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| Using the new Maths Adventure programmes |
Introduction:
Maths Adventure supports the teaching of maths problem-solving for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. Within each programme the children are transported to different places and settings, some familiar and others a little more unusual. The Years 3 & 4 programmes are presented by a fictional character - Matt Mattic, and his amazing Maths Mobile, a car that can go almost anywhere! Kate Bellingham presents the Years 5 & 6 programmes and is helped by Tempo, the time machine. In each 15-minute programme, children join the maths adventurers Matt and Kate on their journeys to help them solve a range of problems.
Content and format:
Each programme has three distinct parts:
The journey
On the way to each destination chosen by the Maths Mobile and Tempo, the children are given five quick-fire mental maths questions to warm them up. This is in the style of the other School Radio maths series, with approximately 5 seconds allowed to answer each question. The correct answers are then clearly stated, allowing the children can keep a record of their scores.
The adventure
Once they arrive at their destination the maths adventurers are presented with five or six contextual word problems to solve (i.e. questions which require pupils to apply their mathematical knowledge to solve problems in the everyday world). Each adventure has a particular maths focus:
1 Addition and subtraction
2 Multiplication and division
3 Fractions
4 Big numbers
5 Measurement
6 All sorts of problems - questions from all five categories
The questions are repeated twice and - when appropriate - the children are given possible strategies and tips to help them solve the problem. This support is given when the question has been read once and also when the answer is given. It may not be the strategy adopted by all the children, but it offers one possible method that can be used.
Back home
For Years 3 & 4 the return journey provides the children with a 'think of a number' type puzzle to solve. For both Years 3 & 4 and Years 5 & 6 there is a maths puzzle to work at after the programme. These can be solved individually, in small groups or as a class. The Maths Adventure Teacher's Activity Book provides worksheets illustrating each problem and provides further challenges and problems for the children to solve.
At the end of each programme it may also be useful to look back at one particular problem and discuss the strategies used by the children to solve it. This is particularly useful for the trickier two-stage problems that are given towards the end of each series.
Time keeping and scoring:
The children are working against the clock for each question, which can be quite daunting. Listening to timed problems in this way is a challenge, so the children need to listen carefully for all the clues and support given. Each question is repeated twice and then the children have approximately 10-15 seconds to answer. This 'working out' time keeps the programme flowing, but, if necessary, the pause button can be used to allow more thinking time. The children are encouraged to jot down numbers on paper to help them work out the answer mentally or use informal written methods. As further support for children that need it, the key numbers and words can be written on the board (the questions are written in the Teacher's Activity Book).
Children enjoy keeping score, so you may wish to encourage them to keep an individual score for the mental maths warm-up and the problem-solving questions. They can compare their scores to the previous week and work out a running total. As an extra mathematical element, their results could be presented as a graph! |
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