Something to keep an eye on is MEI’s 2017 Scheme of Workwhich will be freely available from Spring 2017. The sample units currently available look excellent. Each unit (there will be 43) is based on a topic and includes a commentary of the underlying mathematics, a sample resource, a use of technology, links with other topics, common errors, opportunities for proof and questions to promote mathematical thinking.
Staying with MEI – check the Conference 2016 resources which includes a session on teaching Statistics as part of the new A Level specification and notes from several other sessions on the new A Level specifications.
Perhaps after initial explanations with reminders about what they already know about distance time graphs and emphasising that a gradient is a rate of change, a good starting activity, A tangent is …from Underground Mathematicswhich emphasises rather well that a tangent is a local property of a graph.
I want them to draw some tangents and see how accurate they can be, so I’ll give everyone a good size graph of f(x) = x2 and have them draw tangents at x=0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, something that has worked well with A Level students. We can use Desmos to check our work, Tangents to f(x)=x2 – Desmos. (For even more @Desmos sophistication – see the end of this post).
Back with Underground Maths again we will useGradient Matchto match functions with their gradient functions. This can be used interactively online. All the resources you need and a solution are provided.
Further Resources AQA – Bridging the Gap – Pocket 3is on Graphs and Real Life Contexts; this includes Distance Time Graphs and Velocity Time Graphs.
There are several resources for teaching this topic on AQA’s All About Maths including clear PowerPoints and suggested lesson activities.
(Free for AQA Centres, find out how to register).
One of my resolutions for Maths teachers, one I think applies to teachers of any subject is a reminder about talking to the students about learning and study strategies. Read The Learning Scientists blog for more information and note the excellent downloadable materialson study strategies. Since I wrote that post more slides to use in class with your students are now available, including on Retrieval Practice, a subject I have long been interested in and something I have seen as important all through my teaching career. See my own Low Stakes Testing in the Mathematics Classroom.
Continuing on the theme of retrieval practice, a reminder of a favourite resource, something I have used in my first lessons this week with various classes, Corbett Maths 5-a-day. If you scroll down the GCSE 9-1 collection you will see that Mr Corbett is working on the answers too.
Students appreciate the idea of regular reviews throughout the course.
This coming week we will focus on homework, appropriate for the beginning of the academic year as we establish routines. For some alternative homework ideas, see this page.
On the subject of Twitter, a reminder of just how useful it can be!
As a member of the TES Maths Panel I have often come across the excellent resources from @Pixi_17. In fact writing the original post on Iterative Techniques (and note the June 16 update with a Further Resources / Questions section) I was able to include a resource of hers on the subject. She has now organised her resources on her own website piximaths.co.uk.
Cambridge University’s Underground Mathematics is an outstanding resource for teachers of students age 16-19 and I believe will be an important source of ideas for teaching the new Advanced Level specifications.
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I will be regularly featuring favourite resources; here’s a great way to look at circles! The teddy bear! As with all the resources on Underground mathematics much more than just the problem is available; note the printable/ supporting materials for the teddy bear problem.
On my Reading/Blogs – Learning & Teaching page, you’ll find John Tomsett. His post struck a chord with me – that’s a wonderful video for talking about Growth Mindsets, something I have often mentioned in posts on this blog.
