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All Activities

Algebra Activities 

On the other pages in this section we have divided our activities in to sub-topics. This page has them all together in one place for browsing

Travel Graphs

Time: 1.5-2 hrs. The practical part of this activity can be completed as a first introductory lesson for distance-time graphs. No prior knowledge is required since the motion sensors provide the scaffolding and feedback to get the students to understand how the graphs are used to record position at different times. The second part of the activity gets students to consider the link between speed and distance.

Inequality Graphs

Time: 1-1.5 hrs. Plotting inequalities made easy! Includes revision activities to remind students how to use equations to describe straight line graphs followed by a practical activity where students will try to recreate graphs of inequalities using Geogebra.

Surrounded

Time: 2 hrs +. This is an excellent investigation to get students to describe the pattern generated by surrounding a shape with squares. They should be able to find a formula and link the formula to what they see. The activity is well structured, but it could be set in a far more open-ended way.

Sequences Differences Method

Time: 1-2 hrs. This activity starts with a drag & drop applet requiring students to use their intuitive sense of number to categorise sequences as linear, quadratic or cubic. A spreadsheet calculator is provided as a scaffold for students in using the differences method to check their intuitions and, eventually, find the exact formula for each sequence. Paper version available also.

Modeling Disease

Modeling Disease

Time: 1-2 hrs. Students match the weekly infection figures with the corresponding disease and graph before trying to find an appropriate model to predict its spread over the coming weeks. Quarantine, Research investment, Extermination etc. – what government policy will your students recommend based on their models?

Loopy Polygons

Time: 4 hrs. This is an investigation where students explore the link between the number of polygon tiles and the perimeters of the shapes formed by tiling them in loops. It's a great opportunity for students to find formulae in a practical situation and do some extended mathematical writing.

Angry Birds 1  

Time: 1 hr. Difficulty level: Medium. This set of games asks students to find the correct equation of the parabola in order to hit the pig! This could give them an opportunity to discover the properties of graphs in the form y=a(x - p)(x - q). Great fun!

Angry Birds 2 

Time 1 hr. Difficulty level: Hard. This second set of games where three set of coordinates are given and students are required to calculate the equation of the parabola. More through understanding of the equation of a quadratic will be required.

Inequalities Introduction

Age 12+ Time 1h: Get students up and out of their seats, grouping themselves into sets of numbers according to certain conditions. Students then invent their own number line diagrams for visualising inequalities, with a quiz to discern whose is the most effective, before completing a six question applet using conventional inequality lines.

Brand Symmetry

Time 1-2h: Students use their knowledge of equations of lines to rebuild well known, symmetrical logos from a small fragment of the image. They then find and/or make their own logos, providing for their partner only a small fragment (using FREE photo editors such as paint.net, gimp or others) from which to rebuild the original.

Transforming Functions - The Stretch

 Time 2h. Students find transforming functions one of the most demanding topics in mathematics at this level. In particular, the effect a has on the function, f(x) for y=af(x) and y=f(ax) and understanding just what a stretch is. This activity documents the most succesful approach I've had with this topic. It approaches the idea from the angle of transforming shapes, looking at the effect on the coordinates, then applying the same transformations to graphs.

This is a very complete activity that makes use of Geogebra and includes ready made applets and help videos for teachers who may have little experience or confidence in using technology in the classroom. Watch the following video (no sound) to get an overview of the activity: