We might often suggest to children that they try to 'work more systematically' but do they know what this means? These three tasks all lend themselves to systematic working as they challenge learners to find all possible solutions. The teachers' resources section of each one provides more detail about how you can support learners to develop this invaluable skill.
We suggest that you introduce the tasks in the order below. As a group of three, these problems will give you the chance to focus in particular on the reasoning, problem solving and attitude strands of the rope model.
You can find more tasks which offer opportunities for working systematically in Working Systematically - Primary Teachers.
6 Beads
If you put three beads onto a tens/ones abacus you can make the numbers 3, 30, 12 or 21. What numbers can be made with six beads?
Three Ball Line Up
Inside Triangles