Advent Calendar Resource

Earlier this year, in February, I found the following resource (by dannytheref [@dannytheref])...

http://goo.gl/X3oP5u

The only problem with this was that I was 2 months too late! However, having remembered the resource, I relocated it earlier this week with the intention of using it this month in the lead up to Christmas for some festive starter activities to kick off my Mathematics lessons.

If you haven't seen/used the resource before you can download it from the TES by clicking on the link above. Here's what the resource includes...

The home slide is complete with a festive jingle. You then click on the doors to reveal the starter task/activity to do.

I recommend reading the instructions and answers document that accompanies the resource to fully understand all of the different activities on offer. These could be done on a daily basis with your classes or just randomly depending on when/how much you want to use this in your lessons!

My favourites are:

The product game - the resource takes you to a website to play this
Heads or Tails - classic!
'One of these things is not like the other thing' - sung by the Cookie Monster...what's not to love!
Pointless - brilliant game
The boys vs girls head to head - the accompanying music is brilliant

I know I'll be using this in my lessons this month. If you do too let me know how the resource goes down and don't forget to leave a comment for dannytheref on his resource too!

59 starters (so far)

A month ago, whilst doing my regular resource reviews on the TES, I came across a resource that was that good I felt the need to blog about it...it's been a while since I had that thought, but now (having found a few minutes between planning lessons for going back to school tomorrow) I'm ready to do so.

The resource is from Richard Tock (@TickTockMaths) (tes username: richardtock) and is quite simply a jam packed ppt with loads of starters for your Mathematics lessons.

You can download the resource from the TES here --> http://goo.gl/aoFVYR

The ppt includes random number/letter generators, you can randomly choose a starter task, you can assign your own favourite starter tasks on the menu screen by dragging the relevant numbered starter into the 'drag favourites here' section and much much more.

Here's the main menu...

 
As you can see the starter tasks are all differentiated by the colour coding that has been assigned to each task (key in top right of screen). By clicking on the 'pick one randomly' you can get a random starter task (make sure you enable macros when the ppt opens).






Some of my favourite starter tasks from the '59 starters' resource:

Starter #1 - what is special about this grid? I won't spoil this by revealing the answer, check it out yourself!
It'd be interesting to see what students would come up with here, and how they would go about trying to find the 'specialness' of the grid!

Starter #29 - bananas. Very good for literacy links. It is also very generic which allows it to be used as the starter in almost any lesson/subject. This could be adapted for all subjects, and even keep 'a mathematical word' to get a bit of numeracy in other subjects.

Starter #14 - What is the question? I like these tasks, especially as you can create any question to which the answer is on the screen, for almost any topic too. Click the number in the centre of the screen to randomly generate another!

Starter #33 - 4 pics 1 word. I created some of these last year, check them out by viewing my blog post at --> http://goo.gl/wx0uBR & download them from the TES by clicking --> http://goo.gl/vWkZCP.

Starter #59 - What is the best number? Why? This links to the YouTube video clip of Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory explaining what the actual best number is. Cue debate from your students!





I also like all the Dara O'Briain's School of Hard Sums questions as I have seen, and shown these episodes in class on a few occasions. Some of the questions are quite tricky, but fear not...Richard Tock has included all the answers!

So, download this resource and it will essentially cover your starters for your lessons if you are struggling to find inspiration, or anything to specifically link in to your main lesson's topic/theme. The tasks I have tried out with students so far have gone down really well and it allows you to get lessons off to a quick start by having something to think about on the board as students arrive, you collect h/w in etc etc.

Thanks to Richard Tock for uploading this resource to the TES and making it available to everyone!

F13 - My New Classroom

Over the past week I've been setting up my new classroom ready for the new school year. I've spent 2 and a half days getting it the way I want it and putting up all my displays etc, I figured it's worth putting in the effort now as it will save time later in the year when I'll undoubtedly have other things to worry about. As you may know from seeing my previous post 'my blank canvas' http://goo.gl/WuvqcV  my classroom (F13) was redecorated over the Summer holidays and so I had a fair amount to do...cue before and after photos...

Front of the classroom

Before

After

I've kept a lot of the front of my room the same as I had it last year in my NQT year. I have my 'Mathematical Alphabet', laminated letters of the alphabet made using www.tagxedo.com to have all mathematical words beginning with each letter of the alphabet made into the shape of that letter of the alphabet. I have a big number line above my whiteboard that I downloaded from teacher resources on line (see my 'go to' resources blog post for the link to this site and my others http://goo.gl/NczZoB). Above the IWB I have one of my new starter displays for this year - my 'number cruncher' (see http://goo.gl/3s16aR for more information). To the left of the whiteboard I have a selection of the 'Minds at Work' posters available from www.sparkyteaching.com as well as a self indulgent 'Mr Collins Maths' sign (I could, so I did) :)
Behind the class door I have one of my 3 display boards that were put up on Thursday when I wasn't at school - I was so happy on Friday when I came in and they were up, as well as the curtains). I backed this using some bright wrapping paper I got from Ikea. Below the board is a bookcase with some textbooks that were in the class last year. I'm not sure If I'll make much use of these this year, but they're there if needed, or for students to use if they get stuck whilst I'm helping others. I also have some '1, 2, 3' pots (also from Ikea). I'm going to use these in a very 'Primary School' style way...they will be filled with mini whiteboard pens and rubbers for use with the mini whiteboards, I may also put other equipment in them for each table as the lessons dictate. I will then plan to have these on the tables for groups of students to use from 'the off' each lesson. One thing I found last year is that I wasted a fair amount of time handing out resources (especially the mini whiteboards). So, to minimise this 'downtime' I will have the resources ready on the table for my students much like they do in the Primary setting. I'm expecting to have to make my expectations very clear with these as I can see them being 'fiddled' with when not needed if not instructed as to their 'proper' use. We'll see how this works (or not).
You will also see the nrich posters displayed on the beam going across the centre of the classroom. I have picked challenging puzzles that all my classes will be able to attempt, some are harder than others, but each class will be able to do at least 3 or 4 of them. See my 'go to' resources post for the link to their posters page of their website - they're great!

Back of the Classroom

Before

After

Tables and Chairs! These were one of the last things to go into the room as I was trying to leave the premises team space to get to the walls to put up the displays and the curtains. Also, I wasn't really sure how or where I was going to fit them all in. I'm still not 100% sure they will stay like this, but for now I have 4 groups of 6 and then 4 individual tables each seating 2 students. So, as my reflections on my seating arrangements from last year gave me I have gone for a mixture of 'rows' and 'groups'. To see my reflections on all my seating layouts last year see my blog post here --> http://goo.gl/Y65XL8. You can then just about see another of the display boards on the right of the picture - again, the wrapping paper to back them was from Ikea and I used my department's borders to finish it off. In between the windows at the back of the room I have a selection of displays that I (and my students) will use over the course of the 1st term. I have: my 'the number of the day is...' starter display (see http://goo.gl/3s16aR for more information), my Twitter board, my 4 fours challenge and some 'why do I need maths' posters and revision posters from http://www.mathscard.co.uk/ (free and rather good, I'm going to order their revision cards for students soon too).
Lastly, above each window there is a cover to hide the curtain rails. So, on each of these I have put a formula that students are required to know for the Mathematics GCSE examinations. I have: Pythagoras' theorem, area and circumference of circles, sum of interior angles of a polygon, SDT and DMV. I also have a website url for my YouTube channel above my desk's window and I plan on putting a Manga High/MyMaths login/password reminders up too once I've got the details.

Here's my Twitter board...for my 'tweets plenary'...

I've used one of www.magicwhiteboard.co.uk's A1 whiteboards so the post-it note tweets can be better 'stuck' to the wall as they don't stay on the walls for long for some reason? Plus, for my smaller classes they can write their tweets straight onto the whiteboard! I bordered the display with some Twitter images and a few #s.











My 4 fours challenge display...

I've done this a few times over the past few years and it has always worked really well and it keeps amazing me how many students are keen to find solutions to the target numbers 1-100, especially when there are only a few left!

The best thing about this is when I'm not teaching in my room (this will happen very rarely this year due to my full timetable now I'm no longer a trainee/NQT) and other classes/students do some of the target numbers.








Other views of my room...

The view from the back corner of the room looking towards the 'room of the room' room. The table for 2 that is right in the corner will only be used for my class of 32, otherwise it will be a 'free' desk for anybody that will visit my room this year.

This is the view from in the 'room off of the room' room. As you can see I have my dartboard (see my '180!' blog post for more information http://goo.gl/hN6h4e), a magic whiteboard ready for a round of '501' and...'Mathematical Mario', see other picture below for more on him...

This is the view from the centre front of the room. On the pillar in the middle of the class I have the 'Fail Safe' resource posters I downloaded from www.sparkyteaching.com. I'm hoping these, and other displays will help build an environment where students won't be afraid to make mistakes.
You can then see my CD player/stereo on the windowsill. I'm my school's resident DJ and have used certain types of music (not to mention my Maths DJing) in class to help students focus. So, I'll use this at points throughout the year as required...and it'll be there for me to chill out to after school when I'm planning, marking etc. I'm hoping to do more work at school this year and less at home so this will hopefully allow me to create a similar atmosphere to that I'm used to working in at home?

My class door...

I love my 'Mr Collins' on the front of the door. I used an Origami app I downloaded for free on my iPhone and made each of the letters from a piece of Marvel wrapping paper I managed to find in Primark of all places. I've also backed my 'room divider' in this - it looks pretty cool. I then put a F(sq rt)169 on the door so everyone knows what room it is (there's an F(2^2 + 3^2) on the back)!










Mathematical Mario

Inspired by a YouTube video I saw where someone made a stop motion video of Pacman and Mario using just post it notes I have created my own post-it note Mario character. I found out the hard way that the post-it notes I got (PoundWorld) didn't stick to the wall for long so I laminated them and 'blutacked' them to the wall. I plan to write key formulae and words on each post it note. It's more of a 'WOW' factor display than anything else. Much like my Space Invaders window decals I had in my classroom last year I hope it brings out a bit of my personality.

I'm also thinking of jazzing up the wall outside my classroom door by having a post-it note Tetris display using the same sort of method as I have here. I'll see if I get enough time, otherwise it may be left until I can find some time.



So there it is...my new classroom. I'm really happy with it and already feel right at home in my 'new' school. I'm looking forward to seeing the reaction of my students (and colleagues) to my room and can't wait to get started. We have 2 INSET days on Tuesday and Wednesday this week and then all the kids start on Thursday. Here's to a great year...

Starter Displays

I'm in the process of setting up my new classroom and when thinking about what displays I wanted to have up in my new room I was trying to think about what has worked best for me in the past. The displays I think work the best are those that you can either use or refer to in lessons. In the past I have used the '4 4s' problem, my '2 0 1 3' display and my 'Mathematical Concept Wall' displays in class as starter problems to pose my students; their answers then go up on the displays for all to see.

You can view my blog posts on these displays by clicking on the below links:

4 4s --> http://mrcollinsreflectivejournal.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/4-fours-challenge.html
2 0 1 3 --> http://mrcollinsmaths.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/2-0-1-3-challenge.html
Mathematical Concept Wall --> http://mrcollinsmaths.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/mathematical-concepts-wall-for-want-of.html

All of the above displays will be used again this year at some point. I already have a space marked out for the '4 4s' problem and a wall in mind for the 'Mathematical Concept Cards'. However, I wanted some displays that I could use on a daily basis. Displays that would allow me to direct students and then allow them to get on with a short task that we could then discuss the results to as a class. So, with this criteria in mind I have created the following...

'Number Cruncher'

This starter activity is often found in daily newspapers and comes under many different names 'Brain Gym', 'Mental Maths' etc etc. I downloaded a resource from dwatson802 on the TES website last year which had an interactive version of this starter task (http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/KS3-KS4-Mental-Maths-practice-Numbercrunch-Starter-6120840/). The ppt has 2-3 of these puzzles that are displayed on the board with a minute timer counting down before revealing the answer. I used this and my classes liked it, however there were too few of these to use on a regular basis and I didn't really want to spend loads of time creating a mega ppt of 'numbercrunch' puzzles. A reason for this is that I regularly forget about all of the starter tasks that I have used in the past/created - there's just too many ideas I have used. So, in order to forget forgetting about this one I have made a 'number cruncher' display. The display is simply a set of laminated arrows and start/finish circles that I can write on and change as I feel fit.
I have put the display above my IWB so the class can see it easily and as soon as they enter the class be getting on with it whilst I do the register and other adminy things.

Here it is...

The start number will go to the far left then the students will follow the operations on the arrows until they get to the end shape where the answer will be written when going through the workings as a class after they have enough time. I may even start from the 'finish' shape and get students to do the inverse operations to get back to the 'start' number.





The thing I like about this starter is that I can differentiate by my classes by changing the operations on the laminated arrows, the 'size' of the starting number, the type of operations on the arrows etc.

I may even write the 'start' and 'finish' numbers and then the workings in between each arrow before asking students where the mistake(s) are and to correct it. This will be one of the ways I try to get my classes to think about the mistakes they make in Mathematics, that it is OK to do so and how they can go about correcting them.

I will change the operations on the arrows as required depending on what class I choose to do this starter with and how often. By no means will I do this starter with every class every lesson. But it is there as and when I need it!
I'm hoping my students will get into the habit of doing it so much that they'll want to do it?

The number of the day is...

Another starter display I have made is a 'the number of the day is...' display. Here it is...

I made this using the www.magicwhiteboard.co.uk products I use all the time when putting up displays. I just put one of their A1 magic whiteboards on the back wall of the classroom (visible to all students) and on it I put half of one of their green A4 magic whiteboards.

Simply, I will just write a number of my choosing on the green magic whiteboard sheet and get students to answer the 7 questions written below.
The 7 questions range in difficulty and are suitable for most, if not all, classes. Some lower KS3 classes may not be able to do the 'product of prime factors' question but all the others are doable by all. Some of the questions are quite open too and have multiple entry points which helps the 'growth-mindset' I'm trying to induce in my students. For example, if the number of the day was 24 students could answer 20 + 4 or 12 + 12 for the first question. They could answer 8 and 3 or 6 and 4 for the 3rd question and question 7 allows them to pull out any other fact about the number. It could be that it is the square root of 576!? It's up to them.

Again, this display can be used as and when I decide (or my students desire). It won't be used every lesson with every class but is there when I need it. I can already see certain days of the week/year being used as 'the number of the day'. For example, Pi (3.14....) can be used on Pi day, 13 for Friday the 13th etc. I can get other teachers to guest on the display and choose the number of the day, perhaps in the style of Sesame Street where 'Today's 'the number of the day is..' is bought to you by...Miss Moore'. Perhaps my Twitter followers would like to suggest some too...

I'm hoping that both these displays will take off from the 1st week back. It will hopefully create a bit of intrigue in my students and will get them wondering what the 'number of the day is' or what the 'number cruncher' will be (I can only hope). If nothing else it'll jog my memory of two tasks that I can pull out of the hat at the last minute if necessary!