Percentages with Dragons!

I don't have many differing resources for Percentages. It's probably up there with basic operations as the most important part of Mathematics to our learners, but since this is the case, there are bags of resources online to support with this.

I have two resources to add that are a little bit different:

Some higher level thinking and problem solving with percentages:

Next is my Dragon's Den percentages: It is for reviewing / revising percentages and there is a difficult one (with various compound interest calculations) and a more simpler one for practising basic increase and decrease.

Basically - the students invest a portion of their 10k into a choice of three companies. They can choose to invest in two if they like, but not all three.

After everyone has written in their investment choice on the attached sheet, they then work out the money they have made or lost. There is an example on the sheet, but I think it relates only to the higher powerpoint. Also, be warned that I teach to a point where we use multipliers, so if you don't do that you might have to tweak your answer sheet.

The biggest obstacle I have run into when running this activity is that students don't carry over the money correctly into the next round. 

All the companies exist (or have been pitched in the den) - and if I have given them a green, then they have had investment and may have been successful.

I trust my students to check each others work each round, and we take time to go through the workings at the end of each round. They will also never run out of money - as they just lose a percentage of their investment.

The best round is number two - none of the investment opportunities are worthwhile. The students did not need to invest in any if they don't want!

All the bits are available here:

Percentages - Dragon's Den and Other Problems


Finally - I'm sure you all know this clip: but it is a great plenary. The teacher doesn't know - but does anyone in your class?

The video is available via the link above as well.

Viral Mathematics - The Ice Bucket Challenge

It is important for me as a teacher that I can relate mathematics to the current world, and to a certain extent, ensure my students don't see me as some out of touch weirdo.

This year's big craze, the Ice Bucket Challenge, allows us teachers to investigate how quickly a good idea can go viral, and more importantly, raise huge amounts of money in the process.

As we prepare students to go into the new world, wouldn't it be great for them to see the potential the internet has on creating incredible amounts of fundraising, whilst also doing some maths :)

There are already some great maths posts out there about this phenomenon, including When will I get nominated?  and  How long till the whole world is nominated?

This is more about an actual lesson based on the viral campaign. It gives us a good platform to discuss powers, and for me I will use it to reinforce power notation (particularly for the weaker students)

I have tried to plan this in a way that is accessible to most secondary Mathematics' students, with a real emphasis on extension.

It is also a creative lesson, as you finish by encouraging them to create their own idea of a viral fundraising campaign and you can have them model it themselves.

The extension comes with looking at the reality that on average maybe 1.2 people actually donate out of the three nominated, for a number of reasons (been picked before, cheapskate, on holiday at the time etc..)
My gold learners (more on that soon) would incorporate that in their lesson, whilst the others would just concentrate on working out how to type "3 to the power of 6" in their calculator.

It requires some tweaking i'm sure - and if there is any advice please pass it on.

Here is the powerpoint and the word document worksheet. Please note that if you can't show a video on youtube in school, you will need to swap the video for something else, maybe a still of a celebrity getting drenched.


Resources


N.B. I am yet to be nominated. :p

Mr. Hill