Photocopiable Investigations

So often in Maths we teach children how to do something and then find contexts to apply it. This is the 'this-is-how-you-do-it, now-do-some more' approach to Maths.

The Maths Investigations photocopiable activities turn all that on its head by suggesting that you give children big questions to investigate that take them beyond their current experience and then give them carefully structured support as they 'discover' key concepts and relationships for themselves.

This approach is much more fun than simply learning rules and practising them, and encourages pupils to have a more questioning attitude and explore the 'Why?' behind what they are being taught.

Your context can be a cross-curricular one, or a mathematical one.

For example, Shadow Clocks explores what happens as the sun moves round during the day.

In the course of this investigation you cover

• using measuring equipment correctly and measuring accurately
• understanding and minimising sources of error
• recording of measurements using diagrams
• symmetry
• compass points