The children attending Magical Maths are having a fabulous time! Here is a little snapshot of what they have been up to.
This week was Mathletics week which meant our Olympic Mathletes were at your school. We had a parachute, some beach balls and even some football. It was an unbelievable week!
This week everything was sports related as we took our maths adventures to a whole new level! Our Olympic Mathletes came dressed in their sports gear...these guys are so sporty they make Jess Ennis and Mo Farrah look like a pair of pensioners who brought stilettos instead of trainers to a work-out!
Here's what the children did:
Parachute Games
After hearing "parachute games", the children were very relieved to find out they weren't going to be jumping out of a plane this week. (Our 'Magical Maths Plane' is currently undergoing repairs...maybe next time!)
Rather, they'd be holding an edge of our giant parachute and answering maths related questions.
We have many activities that we play with this. The first is numbering the children with certain numbers (these can be small if we want an easier game, or larger for a harder game). We then ask the group questions, and if your number is the answer you must run under the parachute to the other side! Wahoo!
We then add in large foamy dice to make things more interesting, and play a 'number patterns' game where we number the children in a pattern, they close their eyes while one child goes under the parachute, and when they open them they decide as a group which number is missing.
Great stuff!
Beach Ball Maths
Standing in a circle, a beach ball is thrown into the air. Children must catch it, and then see where their thumbs land on the ball. There are different numbered regions on the ball, so the activity leader will then shout an instruction and the child must answer it.
It could be as simple as "add your numbers together"
or, it could be harder "multiply your numbers together, and subtract the number of legs on a cow"
or, perhaps "subtract your numbers, and name a shape with that many sides"
As always, questions are appropriate for all ages.
Goal
We had a (foot)ball with this game today! The children have to split into pairs to play a football based board game against each other. They pick teams, roll the dice and have to solve the sum given to them in the top corner of their board. Each correct answer gets them closer to their opponent's goal...and they player with the most goals at the end wins.
Key Stage 2's must recall and use multiplication facts for the times tables up to 12x12. For the mini maths genius', we have goal boards which do the 13, 15, 20, and 50 times tables.
It was a tense game for each year group, but our final winners did mathemagically well. Well done guys!
It was an absolutely cracking week this week. Only problem is, we're aching now...they wore us out!
Look forward to seeing everyone again next week,
Head of looking after worn out staff.
P.S. Next week is 'mind boggling puzzles' week. Seriously, these puzzles are TOUGH! Children need to bring their thinking cap! ;)
P.P.S. If they don't have thinking caps, give me an email and I'll order extras in! ;)