Equations through pictures

Straight line graphs are often not taught until somewhere in the middle secondary years. But they can actually be an excellent way of helping younger children to explore how equations work if you introduce them in the right way.

This investigation teaches the children key vocabulary to help them explain their thinking and then gets them exploring what happens if you take an equation like y = x + 1 and then change it a little in different ways.

Lots of pretty pictures result, so you can get some colourful wall displays out of it too!

Ages 10-13    Printable materials (pdf) - 4 pages of teacher's notes and 3 pupil sheets.