Resource of the Week
New weekly resources for using FunKey Maths cards.
The top 16 products to practise
Useful last minute prep for the MTC! In a previous blog I identified the 15 most likely questions to appear in the Year 4 MTC. This week I am sharing a chart which identifies the top 16 products which are most likely to make an appearance as answers in the MTC. The...
Help! The MTC is approaching!
Productive ways to prepare for the MTC! I’m not a fan of the MTC and would prefer it if our 8- and 9-year-olds were encouraged to explore multiplicative connections in more productive ways, without the pressure of a timed, computerized, summative test. I’ve already...
Making and Breaking the Whole
Linking the Four Operations I've written before about the importance of children establishing a good understanding of the connections between the four operations. The same is true for the staff teaching our children. Most primary teachers are not specialists, and it...
Linking the Four Operations
Connecting the four operations I often say to primary age children that there are only five things they can do to a number. One of those is to leave it alone! So, the fact that there are only four operations - four things you can do to a number as a primary student -...
The inverse operation
Is division trickier than multiplication? Division continues to get a bad press in many maths classrooms. It is perceived by many teachers and students to be trickier than multiplication. For those who have a comfortable understanding of the structure of...
The Maze Game
Introduction to The Maze Game I love this game. It’s so simple to play and can be used in so many ways at home or in the maths classroom. All, you need is a pen and paper I invented it when my kids were both young and I was looking for a fun way to help them read...
Game: Slap Bingo
How to play The basic game is super simple. It needs one caller, and works with up to four players. Lay out about ten cards face up in random order between the two players. The caller gives a clue to one of the cards, and the players race to slap the appropriate card....
Building connections between colours and times tables
The colours in the FunKey Times Tables cards can create or strengthen connections which give children access to times table facts.
Game: Colour Match
How to Play Each player needs a piece of A4 which they mark into four quarters. Each quarter of the page will be for a different times table of the player’s choice. Each player is dealt seven cards. The rest of the cards are left in a pile face down. The aim of the...
Game: Multiple Mayhem
How to play Deal seven cards to each player. The players keep their cards hidden from each other. The rest of the cards remain in a pile face down. The aim of the game is to win the most cards. Each round, players lay two cards each. The two cards must be multiples of...