Adult Numeracy, Functional Maths, and GCSE Resources

This is an Excel file with a basic odd/even activity. I took inspiration from Jean Thomas’ “Reveal the hidden shapes!” activity from 2005.

With this activity, the tutor can design a picture (or one learner can design a picture for another learner) and it produces a printable sheet. The learner then shades all the odd numbers on the sheet in one colour, and all the even numbers in a different colour – revealing a picture or a message.

There are no macros, so cross-compatibility with Excel shouldn’t be a problem.

Functional Skills maths across several levels.
A practical exercise involving estimation (of weight), weighing items and calculating range and mean.

Editor’s note
With detailed Functional Maths mapping

This carousel of Jubilee tasks was hurriedly put together for a group of 10 E1-E3 Functional Maths and English 16-19 year old learners who had just (very successfully!) finished all their Edexcel Functional Skills assessments.

After a year of hard work from my students, the emphasis was on celebration and fun. However, learning objectives included: measuring, counting, writing an email, spelling, 2D shapes, estimating, rounding and working with money. Rough lesson outline also included.

A Functional Maths and numeracy task sheet written for a mixed group of entry level learners to collect, represent and analyse data on favourite biscuits. The topic is introduced with a news article about Britain’s favourite biscuits. Learners must create a tally chart/frequency table, a pictogram and a bar chart. Pre-drawn grids and squared paper is included.

A worksheet which gives students practice in naming and calculating the fractions most often seen in recipes. 1/2, 1/3 cup etc.
This worksheet can be accompanied with a ‘hands on’ exercise. eg: measuring 1/2, 3/4 cup of rice etc. You need: a tray, a marked measuring cup, a cup and a jar of rice or other suitable medium.
Ideal for, and mapped to, Entry 2 and 3 Adult numeracy and Functional Maths.

Extracting information from tables (you will need an up-to-date postal prices leaflet – free from any post office or download link provided) followed by hands-on practice weighing parcels. Ideal for, and fully mapped to, Functional Maths.

Graduated activity for E2-L2 mixed ability groups. Involves recognising and sketching and drawing nets; constructing a chosen 3D shape; and (for L1 -2 only) calculating volume and surface area. With detailed adult numeracy and Functional Maths mapping information.
The tutor will need some pre-prepared nets – suggested web links are included.

Ideas for a revision class on the theme of making a cake. I have included a cake recipe by Delia Smith and some prices of cake ingredients and items for cake decorating.

A simulation of the AV and FPTP voting system first used in an Entry Level Functional Maths and English class on Referendum day May 5th 2011.

Students vote for their favourite chocolate and compare the results when using the two different systems.

Resource includes AV and FPTP ballot papers, ballot box labels and a polling station poster. Plus links to voting information videos and easy-read referendum information leaflets.

Hands-on / kinaesthetic activity where learners select coins, work out prices and change, and line up in order of “wealth” (according to their laminated purse cards).
With teaching and differentiation ideas. Fully mapped to E1-E2 numeracy and Functional Maths.
Note: best used with real money but if you want printable money please use Magic Money for coins and Working in a Charity Shop for notes (see links below).