5 Maths Gems #8

I enjoyed coming together many of you lot at La Salle Education's National Mathematics Teacher Conference yesterday. It was a fantastic chance for sharing ideas. But 500 maths teachers out of 350,000 is a drib inwards the ocean. It's such a shame that thus many schools weren't represented.

Although in that place are some pockets of collaboration throughout the UK, for example through regional TeachMeets, the fact is that the bulk of U.K. maths teachers alive inwards a bubble. Through no error of their own, they know really lilliputian almost approaches taken inwards other schools - including pedagogy, curriculum blueprint together with novel technologies. Twitter is business office of the solution, but it doesn't brand it enough.

this post, "in high performing countries teachers pass 30% of their fourth dimension teaching, amongst the residue spent planning, preparing together with assessing every bit good every bit working on improving their practice. Compared to the UK, where it’s 90%".

This weekend, 500 maths teachers gave upward a precious Sabbatum to larn from each other. I'm really grateful to La Salle Education for providing that opportunity. To me it farther highlighted the demand for cross-school subject-specific collaboration during term-time. Instead of spending our Inset days hearing almost our schools' latest marker policies, nosotros should all endure out having mini-conferences of our own. Let's promise that when our novel Maths Hubs acquire dorsum from their trips to Shanghai, improving collaboration is come about of their listing of priorities - together with yesteryear that I hateful collaboration amongst all schools, non simply the schools amongst tweeting teachers or a proactive Head of Maths.

Now for my weekly maths gems. For those who receive got simply started reading my blog, this is where I portion 5 nifty ideas that I've seen on Twitter each week. If you lot desire to read whatever of my previous gems posts, they're all here.

1. Paint! And my ideal classroom

smartwallpaint.com

I was talking to a friend almost the 'Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces', magic whiteboards together with acrylic sheets I featured inwards this post, "in high performing countries teachers pass 30% of their fourth dimension teaching, amongst the residue spent planning, preparing together with assessing every bit good every bit working on improving their practice. Compared to the UK, where it’s 90%".

This weekend, 500 maths teachers gave upward a precious Sabbatum to larn from each other. I'm really grateful to La Salle Education for providing that opportunity. To me it farther highlighted the demand for cross-school subject-specific collaboration during term-time. Instead of spending our Inset days hearing almost our schools' latest marker policies, nosotros should all endure out having mini-conferences of our own. Let's promise that when our novel Maths Hubs acquire dorsum from their trips to Shanghai, improving collaboration is come about of their listing of priorities - together with yesteryear that I hateful collaboration amongst all schools, non simply the schools amongst tweeting teachers or a proactive Head of Maths.

Now for my weekly maths gems. For those who receive got simply started reading my blog, this is where I portion 5 nifty ideas that I've seen on Twitter each week. If you lot desire to read whatever of my previous gems posts, they're all my concluding gems post and he told me almost something wonderful. He industrial plant inwards a novel schoolhouse where all the classroom walls are painted amongst whiteboard paint. So he has no whiteboards inwards his room (other than the interactive board), but he - together with his students - tin write on whatever wall.

This got me thinking almost my ideal classroom. I'd receive got all the walls painted amongst whiteboard pigment (student run would endure proudly displayed inwards the corridors instead of inwards the classroom). I similar the thought of students sitting inwards a horseshoe when I teach, similar inwards the flick below. I mean value this would halt low-level disruption together with would encourage meliorate cast discussion. They could also do independent practise inwards these chairs.

hyperspacellc.com

Separate to this horseshoe I'd receive got a collaboration area, amongst grouping tables that tin endure written on (whiteboard pigment industrial plant on desks too!), or this post, "in high performing countries teachers pass 30% of their fourth dimension teaching, amongst the residue spent planning, preparing together with assessing every bit good every bit working on improving their practice. Compared to the UK, where it’s 90%".

This weekend, 500 maths teachers gave upward a precious Sabbatum to larn from each other. I'm really grateful to La Salle Education for providing that opportunity. To me it farther highlighted the demand for cross-school subject-specific collaboration during term-time. Instead of spending our Inset days hearing almost our schools' latest marker policies, nosotros should all endure out having mini-conferences of our own. Let's promise that when our novel Maths Hubs acquire dorsum from their trips to Shanghai, improving collaboration is come about of their listing of priorities - together with yesteryear that I hateful collaboration amongst all schools, non simply the schools amongst tweeting teachers or a proactive Head of Maths.

Now for my weekly maths gems. For those who receive got simply started reading my blog, this is where I portion 5 nifty ideas that I've seen on Twitter each week. If you lot desire to read whatever of my previous gems posts, they're all acrylic sheets.

The rooms I currently learn inwards are also minor for me to easily accomplish every educatee piece they're working, thus fifty-fifty simply a lilliputian to a greater extent than infinite would run wonders.

2. Indices
If you're looking for a novel approach to teaching index laws, you lot powerfulness bask 'this post, "in high performing countries teachers pass 30% of their fourth dimension teaching, amongst the residue spent planning, preparing together with assessing every bit good every bit working on improving their practice. Compared to the UK, where it’s 90%".

This weekend, 500 maths teachers gave upward a precious Sabbatum to larn from each other. I'm really grateful to La Salle Education for providing that opportunity. To me it farther highlighted the demand for cross-school subject-specific collaboration during term-time. Instead of spending our Inset days hearing almost our schools' latest marker policies, nosotros should all endure out having mini-conferences of our own. Let's promise that when our novel Maths Hubs acquire dorsum from their trips to Shanghai, improving collaboration is come about of their listing of priorities - together with yesteryear that I hateful collaboration amongst all schools, non simply the schools amongst tweeting teachers or a proactive Head of Maths.

Now for my weekly maths gems. For those who receive got simply started reading my blog, this is where I portion 5 nifty ideas that I've seen on Twitter each week. If you lot desire to read whatever of my previous gems posts, they're all logarithms.

Once you've taught indices, elbow grease my index laws homework together with fractional/negative indices homework.

3. ThingLink
this post, "in high performing countries teachers pass 30% of their fourth dimension teaching, amongst the residue spent planning, preparing together with assessing every bit good every bit working on improving their practice. Compared to the UK, where it’s 90%".

This weekend, 500 maths teachers gave upward a precious Sabbatum to larn from each other. I'm really grateful to La Salle Education for providing that opportunity. To me it farther highlighted the demand for cross-school subject-specific collaboration during term-time. Instead of spending our Inset days hearing almost our schools' latest marker policies, nosotros should all endure out having mini-conferences of our own. Let's promise that when our novel Maths Hubs acquire dorsum from their trips to Shanghai, improving collaboration is come about of their listing of priorities - together with yesteryear that I hateful collaboration amongst all schools, non simply the schools amongst tweeting teachers or a proactive Head of Maths.

Now for my weekly maths gems. For those who receive got simply started reading my blog, this is where I portion 5 nifty ideas that I've seen on Twitter each week. If you lot desire to read whatever of my previous gems posts, they're all Mathematical Concepts Wall' yesteryear this post, "in high performing countries teachers pass 30% of their fourth dimension teaching, amongst the residue spent planning, preparing together with assessing every bit good every bit working on improving their practice. Compared to the UK, where it’s 90%".

This weekend, 500 maths teachers gave upward a precious Sabbatum to larn from each other. I'm really grateful to La Salle Education for providing that opportunity. To me it farther highlighted the demand for cross-school subject-specific collaboration during term-time. Instead of spending our Inset days hearing almost our schools' latest marker policies, nosotros should all endure out having mini-conferences of our own. Let's promise that when our novel Maths Hubs acquire dorsum from their trips to Shanghai, improving collaboration is come about of their listing of priorities - together with yesteryear that I hateful collaboration amongst all schools, non simply the schools amongst tweeting teachers or a proactive Head of Maths.

Now for my weekly maths gems. For those who receive got simply started reading my blog, this is where I portion 5 nifty ideas that I've seen on Twitter each week. If you lot desire to read whatever of my previous gems posts, they're all Samuel S. Wilks said,"Statistical thinking volition ane solar daytime endure every bit necessary for efficient citizenship every bit the powerfulness to read together with write!" (he was paraphrasing HG Wells). Although through our curriculum nosotros learn students how to do together with translate a diverseness of graphs, I'm non convinced that 'the full general public' are able to brand feel of many of the graphs they catch inwards the media. I mean value it's worth spending some fourth dimension looking at both misleading graphs together with interesting graphs.

Ridiculously misleading graph

Interesting graphs promote nifty discussions. Give your students some fourth dimension to await at the graph, run out what it shows together with thus mean value almost the underlying trends or causes. Here's a pair to acquire you lot started.

Source: 'How nosotros believe' yesteryear Micheal Shermer

Source: ONS

The 2nd graph is from '8 Facts almost Young People' yesteryear the ONS, shared this calendar week by @statshan.

Speaking of interesting graphs that spark discussion, you lot must read this post, "in high performing countries teachers pass 30% of their fourth dimension teaching, amongst the residue spent planning, preparing together with assessing every bit good every bit working on improving their practice. Compared to the UK, where it’s 90%".

This weekend, 500 maths teachers gave upward a precious Sabbatum to larn from each other. I'm really grateful to La Salle Education for providing that opportunity. To me it farther highlighted the demand for cross-school subject-specific collaboration during term-time. Instead of spending our Inset days hearing almost our schools' latest marker policies, nosotros should all endure out having mini-conferences of our own. Let's promise that when our novel Maths Hubs acquire dorsum from their trips to Shanghai, improving collaboration is come about of their listing of priorities - together with yesteryear that I hateful collaboration amongst all schools, non simply the schools amongst tweeting teachers or a proactive Head of Maths.

Now for my weekly maths gems. For those who receive got simply started reading my blog, this is where I portion 5 nifty ideas that I've seen on Twitter each week. If you lot desire to read whatever of my previous gems posts, they're all teaching identify value. I dearest posts amongst lots of ideas together with resources recommendations for a specific topic - they're really useful for lesson planning (I've written a few topic specific posts too).

Second, I desire to bring upward this post, "in high performing countries teachers pass 30% of their fourth dimension teaching, amongst the residue spent planning, preparing together with assessing every bit good every bit working on improving their practice. Compared to the UK, where it’s 90%".

This weekend, 500 maths teachers gave upward a precious Sabbatum to larn from each other. I'm really grateful to La Salle Education for providing that opportunity. To me it farther highlighted the demand for cross-school subject-specific collaboration during term-time. Instead of spending our Inset days hearing almost our schools' latest marker policies, nosotros should all endure out having mini-conferences of our own. Let's promise that when our novel Maths Hubs acquire dorsum from their trips to Shanghai, improving collaboration is come about of their listing of priorities - together with yesteryear that I hateful collaboration amongst all schools, non simply the schools amongst tweeting teachers or a proactive Head of Maths.

Now for my weekly maths gems. For those who receive got simply started reading my blog, this is where I portion 5 nifty ideas that I've seen on Twitter each week. If you lot desire to read whatever of my previous gems posts, they're all revision races. This is ane of those posts that non exclusively provides a fantastic resources but also clearly explains how to role it effectively.

Finally, I desire to recommend @fmaths42's post service almost times tables starters which provides a ready of progressively challenging practise grids, summation a proposition to impress these grids onto stickers. Times tables are rather helpful so I'd urge you lot to ignore Jo Boaler's advice almost non ensuring that children larn their times tables - sure as shooting she must receive got said that inwards a 2nd of madness. Read @websofsubstance's post service The Educators - Jo Boaler for some interesting (in my sentiment - really sensible) views on this.

Finally, receive got a acquire at this query from Tony Gardiner's session at yesterday's conference, shared yesteryear @mrsdenyer. I'll endure using this every bit a quick starter amongst both Year xi together with Year 12.

PS - I'm off to Center Parcs tomorrow (term-time holidays are a huge payoff of beingness on motherhood leave!) thus in that place won't endure a gems post service side yesteryear side Saturday. I'll endure dorsum the next calendar week though. 

5 Maths Gems #16

It's December! Time for students as well as teachers to kickoff getting overly excited nearly the upcoming Christmas holidays. There's yet iii to a greater extent than weeks of teaching to learn through though, as well as most schools do mock GCSEs inward Dec or January, thence things are equally busy equally ever. Let's expect at or thence of the ideas that receive got been shared on Twitter this week. I've got lots of overnice geometry for y'all today.

1. Frozen Fractals

I'm non a fan of Disney princess films, only I receive got daughters at nowadays thence I've been forced to picket Frozen many many times. I truly quite similar it. Being a mathematician, my favourite business office is when Elsa sings nearly 'frozen fractals' inward the vocal Let it Go. I had no stance what the give-and-take fractal meant until a few years agone thence it seems strange to remove heed it inward a children's film. It got me thinking - is in that place whatever value inward teaching our students nearly fractals at secondary school? I squall upwards in that place is. 

What are Fractals as well as why should I care? by George Dallas. This is an incredibly clear as well as accessible article. The best means to empathise fractals is to clitoris 1 - the article describes how to clitoris a Von Koch curve.

Give your students or thence dotted or triangle graph newspaper as well as they could follow the instructions inward this worksheet to clitoris a 'Koch snowflake'. While they're creating their fractals, exhibit them this lovely microscopic timelapse video of existent snowflakes (thanks to @misseyfs for sharing this).

Because I'm writing this post on 1st Dec I'm thinking of Christmassy snowflakes, only nosotros tin flame expect at other fractals too. The Sierpinski Triangle is also a overnice introduction to agreement fractals. The awesome website fractalfoundation.org has an fantabulous worksheet (a 'fractivity') in which each of your students brand their ain Sierpinski Triangle - they as well as then stick them together to brand a 'class fractal'. Show the video on the page Fractal Trianglethon to wow your students alongside giant Sierpinski Triangles!

Alternatively your students could create Fractal Cutouts like the 1 pictured below.

And this Mathematical Christmas Tree is equally fractally equally they come.

If y'all desire to farther explore fractals, your students mightiness hold out interested inward this Numberphile video 'Measuring Coastline'.

Whether y'all brand snowflakes, triangles or cutouts, the signal is that students come upwards away from the lesson agreement what a fractal is. It may non hold out on the syllabus only it's interesting mathematics nonetheless. And your students volition hold out able to country their friends that they empathise the mathematical reference inward Frozen.

2. Angles
I honey this angles interrogation from @j_lanier. I'd role it inward a GCSE revision lesson. Students receive got to apply a number of rules to uncovering all 4 angles - it's a proficient chance for them to practise articulating their reasoning.

3. Pythagorean Triples
I was looking at recent posts on my favourite blog, the ever-brilliant Median yesteryear Don Steward, when I noticed a link to a weblog I'd non seen earlier - Pythagorean Triple Tasks yesteryear Hannah Jones. There's or thence lovely activities here.

By the way, speaking of Don Steward, did y'all know he also has a blog for exercise resources? These are equally good designed equally his rich tasks. There's loads of proficient questions for GCSE revision, which y'all mightiness uncovering useful this calendar week if your Year 11s receive got mocks coming up. I especially similar these grids of 'practice makes perfect' questions. Also, I spotted this fantastic work inward his A & A* questions - a lovely starter for my Year 12s:

4. Semi-circle

Did y'all run across Ed Southall's awesome semi-circle problem? I'd role this equally an extension activeness inward a Pythagoras lesson, only there's loads of methods for solving it - others receive got used similar triangles, trigonometry as well as coordinate grids. It's both accessible as well as challenging for students from Key Stage 3 upwards to Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 level.

5. Christmassy Maths
I started to write a seasonal maths resources page only lots of other lovely bloggers receive got done something similar. So rather than reinvent the wheel, I'll signal y'all inward the administration of:

• @missradder's post Christmaths
• @Ms_Kmp's post ChrisMaths Cheer
• @solvemymaths' post 2014 Christmas Maths Lessons

There are hundreds of fantabulous Christmas-themed maths resources. I'd similar to recommend a few inward add-on to those inward the posts above. There are 2 from Teachit Maths that I especially similar - the 12 days of Christmas budget activity which involves work solving using percentages, as well as Mistletoe as well as Lines which is proficient exercise of forthwith business graphs. I also similar these resources from Oxford University Press. Most Christmas resources are aimed at Key Stage 3 students, only your Year 11s mightiness similar this Christmas Shading Graphical Inequalities by frickard on TES. And how nearly this lovely Christmas tree logic problem?

Logic work from ageofpuzzles.com

That's it for this week. Please don't forget to expire along tweeting or emailing me photos of misconceptions or mutual mistakes inward your students' work. Thanks!

5 Maths Gems #17

Ho-ho-hello as well as welcome to my seventeenth weekly gems post. This is where I circular upwards some of the best maths instruction ideas I’ve seen on Twitter. I’ve got some crackers for you lot today. 

1. Balancing

Do you lot recollect inward Gems 13 when I featured the bright balancing problems from Don Steward? My readers loved them! Well this calendar week Damian Watson (@dwatson802) shared the visual algebra puzzle website SolveMe Mobiles which has like problems for purpose on an interactive whiteboard, tablet or computer. The website, from the Education Development Center, allows users to both create as well as solve mobiles. The website says that 'the logic of these puzzles is the same equally the logic behind the solving of equations as well as systems of equations, but the visual format makes these puzzles, as well as the logic they develop, accessible as well as appealing...'. 

And there's already been some proficient feedback on Twitter:

2. Blanks

Sarah Aldous (@mathsfeedback) shared a overnice stance for instruction logs that could live on used for a publish of topics. The stance is that you lot lay questions upwards only about the room as well as students respond on a post-it, but their respond must differ from the answers already given.

Here's my examples of like questions for fractions:

as well as indices:

You larn the idea. Students brand suggestions for the blanks as well as inward doing hence they demonstrate their agreement of the topic. Plus, they receive got to intend creatively if their stance has already been taken.

3. Dictionary
Steven W. Anderson (maths lexicon for kids. This lexicon from Jenny Eather is actually lovely - it's the best maths lexicon I've seen for students. Definitions come upwards amongst examples as well as interactivity. Here's the definition of the news following (check out the website yourself to play amongst the interactive features).

And here's the definition of sector. Again, it's interactive.

And here's 2 to a greater extent than examples - palindromic as well as perpendicular.

4. Simultaneous Equations

I dearest this Linear Simultaneous Equations.

5. Whiteboards (again!)

I've written close vertical whiteboards as well as acrylic sheets earlier (see Gems 7) - I dearest these ideas as well as promise that 1 twenty-four hours I receive got the budget to practise both.  Andrew Stadel (blog post this calendar week close his sense of using large whiteboards - it's good worth a read. One stance is 'Placemat':

If students are working on a business together, they operate individually on split upwards sections of a large whiteboard, as well as hence purpose the centre to tape their terminal answer. This approach helps students compare their operate as well as back upwards each other. It's too a proficient means for the instructor to assess private agreement as well as banking concern gibe that everyone is contributing to grouping discussion.

Another stance is Brain Dump:

Here nosotros receive got an icon inward the middle as well as students write downwards everything they know close it inward their private sections, earlier they compare as well as hash out their answers.

And nosotros receive got Number Talks:

In this trial a publish is written inward the middle as well as students operate inward their private sections to write downwards equally many ways they tin strength out intend of to brand that number. 

Do read Andrew's ship service for the total details as well as links to lots to a greater extent than ideas. If your region doesn't receive got the budget to purchase large whiteboards or acrylic sheets as well as hence you lot could purpose flipchart newspaper for these activities. Whiteboards are much ameliorate though, because of the power of the eraser ('because the markings tin strength out live on easily erased, students are straight off inclined to write without hesitation') - you lot tin strength out read close this inward the fantabulous post Whiteboards vs. Chart Paper by Thomas Ro (@MrT_Ro). 

That's it for this week. I'll locomote out you lot amongst a nifty occupation for your students from UKMT, shared past times Matt Smith (@mathsmatt). Find the angles inward the rhombus, assuming there's 1 equilateral as well as iii isosceles triangles.

Teaching Indices

Source: dotmaths.com

I've mentioned earlier that I beloved pedagogy indices, together with that's because a) there's loads of bright resources available b) the concepts are slow to explicate c) there's some lovely extension problems together with d) this is of import mathematics! You can't produce calculus without agreement indices.

I know I tin strength out programme a sequence of lessons on indices for whatever historic menses grouping (Year 8 correct through to Year 12) together with I'll live able to notice expert character engaging resources. Later inwards this shipping I'll characteristic some of my favourites.

Concepts

The concepts relating to indices are relatively slow to explicate from kickoff principles. The reasoning behind the index laws is straightforward. We tin strength out encounter that b² x b⁵ = b⁷ exactly past times writing out the expressions inwards total (ie b x b x b x b x b x b x b). Students volition chop-chop location the patterns. The 'anything to the ability of null equals one' dominion is also fairly unproblematic to explicate using the logic shown below.

Negative powers tin strength out live explained past times extending the partitioning constabulary (ie what happens when nosotros dissever b² past times b⁷?), or past times considering patterns (see Gems 8 for to a greater extent than on this).

Fractional powers tin strength out live explained using the multiplication law.

And together with hence it's exactly a instance of students remembering the laws together with practising them until they learn fluent. Mim Gosling (@mimgosling) created the moving-picture present below to aid students recollect how fractional powers locomote -"Fractional indices are similar a bloom - the bottom's the root, the top's the power!". So if yous receive got a educatee who gets confused past times fractional indices, exactly remind them that the root is at the bottom (like inwards a tree).

Source: @StIvoMaths

A lesson on index laws

I taught an introductory lesson on index laws latterly - I wrote these slides to construction the degree news together with activities. After nosotros established each index law, the degree did 3 quick exercise questions earlier moving on to the adjacent law. Once we'd covered all 3 laws, the students completed this 'Powers of y eliminator' from Teachit Maths, which was fantastic. It had exactly the correct combination of independent practice, stretch together with engagement. These were the questions that most students got stuck on:

I was quite proud of the slides I made for this lesson - there's an editable version here so experience costless to borrow bits, though some formatting may live lost when yous download it (the PDF version is much prettier!).

Card Sorts
It's a dandy thought to receive got a well-organised provide of sorting activities (eg Tarsia puzzles) inwards your maths department. Find a clever agency to shop them (eg inwards stackable plastic takeaway boxes) together with label the boxes clearly. It takes a flake of fourth dimension to laid upward the bill of fare sorts. If you've got the budget, it's ever best to learn them laminated. Print each assault a dissimilar coloring (eg if in that location are 10 groups inwards the class, impress the bill of fare sets on 10 dissimilar colours) - this stops the sets getting mixed up. Use expert character elastic bands - inexpensive ones degrade chop-chop - or perish on each laid inwards an envelope.

My subdivision has a collection of 56 bill of fare sorts create for purpose inwards lessons (sadly, I spent many many hours sitting at the guillotine during my summertime holidays!). We telephone weep upward them our 'Black Box Resources' because nosotros perish on them inwards dark CD boxes from Ikea. Two of my favourite bill of fare sorts are for indices. The first is Indices Dominoes by Teachit Maths - a genuinely dainty activity, amongst the added bonus that the answer is written backwards hence students can't cheat past times guessing the words. I also like Using Indices from the Standards Unit. Card laid H5N1 (pairs activity) is genuinely useful when you've taught fractional together with negative indices.

You powerfulness also similar these treasure hunts: simple index laws and negative & fractional indices, both from Teachit Maths.

Worksheets
There's loads of dandy worksheets together with activities for independent practice. I've already mentioned the Powers of y eliminator from Teachit Maths. Here's ii to a greater extent than first-class resources that are suitable for practising the 3 index laws:

• Simplifying Indices Code Breaker - Teachit Maths 
• Collect a Joke - Number Loving

Once you've moved onto fractional together with negative indices, there's loads to a greater extent than first-class resources (these powerfulness live useful inwards Year 12 too):

• Mental Powers Code Breaker -Teachit Maths 
• Ever wondered why? - JustMaths 
• Indices activity - SRWhitehouse on TES

STEM Centre provides some fantastic indices activities from Susan Wall. For example, I similar 'Why does?' (extract below) inwards which students are allocated a disceptation to mean value close together with explicate to the class.

Extract from 'Why does?' past times Susan Wall

There's also a truthful or imitation activity which is designed to address mutual misconceptions.

Extract from 'True or False' past times Susan Wall

Blanks

I featured a 'blanks' draw of piece of occupation thought inwards Gems 17. Make upward some questions similar those shown below together with seat them upward to a greater extent than or less the room. Provide post-it notes hence students tin strength out propose values that fit.

Homeworks
I've made ii Pret homeworks for this topic, both are available here.

Enrichment
There's loads of dandy extension questions for this topic. I beloved these mega quadratic equations from Don Steward.

together with these mega difficult powers questions, also from Don Steward

And ii to a greater extent than fantastic rich tasks from Don Steward: Power Sums and Find the Power. 

At H5N1 level, together with mayhap equally extension inwards Year 11, I similar to produce some locomote on comparison indices amongst dissimilar bases. For example, I similar this ordering starter.

And my worksheet exponential equations has been useful. It ends amongst this lovely question. 

Finally, I desire to part ii questions that I've been using for years amongst GCSE students, either when I learn indices or when I learn algebraic fractions. My students are ever horrified past times how complex these questions look, but if they're confident amongst indices together with hence both equations are genuinely surprisingly slow to solve. I'm non certain where these questions originated hence apologies to the creator for non giving credit.

That's it from me - if yous know of whatever other fantastic indices resources, delight comment below or tweet me.

How v squared looks inwards nightmares.

5 Maths Gems #30

Hi in addition to welcome to my 30^th gems post. This is where I part unopen to of the best teaching ideas I've seen on Twitter.

1. Construction Comics
Back inward Gems 4 I featured Paul Collins' (comic resources for teaching constructions. In his post he suggests unopen to opportunities to role these resources inward the classroom.

One of Paul Collins' structure comic strips 

I haven't taught constructions this twelvemonth therefore I've non nonetheless had a peril to role these resources, or the awesome Gems 21).

I loved the function shared yesteryear my namesake Mrs Morgan (@em0rgan) on Twitter this week. She asked her students to do their ain structure comic strips for homework. The results facial expression excellent. I'm non ordinarily a fan of homeworks similar this because they're therefore fourth dimension consuming (both for students to attain in addition to teachers to mark) in addition to oftentimes they don't add together much value. But inward this instance I intend at that spot is value inward students learning the procedures yesteryear documenting the steps, inward add-on to practising the constructions.

2. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Level Resources

Thanks to @OxfordEdMaths for sharing a fix of excellent A degree assessments for C1 - C4, D1, D2, FP1, FP2, M1, M2, S1 in addition to S2. It tin move difficult to discovery sources of skilful Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree questions. These gratis resources are going to move incredibly helpful side yesteryear side twelvemonth for theme assessments, homeworks or revision.

Speaking of Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 degree resources, do banking enterprise gibe out the website 0a explains: Calculus (with pics in addition to gifs) -thanks to @mathhombre in addition to @solvemymaths for sharing this. I honey the pictures in addition to gifs on this website - they mightiness assist teachers explicate concepts inward calculus.

3. Homework Expectations
I've only discovered MathFour.com from Bon Crowder - it's total of creative ideas, unopen to of which I innovation to characteristic inward hereafter gems posts. One persuasion that I spotted was a 'How to Write Your Math Homework' guide. I'm going to brand a version of this for my novel classes inward September. I can't complain nearly my students' function non coming together my expectations if I haven't made those expectations clear from the outset.

4. Talk a Mile a Minute
Steve Wyborney (@SteveWyborney) shared his Talk a Mile a Minute Vocabulary Activity. The video below describes the action inward detail. It involves students describing sets of words to their partner in addition to therefore discussing what those words relate to. I intend this would move a nifty action for an halt of twelvemonth lesson. Have a facial expression at Steve's post for resources. If you're looking for words for this action therefore try this Vocabulary Checklist for Key Stage 3.  

5. Activities

I've seen unopen to lovely activities in addition to questions on Twitter this week.

@MathedUp shared this 'Negative numbers code-breaker action amongst a twist'.

Gems 29.

@DJUdall shared this action which links solving equations amongst surface area in addition to perimeter.

@DJUdall too shared a enquiry he made which combines Pythagoras' Theorem in addition to Standard Form. 

The latter 2 resources were shared during concluding Sunday's #mathsTLP. This is a nifty identify for maths teachers to collaborate. Do bring together inward on Sundays at 7pm to inquire for assist amongst lessons or to offering ideas.

Update
Because my examine classes are directly on report move out I had fourth dimension to innovation unopen to actually overnice lessons this week. With my Year 10s I did a lesson on similar triangles using resources from the Mathematics Assessment Project. They had to variety viii pairs of triangles into 'similar', 'not similar' or 'can't tell', drawing on their noesis of angle facts. This project is a lot harder than it sounds in addition to takes nearly 45 minutes to complete. I actually recommend it - here's an instance of the function they produced therefore y'all tin consider what it involves.

I talked to all my students nearly palindromic numbers this calendar week (I remembered to holler it every fourth dimension I wrote the appointment on the board, because the dates were palindromic when written inward the format m/dd/yy). Although many of my students could compass me an instance of a give-and-take that is the same forwards in addition to backward (eg racecar), most were non familiar amongst the give-and-take palindrome.

Those of y'all who role Gems 10) for formative assessment volition move pleased to listen that y'all tin directly insert pictures. For instance y'all mightiness desire to insert questions from www.diagnosticquestions.com.

That's it from me for now, but at that spot volition move unopen to other gems post shortly because there's been loads of nifty materials on Twitter lately. Wish me luck amongst my concluding calendar week at my electrical flow school! My novel project starts later half-term.

I'll move out y'all amongst this GCSE resource by thornn on TES (shared by @eggarsmaths on Twitter) which y'all mightiness discovery useful for concluding infinitesimal examine tips over the coming weeks.