The archived National Literacy and Numeracy Week activities from 2016.
Who Won It?
‘Who won it?’ uses statistics in sport as a means of exploring data analysis. The activity centres on a contest between students to discover the final winner of a fictitious championship in two sports, Australian Rules football and Rugby League. ‘Who won it?’ introduces students to statistics and their practical application outside the classroom.
Choose Australian Rules or Rugby League as the focus game. The activity can be run as one lesson or over a series of lessons to suit your class or timetable. The amount of detail provided at each stage will vary according to your class needs.
General introduction: 10 minutes
- Explain statistical rules, and how they apply to sports
- Statistical Rules and Glossary List can be used for more explanation/information
- Do the worked example together as a class
Playing the games: 25 minutes
- Work through the matches for Weeks 1- 4 to find out the Championship winners
Closure: 10 minutes
- Check students’ knowledge of statistics and understanding of how maths and statistics in sports work.
- Re-reach any concepts that are still unclear.
- Use the ‘Working with Statistics’ handout to give more information and in-depth explanation of the mathematics behind the activities.
This lesson has been designed for flexibility across a range of developmental needs and can be conducted using the PowerPoint slides, and/or student handouts.
If you have PowerPoint capabilities in your classroom, teachers can use the PowerPoint slides to run the lesson. The ‘Statistical Rules and Glossary List’ and ‘Working with Statistics’ handouts provide more information and in-depth explanation of the mathematics behind the activities.
If you don’t have PowerPoint capabilities in your classroom, teachers can print the PowerPoint slides with notes and use them as a lesson guide. To play the games on paper, print out the four weeks of competition and play on paper. Students can work in groups, pairs or individually.
The ‘Statistical Rules and Glossary List’ and ‘Working with Statistics’ handouts provide more information and in depth explanation of the mathematics behind the activities.
Which Way?
Which Way? comprises four spatial activities focusing on directional language. Students are encouraged to think logically, utilising a variety of tools to find their way and to guide others. From the pages of a book, around your classroom to the great outdoors, the choice is yours!
- Each resource begins with a brief description of the activity and explains the task.
- The Options provide a range of alternative approaches such as the use of additional equipment or technologies, differentiation for individuals and groups, or ideas to take the learning to an outdoor or larger indoor space.
- The Considerations highlight opportunities that can be taken to reinforce and deepen the learning, as your students progress through a given task.
- The Key Questions are designed to promote reasoning and higher-order thinking. The activities are open-ended, so the use of questioning is a key way to differentiate the tasks, to ensure that all of your students are working at an appropriate level of challenge for them.
The content aims to challenge traditional ways of looking at maths. It has been designed to stimulate curiosity and connect to everyday contexts.
Whichever option you choose, the activity is supported by a list of suggested Language and Concepts that underpin the learning.
For secondary teachers, you can find suggestions in the list of options, such as adding coordinates, bearings, measurements and the use of scales to add the level of complexity appropriate for your class.
All resources make strong connections to the Australian Curriculum and incorporate all four proficiencies.
Thinkers are Winners
Thinkers are Winners is a series of strategy games designed to focus on the development of logical thought, mathematical reasoning and the ability to explain your thought processes. Play the games to discover the winning strategy and unlock the mystery.
Each activity is provided with options, considerations and key questions, making them adaptable and suitable for Foundation to Year 8.
- Each resource begins with a brief description of the activity and explains the task.
- The Options provide a range of alternative approaches such as the use of additional equipment or technologies, differentiation for individuals and groups, or ideas to take the learning to an outdoor or larger indoor space.
- The Considerations highlight opportunities that can be taken to reinforce and deepen the learning, as your students progress through a given task.
- The Key Questions are designed to promote reasoning and higher-order thinking. The activities are open-ended, so the use of questioning is a key way to differentiate the tasks, to ensure that all of your students are working at an appropriate level of challenge for them.
The content aims to challenge traditional ways of looking at maths. It has been designed to stimulate curiosity and connect to everyday contexts.
Whichever option you choose, the activity is supported by a list of suggested Language and Concepts that underpin the learning.
For secondary teachers, you can find suggestions in the list of options, such as adding coordinates, bearings, measurements and the use of scales to add the level of complexity appropriate for your class.
All resources make strong connections to the Australian Curriculum and incorporate all four proficiencies.
Catch an Idea
Catch an Idea is your chance to catch a maths moment! Whether you are indoors or outside, looking at patterns or playing sports, in the kitchen or in outer space; maths helps make sense of the world! Students and teachers photograph a mathematics moment, caption it and share it (digitally or as a poster around the school). For example, take a photo of someone measuring ingredients, tiling a roof or a football player kicking a goal. Maths is everywhere!
AAMT would like to share your Catch an Idea. Email photos and caption to nlnw@aamt.edu.au
See the the ideas on AAMT’s Instagram – or post your own #CatchAnIdea #NLNW
Example
Adam Spencer, National Literacy and Numeracy Week Ambassador, provides the inaugural mathematical idea.
Taking 4 kids to the movies this Saturday. Need to coordinate two separate movies at two different times but have to leave enough time in the middle to get the grocery shopping done for the week and still get back to the cinemas before anyone gets out. Maths and movies – I love it!
