Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

A quick but very useful match-up activity that makes a good starter activity for financial literacy or employment skills courses - and it's bound to prompt discussion.

Editor's note

Written for an Australian audience but I have added a UK version on page 2.  Learners can draw lines to match the items or, for a reusable resource, the page could be laminated and/or cut into 12 cards. 

An Australian version (i.e. uses A$, Australian vocabulary and minimum wage details, etc.) of the popular Stash the Cash written by Andy Morrell in 2010. In addition to currency changes this version also includes an extra version of the calculations table and other changes. For example,  the table on page 3 has extra columns to make the mathematical operations explicit and to allow students to practise writing mathematical “sentences”.

A light-hearted poem to celebrate International Pi Day and British Pie Week.  Pi Day is celebrated on 14th March every year (3.14) and British Pie Week is usually during the first full week of March.

In English classes this poem could be used as a discussion starter on the theme of food likes and dislikes, vegetarianism and diet.

In Maths classes it could be used as a humorous introduction to Pi.

Editor's notes

Love this  :) 

These two PowerPoints cover the properties of  2D and 3D shapes (E2-E3) - faces, edges, vertices and line symmetry. This is assessed using a quiz in PPT1. Both PPTs then move on to recognising nets and drawing nets of cubes and cuboids (now found in Level 1 exams). The second PPT can be printed off and used as a workbook.  I have also included two links to You tube but you can use your own favourite shape/nets video links if you prefer.

Editor's note

Useful PPT for introducing or revising probability. Warm up questions with built in answers followed by several sets of tasks - one based on another Skillsworkshop sheet (Independent Events - see link under "See also"). Covers  likelihood line, calculating probability (including simplifying fractions) and probability of events using a number line.

Can be cut up into flashcards and used as a quiz.   Number the back of them and laminate. Place face down on a table, Each team or individual must collect a card, answer it and then place it back on the table for others to use.

or

Print off as a whole and let learners work individually through questions.

Editor's note

Whilst I designed this resource for Adult Numeracy learners, it has found much use over the years across the maths cohorts I've worked with from pre-GCSE to ESOL, and with GCSE learners.

It is in Excel format - 3 tabs for different activities and the second Excel file is the solution sheet.

The sheets are formatted to print off as A4 landscape to allow learners to have their own copies to work on.

This has always worked well as a starter activity with learners in small groups (or teams) and having a competitive edge.

A colourful card matching task in which students interpret practical scenarios involving proportional relationships in terms of ratios and the total numbers of equal parts involved in them.

In pairs, they move the cards/ paper slips around and discuss how to match four ratios (white) with the four statements about parts (blue) and the four practical situations and actual amounts which correspond with them (yellow).

Fun bingo game where learners practise measuring and drawing a grid – in addition to calculating areas and perimeters of simple shapes.

First one to a get line (or a full house) wins!

Editor’s note
Lovely idea that could easily be adapted for other topics.