A short topical reading comprehension at two levels (L1/L2) and Entry 3 on the 29th February. The higher level text requires learners to write a short paragraph in a specific context. Some embedded maths is included. I have also added a short fact sheet about when Leap Years occur, for when someone asks those technical questions!
Editor’s note
With detailed curriculum mapping and answer sheet.
Based on three recent articles about sugar in food and drinks – with a special focus on high sugar drinks sold by popular High Street coffee shops.
The articles are followed by six pages of challenging differentiated questions for E3-L2 Functional Maths – all are based on the articles. Topics include large numbers; fraction, decimal & percentage equivalents, averages & range, extracting information from tables, and the four operations.
Topical resource based on a news story. Reading comprehension at 2 levels (E3 and L1/L2) plus two writing extension activities with writing frames. Some embedded maths (including a chart in the L1/L2 exercise) and the opportunity to discuss healthy eating. The higher level comprehension aims to get learners to understand in depth what they are reading, rather than just answer the questions from the text.
This is a set of three (maybe more) lessons which looks at the costs of a night out to London. It starts with students having to look at a train ticket and get the asked information from it – cost/type of ticket/time. It uses addition as students need to find out the cost of two tickets. They then use google to search times of trains. The next session looks at the cost of the theatre ticket and finding out the change you would have from a given amount again researching the theatre on the internet.
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Maths
Functional Maths
ICT
Functional Skills ICT: Finding and selecting information
In this activity, learners have to calculate how much paint is required for a specified job, find prices from different sources and work out total prices. This can then be compared. The resource is in two versions – one with formulae for the required calculations and one without – different pages from each version can be mixed and match to meet different learners’ needs.
The activity requires internet access – however price lists could be substituted for this if this is not available in your context.
A worksheet giving details of 4 different whale watching tours (times, cost, accessibility, activities, etc.).
This is followed by 4 different scenarios, each describing a family or group. Students must choose the best tour for each group and work out the costs. As this holiday activity is in Australia, the price are in $AUD. An extra exercise could be to use the current exchange rate to work out the cost in your own currency.Includes answers.
Based on two recent articles / surveys on Black Friday shopping, the main focus of this resource is Functional Mathematics but there is also an introductory page of English questions that check vocabulary, purpose of text and the ability to extract meaning from graphical material and captions.
This is followed by three pages of challenging differentiated questions for E3-L2 Functional Maths – all are based on the infographics within the text. Topics include large numbers, percentages, fractions and the four operations.
Students regularly tell me they cannot read bus timetables and just wait for the next one to come along! This activity asks learners to find the most appropriate bus for my journey.
I print the timetables (pages 2-8) out enlarged to A3 and stick them to walls of my classroom.
Update (June 2016)
Answer sheet (and error report for one question) kindly provided by Ray Sheerin and Jay Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks, Adult Learning.
Level
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Maths
AN MSS1/L1.3 Calculate with and convert between units of time
AN MSS1/L1.2 Read & measure time and use timetables
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) is a rich source of data, charts and graphs.In particular, infographics are becoming ever more popular. They can tell complex statistical stories in an easy to grasp manner but also open doors to further mathematical interpretation and investigation.
