped to the Functional Maths criteria.

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Maths
MSS1/L2.6
MSS1/L2.5
MSS1/L1.6
MSS1/E3.6
AN N1/L2.3
AN N1/L1.7
Functional Maths - numbers and the number system
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space

This is an adaptation of Murder at the Grange, which my students have always enjoyed.

I wanted to extend the work on calculating with time, so learners have to use and extend timetables and calculate multi-stage journey times. I also thought it would be good to have some female characters!

Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Maths
AN MSS1/L2.2 Calculate, measure and record time
AN MSS1/L1.3 Calculate with and convert between units of time
AN MSS1/L1.2 Read & measure time and use timetables
AN MSS1/E3.3
MSS1/E2.4
MSS1/E2.3
Functional Maths - measures, shape & space