If you have been lucky enough to meet me or my brother (TdM - the stinky potato), you will know how much I love to use lists to help solve mathematical problems. Even when I was an even littler mousling, when I wrote my letter Father Christmouse, I would organise it in sections and I even used headings and patterns.
Brie-Anna de Mouse, Star of Maths with a Mouse (and nemesis of TdM - my older brother)
ACTIVITY TIME
Misfits from Transum is a fun way to begin learning how to create an organised list - it reminds me of the fun wooden toy set I had as a little mousling! You might even want to design and make your own fun version or investigate how the number of characters affects the number of possibilities.
Mmm...what flavours to choose? The best thing about this activity from Transum is that you don’t need to make a difficult decision about what Ice Cream to choose, because you have to choose every single option! This could easily be extended by allowing a third scoop of ice-cream.
Don't worry about these snakes; they are not poisonous and are also only pictures! Snake Sort from Transum really should be completed with a partner as it is important to discuss your ideas when you order the snakes. With lots of levels, you will be able to develop and extend your ability to use systematic listing.
I love yummy pink and white marshmallows; however, it is not very difficult to sort them as they only have two colours. This fun actvity from Transum which uses Striped Sweets has a great level of challenge and you will have to use all your ordering skills to be able to find all the possible wrappers especially in the higher levels.
Alternatively, you could attempt this challenge using colouring pencils/pens - who doesn't love colouring! Stinky potatoes, that's who!
Mousechester, Mousechester United,
A mob with marvellous mental maths,
They deserve to be knighted!
As you might already know, I follow Mousechester United - the 5-times European Mental Maths Champions!
Finding all the possiblilities relating to scores is a great way to develop your systematic ordering skills. Both Transum and N-Rich offer ideas related to this!
I have to be very careful with balloons, especially those with helium as, when I hold too many (4 or more), I begin to lift off of the ground! In Buying a Balloon from NRich, try to have a system for your list of possible answers - it really will make it easier!
I have great friends - one of them even made a special bracelet for me with the MwaM on it! I love it so much. In School Fair Necklaces from NRich, if you use your great listing skills, you will be able to find all the possible necklaces that can be sold!
Welcome to Cubes Here and There from NRich.
Time to get the multilink out! Fun times!
Let's build as many shapes as possible. The fun is endless but, thankfully, the number of possibilities is not otherwise this would be the longest task in the world ever!
If you want to take ob this challenge and do it practically, best to avoid doing it during the Summer months if it is too hot to wear your coat. Of course, if your coat has a zip, that is not going to help at all! I am sure, however, that you can find other problem solving skills to help you.
If Button-up Some More is a little too tricky, try Button-up first (the link is with this task).
Welcome to Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists, Lists,...
Thanks Transum for the opportunity to practise Systematic Listing Stragies
It’s time to put those systematic ordering skills to the test. Six Keys Make 10 from Transum is anything but straightforward as there are so many possibilities; however, thankfully, the task itself is straightforward to understand: find as many ways to make 10 using only six keys on the calculator.
Not hard enough for you? Good job Transum have some other related challenges. Just click on the tabs on their website.
Ready for your next challenge? See the large yellow button below - push it, push it real good!