This Bowland assessment task takes students back to the American ‘gold rush’ of the 19th century. Prospectors can rent an area of land. Each explorer is given four pegs and a 100m length of rope and can make a rectangle shape of whatever dimensions they choose. Students explore what is the maximum area they can...

This report from Ofsted describes how assessment in science is most effective where it is used as a teaching tool as well as a means of judging attainment. Similarly the assessment of practical coursework is not just a means of assigning students to levels but of giving them the information they need to improve...

The activities in this book from Polygon Resources focus on shape and space. They are particularly designed to give students experience of designing and making solid objects and time to consolidate their ideas about solid shapes and their properties. Many of the activities require practical equipment such as...

The activities in this book from Polygon Resources focus on the concepts of area and perimeter. The approach taken can help students use mathematical language, take responsibility for selecting materials and to develop greater rigour in their mathematical reasoning.

Paper Cut Outs asks...

The activities in this book from Polygon Resources focus on fractions and decimals. They are intended to give experience of meeting fractions and decimals in a range of different contexts.

Designing Tiles investigates tiles that can be divided up into different fractions.

...

The activities in this book from Polygon Resources focus on number and encourage students to develop and refine their own methods of calculation, and offer opportunities for practice of arithmetic skills.

Counter Grid is an investigation into the different totals that can be made by addition...

While these activities from Polygon Resources focus largely on line symmetry, some lead on to rotational symmetry. Although much of the work in this booklet relates to two dimensional shapes, there are opportunities to extend into three dimensions. The need to think of planes of symmetry rather than lines is a way...

This resource from Ofsted is a report and summary of the findings of the survey on good practice in primary mathematics teaching, which was conducted following a ministerial request for Ofsted to provide evidence on effective practice in the teaching of early arithmetic, published in November 2011. It focuses on...

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Recall that people have both physical health and mental health, which can range from good to ill.

• Identify factors associated with good and ill physical health in...

The activities in this book from Polygon Resources focus on probability, but have links to other areas. Through the activities students are encouraged to develop their own games with appropriate time to work on them and test out their hypotheses.

Horse Race asks students to investigate...

The focus of the activities in this book from Polygon Resources is algebra and provides students with experience of finding and explaining rules by writing down what they notice in words.

Repeating Patterns introduces the idea of prediction based on known patterns.

Matchstick...

An interactive resource from the Association for Science Education (ASE) that introduces nutrition, and offers students the chance to have their say on healthy eating. Students research different nutrients and their sources, before making changes to a player's favourite...

Produced by Nelson Thornes, this resource helps students look at aspects of how science works. The aim of the activity is for students to critically assess some of the evidence that might connect our increased burning of fossil fuels to rising global temperatures. Students should realise that, although we are...