Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

This maths investigation brings awareness about reusable energy and therefore, sustainability. Students are asked to analyse data and make decisions through connecting a few different topics of mathematics such as large numbers, rational numbers (including ratio and scale), handling data and elements of geometry. Moreover, the project can be continued by English language tutors.

This is a worksheet based on data supplied by a librarian. The library had been collecting second hand books from people and sent them to BetterWorld Books. The librarian told me that 688 books had been sent and then provided the information of what would be saved, earned or donated if there were 1000 books sent. The worksheet asks the students to work out the quantities for all the books that had been sent. It will be suitable as a group project for lower ability learners but should be suitable for learners at Level 2 to work through on their own.

A straightforward addition and subtraction worksheet which can be used a starter or a worksheet for adult learners. Also useful for teenagers doing budgeting, independent living, etc.

Print and cut in to 3 sets of cards. Can be used in a number of ways – match the underlined digit with the corresponding card for it’s place value OR match the words with numbers OR use for ordering numbers. Can be differentiated with size of numbers.

This is a practical handling data task at L1 and L2 which uses the Internet to find the necesssary data in order to complete a Expenses claim form.

I work with Landbased students most of whom visit an exhibition at the Bath & West show ground. In this task they have to work out how much it will cost them to travel to the site and how much the entry fee is, then enter this information onto a expenses claim form as if they were submitting it to an employed to reclaim their costs.

For L2 students they need to find the actual cost of the fuel they use for the journey.

Hands-on extension tasks for various Skillsworkshop cocktail and smoothie resources. (Original resources can be found under “see also” below).

I put this together to explore number calculations and word problems with a mixed group of adult learners, looking at estimating, ways of checking your calculations and ways of reversing calculations.

Teaching learners at Entry Level I have found that many of them have difficulties using coins to pay for their snacks or checking their change.

This resource includes a collection of worksheets that start with several number sequences counting in twos, then move on to count the total value of different number of 2p coins and finish asking the learner to count the number of 2p coins that they need to make up different amounts. The sequence of worksheets is repeated counting in 5s and using 5p coins, then counting in 10s and using 10p coins.

This PowerPoint was used to introduce Pythagoras’ Theorem to Functional Skills college students whose main course work is to do with the Building Trades (Carpenters, Electricians). The last 4 slides therefore deal with using Pythagoras’ theorem to calculate the length of roof rafters.

Editor’s note
I realise that using Pythagoras’ theorem is beyond the scope of L2 Functional Maths Exams but this is a very useful PPT due to the vocational questions. Would also be useful for GCSE Maths.

An activity using mobile phones. Students could also do a warm-up by measuring and weighing real phones (switched off)!

The lesson was designed for an E3 young learner class. The last section, using percentage changes, might suit stronger learners (L1 extension).

Editor’s note
Fully mapped to the Functional Maths criteria. Covers rounding whole nos. and decimals, money, percentages, fractions and area.