Explain this
Developing Key Stage 3 Numeracy: Algebra Year 7
How the publisher describes it:
“This title is part of a series of three photocopiable maths activity books for secondary schools and home study. Each book contains over 50 pages of photocopiable activities that cover the key objectives of the Algebra strand for year 7 at Key Stage 3. Included are fresh ideas for whole-class oral and mental maths starter activities (as recommended by the framework). Each activity is divided into three progressive steps, providing opportunities for differentiating the work.”
Review by Anon
In brief:
Although many teachers may have better ideas on how teach algebra themselves, it is a resource worth having a look at.
“Some of the final activities actually provoke student thinking”
There are three books in the series, one for Y7, 8 and 9.The books are a photocopiable and have a selection of suggested oral and mental starters at the beginning of each book.
Each double spread page is based on an objective from the numeracy strategy framework and builds from a fairly easy start to more complicated examples. There are hints at the bottom of each page about the algebra being used or why it is used in that way (although many students miss this unless it is pointed out). It would be possible to structure a lesson based on some of the double page spreads so that teaching and practice are inter-spaced - or chunking as OFSTED calls it. This is not quite so easy with all of the spreads as there is a lot of content covered, but it is possible.
Some of the final activities actually provoke student thinking and could be used successfully as a plenary activity and done via an overhead or white board rather than on the worksheet. I like how it is set out and many of the activities have been well thought out. It does provide practice and thinking activities in an area of mathematics which students find difficult. I particularly like the set of lessons on term-to-term sequences and position-to-term sequences. I used this with a bottom set Y11 group and they have become much better at finding the nth term of a sequence since using these worksheets.
Although many teachers may have better ideas on how teach algebra themselves, it is a resource worth having a look at.
Anon •
Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: A & C Black (29 Aug 2003)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0713664711
ISBN-13: 978-0713664713
Product Dimensions: 29 x 20.6 x 0.6 cm
