Maths at Home

June 2024 - Nim-7

This months activity is a game to play. 

This is a basic form of the ancient game of Nim.

You will need seven objects, such as counters or blocks. It is a game for two players.

Play several times so that you get a good 'feel' for the game.

Are there any points in the game, before the end, when you know who the winner is going to be? How do you know?

Can you find a way to play so that you are sure you will win right from the start?

Does it matter who has the first turn? Why or why not?

Please send your ideas about how to win to ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and I will add it to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

Use this link to watch a video of how to play Nim-7

Nim-7 (maths.org)

Millie says “if it’s your turn and there’s only three left you can’t win” and she recognised that the player that goes first is more likely to win.  Well done Millie 

May 2024 - NumBots Challenge 

This months activity focuses on our on-line learning platform NumBots.  NumBots is an excellent way to support your child’s maths learning at school and their developing number sense. 

I am going to monitor usage during the month of May and the class that has the highest percentage of children playing will win my robot mascot for the month.  Play can then continue into June.  If you need a copy of your child’s login details please email me at

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

Congratulations to Class 7 who had a massive 97% of the class who played during the month of May.  They are now proudly looking after the robot mascot.  Play for June has begun.

April 2024 - Noah

This months activity is a problem that has lots of possible solutions. 

You may like to start with these key questions:

What creatures could there be?

How many legs do they each have?

Please send your solutions to ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and I will add it to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

Example:

March 2024 - Favourite Number

This months activity is all about your favourite number.  Please draw me a picture of your favourite number and tell me why you have chosen it.  Then send it to

 ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and I will add it to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

Example:

My favourite number is 6 because this is the class that I teach. I’ve made the number six with ladybirds, one of my favourite insects.

Millie's favourite number

Millie says: “my favourite number is number 11 because I am number 11 in the register”

Seren's Favourite Number

Seren chose 4 because "I have 4 people in my family and I love them."

Lily's Favourite Number

"I chose number nine because that's my drawer number and I like saying it randomly. I think it's going to be fun when I'm nine. I'm going to see what it's like when my brother turns nine. I have a cat and some people believe they have nine lives."

February 2024 - Ladybird Box

This months activity is another problem solving activity.  Use a 3x3 grid and place 6 ladybirds into the grid so that there are 2 ladybirds in every row and every column.  Please send a photos of your ladybird box to

 ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and it will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

Example:

January - Mixed Up Socks

This months activity is a problem solving activity.  Start with 3 pairs of socks.  Now mix them up so that no mismatched pair is the same as another mismatched pair.  Now try with 4 pairs of socks.  Is there more than one way to do it?  Please send me photos of your Mixed Up Socks to

 ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and these will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

Example:

December - Magical Christmas Trees

This months activity is to design a magical Christmas tree using only 2D shapes. Please send photos of your Magical Christmas Tree to 

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and these will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

Examples :

November - Exploding Numbers

This months activity is to create a firework pattern using a sequence of numbers.  You could count in twos, fives, tens or even ones.  Have fun!

Please send photos of your Exploding Numbers to 

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and these will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

Examples:

October - Tangram Art

This months activity is to create a picture using a tangram.  A tangram is a Chinese geometrical puzzle consisting of a square cut into seven pieces which can be arranged to make various other shapes and pictures.  A tangram template is provided on the website for you to print and use. 

There is an online tangram with some super templates to use:

www.mathigon.org/tangram

Please send photos of your Tangram Art to 

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and these will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

September - Tremendous Tessellations

This months activity is to create a repeated pattern that uses tessellating shapes.  Start by choosing a 2D shape that can be fitted together in a pattern with no gaps or overlaps.

Please send photos of your patterns to

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and these will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

Examples:

July - Pattern Professors

This months activity is to create a repeated pattern.  Be as creative as you like.

Please send photos of your patterns to ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and these will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

June - Stick Bugs with Symmetry

This months activity is to go outside and collect some sticks.  Use the sticks to create a stick bug with one or more lines of symmetry. 

If you can’t collect any sticks you could always draw or paint your symmetrical bug.

Please send photos of your stick bugs to

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and these will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

May 2023 - Coronation Gems

To celebrate the coronation of King Charles III on 6^th May this month’s challenge will be to design a crown for the King.  The crown will need to be decorated with gems. Gems come in all shapes and sizes.  What will you use?

Please make a list of the shapes that you have used.

Please send photos of your coronation gems to ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk and these will be added to the school website to celebrate maths at home. 

April 2023 - Maths Games

Following the successful board games session to celebrate World Maths Day on 23rd March, the activity suggestion for April is to play maths games at home.  Below are the rules of the games we played at school.  I've also included PDF copies of the base boards we used should you want to print out a copy to use at home. 

I would also love to hear about any other games that have a mathematical element to them or even a slight change to the rules to make it even more mathematical.  Please send photos to include on the website.  Your ideas may even be used at next year's World Maths Day event.

Reception children played snakes and ladders moving carefully across the board, looking at which way their pawn needed to move (especially when they got to climb a ladder or slide down a snake).

Year 1 children played Ludo using two dice.  They needed to roll a six to get a pawn out and into play.  The six could be on either dice or the total of both dice.  Of course, any six rolled resulted in an extra go.  They continued rolling both dice and moving the total number of spaces.

Year 2 children also played Ludo with two dice.  They needed a six to move a pawn into play.  However, as play progressed, they had the choice of adding their two number or taking the smaller number away from the larger number.  This added an element of tactical play as they tried to send their friends pawns back to start again!

March 2023 - Book Worms

Can you find maths in a book?  To link with World Book Day, I have chosen a book-based activity this month.  While you’re reading look out for any maths links?  There may be maths in an old favourite story, a school reading book, a non-fiction book or even in poem.   

Please email your book worm photos and quotes to Mrs Bishop  

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and I will share them on the school website. 

February 2023 - Foodie Maths

Can you find maths disguised as food?

Please take a photo, write down or draw what you have spotted.  Here is a simple idea to get you started.

Please email your foodie maths pictures to Mrs Bishop  

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and I will share them on the school website.  Please visit the website to see the wonderful mathematical pictures that were sent to me for the month of January. 

January 2023 - Mathematical Pictures

Reception – Can you create an image that is outlined using only numbers?  Surround your image with a string of numbers.

Year 1 - Can you create an image that is outlined using number sentences?  These could be addition facts or subtraction facts that you know.

Year 2 – Can you create an image that is outlined using number sentences?  These could be addition, subtraction or multiplication facts.

 Here is a simple idea to get you started.

Please email your amazing mathematical pictures to Mrs Bishop

ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

and I will share them on the school website.

January 2023 - Snowflakes

Did you know that it’s possible to “let it snow” by cutting a folded piece of paper?
Prepare your imaginations, paper sheets, scissors…and a bit of geometry too – to see the magic happen.

Draw and cut a simple shape on paper like a circle, a square or a rhombus.

Fold your paper in half and half and half again.
Then draw your snowflake “details” and cut them (pay attention, folded paper can be a bit hard to cut).

Unfold to show your creation!

Have fun experimenting your own shapes and cuts and… let it snow!

Or you could use lolly sticks to create a snowflake

Or use this link to find out how to make a giant 3D snowflake

Giant Snowflake Activity - Maths on Toast

Here's a few ideas to get you started.

Remember to send a photo of your amazing snowflakes to ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk

December 2022 - Rudolph Maths

Create an image of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer using 2D shapes.  Please remember to label the shapes that you have used.  Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.  Please email a photo of your 2D shape Rudolph to ebishop@dinglewell-inf.gloucs.sch.uk.

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