Starter activities

24 Game
Choose a card from the pile on your table.
How to play: Make the number 24 using the four
numbers on a game card. You can add, subtract,
multiply, and divide. You must use all four numbers,
but use each only once.
How many points can you get in 5 minutes? (points =
dots in the corner of each card; more dots means harder
sums)

Write the number sentences in your exercise

books.

Starter Activities
Part 1:
To demonstrate how a variety of resources (internet,
PowerPoint, mini-whiteboards, true/false cards) and maths activities
could be used as starters of maths lessons 20 min
To try out and evaluate a number of starter activities by
considering the questions on the Planning for a starter
activity with pupils sheet (to be provided) 20 min
Part 2:
To choose from a bank of starters provided and plan in
details for a starter activity with a class of pupils 50min

Starters should ...

be engaging task
create an expectation that all pupils will be
thinking and participating in the lesson
produce an expectation of interaction and
involvement
...an alternative to the usual "OK, who can
remember what we did last lesson ?" kind of
question to the whole class
keep them SHORT- 5-10 min max! Keep an eye on
the clock or use some musical cue to keep time.

Thu, 06/12/2007

Lesson: Important Lines in a triangle

Starter Activities
1. What does RHS
stand for?
3. Name the red
2. Choose the correct line:
spelling:
A
a) hypothenuse
b) hipothenuse
c) hypotenuse

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

9
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

19
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

3
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

13
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

10
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

49
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

2
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

15
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

3
?
4n + 8 6n - 1
4n + 9 5n + 8
8n - 5 7n + 1
4n - 5 n - 7

-4
?

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

4
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

15
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

12
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

31
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

10
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

56
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

8
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

38
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

1
0

7
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

29
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

1
1

3
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

20
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

INPUT

RULE

2n + 1
5n - 2
3n + 4
2n + 7

3n + 8
7n + 5
6n - 4
3n + 8

Generate an input value

Zap and apply the rule
Calculate the output
value

1
2

7
?
4n + 8
4n + 9
8n - 5
4n - 5

23
?

6n - 1
5n + 8
7n + 1
4n - 7

OUTPUT

Countdown
25

TARGET

290

Stop

6
1

3
7

Odd-one-Out
Justify each one as the odd one out in
as many ways as you can.

32

27
24

What is the same, what is

different?

3n

(3n)

The answer is 4,

what is the question?

Target Board

In groups of 3:
What questions would you ask/ what will pupils do
if this was the target board. 7 min+3min share with whole group

What is the same, what is

different?

Starter idea: Focus on the maths

vocabulary
Recall names of 3D shapes

How would you plan for such an activity?

Towards a more detailed
planning
See handout

Focus on maths vocabulary

towards a more detailed planning
Ask the class how many mathematical names they
know for 3-D shapes or solids.
Write them on the board or ask the class to write in
their books. Stress the importance of correct spelling.
Show the class various everyday objects: for example,
a book, a can, a ball, a dice, different shaped boxes,
pencils.
Draw a table on the board in which to write down the
mathematical name for each object; pupils to write it
in their books, too.

Show me:

Starter ideas

Odd one out

What is the same, what is different?
Always, Sometimes, Never True
Spider diagrams
Show me open questions (mini whiteboards)
Card matching activities (questions and answers)
Silent demonstration
Spot the Mistake
Target Boards
The answer is , what is the question?

Re-arrange
yourselves in 9
tables with 6 of
you per table = 2
groups of 3

Starter Activities

Part 2:
in groups of 3, share the Planning for a starter activity
with pupils

Choose from the bank of starters provided and plan

for a starter activity with a class of pupils; try to
address all points of the planning sheet
Present your plan on an A3 sheet
Display work on walls
Read each others work and comment or feedback

on post its, please.

Give possible numbers for the blanks in the

statements below.

log

= 3

log

+ log

log

Extension:

- log

= 24
=6

Odd one out

For this triplet, try to think of ways in
which each member could be the odd
one out:
sinx, cosx, tanx

True,
False
or
Unsure
?

Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.

For more starter ideas...

Please see the Snappers pack &
teachers notes and Malcom Swans
Standard Units link in Moodle.