New lesson(s) – Completing the square
This lesson has been superseded by a new one here: Completing the Square Post
Author Archives: Richard
Weekend Website Updates
Fixed some wrong answers on the Solving quadratics by factorising vary and twist. I wrote some timed questions on rounding to multiples of ten and rounding to decimal places. I updated the timed questions page so that you can now change the font. Try it by clicking the font names underneath the yellow carousel. I’ve… Read More »
New Lesson: Using the quadratic formula
THE LESSON IS HERE. This lesson was a massive learning curve for me and I’ve massively changed it after I taught my year 10s. The first version of the lesson presented an example problem pair and asked them to get on with a variation activity. How hard could plugging numbers into a formula be? Well,… Read More »
New(ish) lesson: Factorising Single Brackets
THE LESSON IS AVAILABLE HERE This isn’t completely new. I’ve edited and refined a lesson I’ve had on here before. Except I’ve packed it with MORE STUFF. I’eve tried to use Jo Morgan’s idea of going more in depth. So this lesson has: Some I do you do/examples. One of my vary and twist activities.… Read More »
Robert Low: Why is subtraction so hard?
Really interesting article and worth a read Subtraction presents various problems to learners of mathematics, not least with the mechanics of hand calculating the result of subtracting one multi-digit number from another. But that’s not the kind of difficulty I’m interested in: I’m more interested here in the difficulties that arise when computations involving several… Read More »
New lesson: Finding roots of quadratics by factorising
This is my biggest set of lesson stuff yet. The PowerPoint introduces the topic. It sets up some example-problem pairs. It then leads onto some vary and twist questions, which are available here as Word file. The PowerPoint then goes onto talking about solving when rearranged and includes a Victorian textbook exercise and some questions… Read More »
New Resource : Simplifying ratio timed questions
Like the old ten quick questions, but with three levels of difficulty. Level one (first three questions) : Prime divisor Level two (second three questions) : Compound divisor Level three (third three questions) : 1 : n Level four (last question) : Units Tempted to extend it to do 12 questions. That last question feels… Read More »
New resource : Equivalent and Simplifying ratio lesson
Wrote this powerpoint today. It’s like my ProjectALesson stuff but I’ve taken A LOT of explanation out. I’ve also got some stuff you need to print out. I’m not sure making them ‘pick up and go’ was that helpful. It takes a lot of inspiration from variationtheory.com. It’s my new favourite website. It’s ACE. I… Read More »
Updated resource: Collecting Like Terms Powerpoint
Doing teaching resources is hard! By the time you’ve written some, you realise what you’ve written is a little rubbish! For instance, my ProjectALesson powerpoints need massive improvement. They often contribute to a modern epidemic in teachers : click-itis. I’ve seen this quite a few times. I’ve been guilty of it myself. I have no… Read More »
Vary and twist: Collecting like terms
Download the worksheet here Not sure how I feel about some of the decisions here. I’ve introduced a bit of index laws towards the end of the sheet. Is this madness? I thought I would add it to reinforce the difference between simplifying powers and simplifying regular expressions. Maybe it’s too much. As usual here’s… Read More »