Activity
- Give each student a piece of paper, a pen and some sticky notes.
- Ask them to write their name in the middle of the paper and some number facts about themselves spaced out around their name. For example: 3 for size of shoe, 58 for house number, 6 for age etc.
- Students cover each number with a sticky note. On each note they should write or draw a clue or a challenge for a partner to work out the number below. For example, 12 ÷ 4 = ?, 60 – 2 = ?, 3 x 3 = ? etc. Encourage them to be creative – don’t just use calculations; how else could they show or represent a number pictorially or using data?
- Divide students into pairs and ask them to swap sheets and work out the maths of their friend.
Reflection
- Did you discover any new ways to write or draw calculations?
Go Further
Can they do the same exercise for the maths of someone or something they have been learning about in school?
Inquisitive: Wondering and Questioning
Maths of Me encourages students to find creative ways to ask questions and find answers. It gives students the opportunity to see how another person may solve problems in a different way to them – and they can both be right.
