Complex Instruction and Group-worthy tasks - May 2010, Stage 3&4

This month our tasks have been designed with group work in mind - there is real benefit to working collaboratively on the activities, so we have suggested in the Teachers' Notes and articles how this can be done in the classroom.

Problems

Counting Cogs

Stage: 2 and 3 Challenge Level:

Which pairs of cogs let the coloured tooth touch every tooth on the other cog? Which pairs do not let this happen? Why?

Painted Cube

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Imagine a large cube made from small red cubes being dropped into a pot of yellow paint. How many of the small cubes will have yellow paint on their faces?

Growing Rectangles

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

What happens to the area and volume of 2D and 3D shapes when you enlarge them?

Seven Squares - Group-worthy Task

Stage: 3 Challenge Level:

Choose a couple of the sequences. Try to picture how to make the next, and the next, and the next... Can you describe your reasoning?

Efficient Cutting

Stage: 4 Challenge Level:

Use a single sheet of A4 paper and make a cylinder having the greatest possible volume. The cylinder must be closed off by a circle at each end.

Partially Painted Cube

Stage: 4 Challenge Level:

Jo made a cube from some smaller cubes, painted some of the faces of the large cube, and then took it apart again. 45 small cubes had no paint on them at all. How many small cubes did Jo use?