52 Article  Matches

Learning Mathematics Through Games Series: 1. Why Games?

Stage: 1

This article supplies teachers with information that may be useful in better understanding the nature of games and their role in teaching and learning mathematics.

Learning Mathematics Through Games Series: 4. from Strategy Games

Stage: 1, 2 and 3

Basic strategy games are particularly suitable as starting points for investigations. Players instinctively try to discover a winning strategy, and usually the best way to do this is to analyse. . . .

Got It! Article

Stage: 2 and 3

This article gives you a few ideas for understanding the Got It! game and how you might find a winning strategy.

Learning Mathematics Through Games Series: 2.types of Games

Stage: 1

This article, the second in the series, looks at some different types of games and the sort of mathematical thinking they can develop.

Learning Mathematics Through Games: 3. Creating Your Own Games

Stage: 1

Not all of us a bursting with creative game ideas, but there are several ways to go about creating a game that will assist even the busiest and most reluctant game designer.

Games Related to Nim

Stage: 1, 2, 3 and 4

This article for teachers describes several games, found on the site, all of which have a related structure that can be used to develop the skills of strategic planning.

Talking about Maths - 1

Stage: 2, 3, 4 and 5

The first of two articles for teachers explaining how to include talk in maths presentations.

The Mean Game

Stage: 5

Edward Wallace based his A Level Statistics Project on The Mean Game. Each picks 2 numbers. The winner is the player who picks a number closest to the mean of all the numbers picked.

Using Games in the Classroom

Stage: 2, 3 and 4

Gillian Hatch analyses what goes on when mathematical games are used as a pedagogic device.

Round-robin Scheduling

Stage: 4 and 5

Scheduling games is a little more challenging than one might desire. Here are some tournament formats that sport schedulers use.

Meet the Nim Family

Stage:

Jennifer Piggott and the NRICH team introduce Nim-like games to help children think creatively in mathematics.

Parents, Children and Maths

Stage: 1

Jenny Murray writes about the sessions she leads in schools for parents to work alongside children on mathematical problems, puzzles and games.

Going for Games

Stage: 1 and 2

In this article for teachers, Liz Woodham describes the criteria she uses to choose mathematical games for the classroom and shares some examples from NRICH.

Going First

Stage: 3, 4 and 5

This article shows how abstract thinking and a little number theory throw light on the scoring in Go.

Impossible Sandwiches

Stage: 3, 4 and 5

In this 7-sandwich: 7 1 3 1 6 4 3 5 7 2 4 6 2 5 there are 7 numbers between the 7s, 6 between the 6s etc. The article shows which values of n can make n-sandwiches and which cannot.

Coordinating Classroom Coordinates

Stage: 2

This article describes a practical approach to enhance the teaching and learning of coordinates.

Sprouts

Stage: 2, 3, 4 and 5

This article invites you to get familiar with a strategic game called "sprouts". The game is simple enough for younger children to understand, and has also provided experienced mathematicians. . . .

Behind the Rules of Go

Stage: 5

This article explains the use of the idea of connectedness in networks, in two different ways, to bring into focus the basics of the game of Go, namely capture and territory.

A Maths Afternoon

Stage: 1

This article describes no ordinary maths lesson. There were 24 children, mostly Years 3 and 4, and there were 17 adults working with them - mothers, fathers, one grandmother and two grandfathers, a. . . .

An Ancient Game

Stage:

Path of Discovery Series: 2. First Steps

Stage: 1

This article takes a closer look at some of the toys and games that can enhance a child's mathematical learning.

The Use of Mathematics in Computer Games

Stage: 5

An account of how mathematics is used in computer games including geometry, vectors, transformations, 3D graphics, graph theory and simulations.

Taking Chances Extended

Stage: 4 and 5

This article, for students and teachers, is mainly about probability, the mathematical way of looking at random chance.

Multiplication Series: Number Arrays

Stage: 1 and 2

This article for teachers describes how number arrays can be a useful reprentation for many number concepts.

Corresponding Sudokus

Stage: 3, 4 and 5

This second Sudoku article discusses "Corresponding Sudokus" which are pairs of Sudokus with terms that can be matched using a substitution rule.

Path of Discovery Series: 1. Uncertain Beginnings

Stage: 1

Marion Bond suggests that we try to imagine mathematical knowledge as a broad crazy paving rather than a path of stepping stones. There is no one right place to start and there is no one right route. . . .

A Japanese Mathematics Lesson

Stage: 1, 2 and 3

Jenni Way describes her visit to a Japanese mathematics classroom.

The Best Card Trick Ever!

Stage: 4

You will need an assistant, a witness and an ordinary deck of cards.

Positive about Negative Numbers

Stage: 1 and 2

In this article for teachers, Liz Woodham describes resources on NRICH that can help primary-aged children get to grips with negative numbers.

Number Sense Series: Developing Early Number Sense

Stage: 1

This article for teachers suggests teaching strategies and resources that can help to develop children's number sense.

Nriching Mathematics in Haringey

Stage: 1 and 2

This article for teachers describes a joint project with Haringey Local Authority and NRICH to support improving using and applying mathematics, reasoning and creativity.

Thinking about Different Ways of Thinking

Stage: 1, 2, 3 and 4

This article, the first in a series, discusses mathematical-logical intelligence as described by Howard Gardner.

From A Random World to a Rational Universe

Stage: 2, 3 and 4

In the time before the mathematical idea of randomness was discovered, people thought that everything that happened was part of the will of supernatural beings. So have things changed?

Sufficient but Not Necessary: Two Eyes and Seki in Go

Stage: 4

The game of go has a simple mechanism. This discussion of the principle of two eyes in go has shown that the game does not depend on equally clear-cut concepts.

The Development of Spatial and Geometric Thinking: the Importance of Instruction.

Stage: 1 and 2

This article looks at levels of geometric thinking and the types of activities required to develop this thinking.

Magic Squares II

Stage: 4 and 5

An article which gives an account of some properties of magic squares.

Earth Shapes

Stage: 5

What if the Earth's shape was a cube or a cone or a pyramid or a saddle ... See some curious worlds here.

Magic Squares

Stage: 4 and 5

An account of some magic squares and their properties and and how to construct them for yourself.

Enriching Patterns

Stage: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Following on from a workshop at an MA Easter conference, Jennifer and Jenni talked about the way in which the website is made more accessible to teachers who want to plan threads of. . . .

Number Sense Series: A Sense of 'ten' and Place Value

Stage: 1

Once a basic number sense has developed for numbers up to ten, a strong 'sense of ten' needs to be developed as a foundation for both place value and mental calculations.

Dominant Intelligences

Stage: 1, 2, 3 and 4

The second in a series, this article looks at the possible opportunities for children who operate from different intelligences to be involved in "typical" maths problems.

Primary Proof?

Stage: 1

Proof does have a place in Primary mathematics classrooms, we just need to be clear about what we mean by proof at this level.

Dice, Routes and Pathways

Stage: 1, 2 and 3

This article for teachers discusses examples of problems in which there is no obvious method but in which children can be encouraged to think deeply about the context and extend their ability to. . . .

The 1999 Cricket World Cup: A Simulation Game for the Classroom

Stage: 3

This article describes a simulation which can be played out in the classroom.

Assessing Pupil Progress (APP) and NRICH Resources

Stage: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

In this article Jenny talks about Assessing Pupils' Progress and the use of NRICH problems.

Using Non-standard Problems to Challenge Pre-conceptions

Stage:

This paper explores the value of using problems as a way of challenging children’s mathematical pre-conceptions and problems' potential for extending their knowledge and understanding. It. . . .

Numbers and Notation - Ambiguities and Confusions

Stage: 1

While musing about the difficulties children face in comprehending number structure, notation, etc., it occured to the author that there is a vast array of occasions when numbers and signs are. . . .

Money Problems?

Stage: 1

Marion Bond investigates the skills needed in order for children to understand money.

Teachers Using NRICH 4

Stage: 1 and 2

Vicki Pike was one of four NRICH Teacher Fellows who worked on embedding NRICH materials into their teaching. In this article, she writes about her experiences of working with students at Key. . . .

Using Rich Tasks in an Objective Led Culture

Stage: 2, 3 and 4

As teachers, we appreciate the need to have clear objectives at the start of lessons but have been aware of the limitations this sometimes seems to place on our ability to get the most out of using. . . .