Inquiry learning teacher Sallyann Burtenshaw tested some new primary maths activities with her students, and the results are in!
I used the ‘Which way is it?‘ activity with a group of stage one students who were immediately engaged by the bright happy colours and clear format but then the real thinking began. They were not familiar with the term ‘quarter turns’ so we had some fun with our partners following the directions and making up our own instructions to guide our partner to a particular spot in the Makerspace.
When we played the Fun Park game they thought it was going to be easy but it took some serious thinking for them to reach their destinations. The open ended questions meant that I could assist students who were having trouble with counting or making turns while the others developed their own set of instructions for a partner. Some of the scenarios that they created were quite complex. Setting questions like, “what is the quickest route if X is blocked?” had them computing alternate routes and doing mental calculations in their head. It also fostered a lot of productive discussion.
The kids have taken on this activity during enrichment time as a free choice task which means they give it a BIG THUMBS UP.
I am looking forward to using the Fun with Sports measurement activity with Stage 2. It will be a great follow up from the Olympic games, not only for measurement but for talking about quicker ways of counting the studs other than addition, which will get them using their times tables – always a bonus.
I can’t wait for more of these primary maths activities, especially for Upper Primary. The Lower Primary staff have loved having access to engaging maths activities and we all want to pinch them. We particularly love how they are all set and ready to go and that there is plenty of scope for differentiation. PERFECT.
– Sallyann Burtenshaw
Inquiry learning teacher, St Bernard’s Primary Bateman’s Bay
Click here to access six fantastic and FREE lessons for early primary maths, and complete this survey to tell us what you think!
