# MathsClass

A blog about teaching and learning in a maths classroom.

## MANSW 2013 Day 1

Sunday, 15 September 2013 | 0 Comments

A summary of the sessions I attended at the 2013 MANSW Annual Conference. This summary is the key points I wanted to remember.

### Keynote: Inspiring Mathematics Learning in a Post-PC World, Matt Skoss @matt_skoss

Secondary teachers have a lot to learn about keeping a running record of kids achievement.
We need to develop habits in our classroom, e.g. photographing work samples, recording achievement, so there is no overhead. At first there will be an implementation dip.

Visible learning, archaeological dig. #

### Session 1: Differentiate the curriculum for gifted and talented. N. Makar

• Egyptian fractions
• Geometric Construction – show full circles, rather than just arcs, helps to prove why bisection of an angle works.
• Heron’s Formula.

### Session 2: Tasks for the ‘new’ working mathematically strand. C. Attard

• “Thinkers keys” for maths. This PDF found online.
Dr Attard’s book: Engaging Maths: Higher Order Thinking with Thinkers Keys, another book.
• Number Caterpillars.
The number caterpillar is a rare species of caterpillar, found only in remote jungle areas. Each caterpillar is born with just a head, and a number on its face. It grows according to two rules.
If the number is EVEN then the next segment is HALF that number.
If the number is ODD then the next segment is ONE MORE than that numbers.
All caterpillars stop growing when they grow a segment with a 1 on it.

Work in your group to draw at least five different caterpillars and find the longest caterpillar with a face number under 20, under 50 and under 100. Make a list of any patterns you see emerging.
• You have won a cash prize and you must choose one option from the following list:
• 1 metre of $2 coins (lying flat) • one square metre of five-cent pieces (filled in, lying flat) • one litre milk carton full of 20-cent pieces or • 1 kg of$1 coins
• Which option you will choose?

### Session 4: Teaching Tips, Tricks and Thoughts for the Classroom. R. Lyon

• Maths Magic trick, Paul Swann, links to binary.

From the book Motivational Maths.
• Piece of rope. 12 sections, Pythagoras’ Theorem.
Students in a circle, number then, call number, grab rope to make part of a circle called.
• The Amazing Maths Card Trick
Audience choose 3 cards (write them down)
Sort piles 10, 15, 15 (9 left over)
Put one on Pile 1 then cut pile 2 and put on top.
Put one on Pile 2 and cut pile 3 and put on top.
Put on on Pile 3 and take leftovers and put on top.
Now collect Pile 3 on top and top Pile 2 on top Pile 1.
Take top 4 cards and place on bottom.
Now alternative up/down and say if their card is seen.
See
• Nim

• Golden Ratio
head to navel : navel to floor
BMI – 11 Gen, 8/9 Substitution

Posted in • Lesson IdeaMANSWReflectionReview | Short URL: http://mths.co/3390

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Simon Job — eleventh year of teaching maths in a public high school in Western Sydney, Australia.
MathsClass is about teaching and learning in a maths classroom. more→

@simonjob