Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

A twist of the ever-popular Argos activity. Generous Uncle Arthur has given you £1000! This version is ideal for Entry 3 as involves only estimating, addition and subtraction of money. The comparing prices and investigative aspect also make it ideal for Functional Maths (E2).

A great project that covers many L1/2 numeracy elements. You win the lottery, buy a nursery and have to furnish it from catalogues and/or Internet sites.
Learn about budgeting, displaying data, working with areas and floor plans, bank statements, rounding, estimating, and much more. Everything must be written up as a comprehensive report with a clear conclusion (a great guidance page on report writing is included in the resource).

A great way show any Skills for Life learner how to play this popular puzzle and makes a good warm up activity. Use to provoke general discussion on logic-steps and how puzzles help to sharpen the mind and increase brain activity!

A really clever division game where students will discover that division is not commutative and that it is the reverse of multiplication. Also great for work on remainders.

A Simple and straightforward 16 piece jigsaw that makes a great group activity. Cardinal and ordinal numbers are matched with number words to form a triangle. This puzzle constructs sequentially, i.e. the word ‘one’ is at the triangle’s apex, matching with 1, then two, underneath it and so on up to 10 in cardinals and 8th in ordinals (this makes it a lot easier for preEntry learners to see how the triangle is constructed).

16 piece jigsaw that makes a great ice breaker. First used with older learners who were unused to metric measures, and a younger learner who was unused to imperial. Match metric measure descriptions or quantities with their imperial equivalents to solve the puzzle and complete the triangle. Although converting between systems is only covered at level 2 of the curriculum the creator, Andrea, reports that E3/L1 students cope with this very well, as their life experiences help them.

Involves ‘budgeting’ and research for buying a new car and a luxury holiday (2 separate worksheets) from a £100 000 lottery win. Covers addition (money) and large numbers.

Use as a fun investigation and/or a more formal assessment. Ideal for mixed ability groups as covers skills from Low E2 – E3 – High L1.

Covers estimating, measuring, rounding, data handling (bar charts, averages, pictograms), decimals, calculator use, problem solving, time, 3D shapes and percentages. With answer sheets.

Detailed marking boxes for E2, E3, L1 to allow for differentiated assessment, and extra squared sheets for drawing bar charts and pictograms.
You will need to one packet of Love Hearts per pair or small group.

A great warm-up or starter activity – covers many aspects of the numeracy curriculum (E3 upwards) plus general knowledge. Originally written when the author was bemused to find that many people did not know how many weeks there are in a year!

Times tables jigsaws are two 24 piece jigsaw puzzles with triangular pieces for learners to match up. Use for revision or as a warm-up activity. Covers tables from x1 to x12. two versions available – each with different questions.

All Tarsia jigsaws can also be printed out as flashcards / dominoes.
You will need Tarsia Formulator in order to use this resource. See our Good Software – Tarsia Formulator entry for more information about this excellent free educational tool from Hermitech.