Teacher support materials

Reasoning in the classroom activities Year 7

The details below provide brief descriptions of the content of the Year 7 materials. They are designed to give teachers a starting point in deciding which activity most closely links to specific learning and teaching needs.

Many activities are challenging to categorise in this way as they cover several aspects of numeracy. We would recommend, therefore, that teachers explore the activities in order to decide how appropriate the content and delivery is for them and their learners.

The first activity within each set is in the same format as items within the National Numeracy Tests (Reasoning) so contains learner questions, markschemes and learner exemplars. Balloons, A trip to Talyllyn and Knock them out also contain stimulus materials and a teachers’ script.

Some activities start with an item that has been taken from the 2014 National Numeracy Tests (Reasoning). These are clearly indicated.

BalloonsThree activities that require learners to use their number skills, including proportional reasoning, to solve problems relating to helium balloons.

RobotsTwo activities that encourage learners to use their reasoning skills within the context of movement.

JigsawThree activities that require learners to use their spatial reasoning to solve problems within the context of jigsaws.

Fraction thinkingTwo activities that entail learners using their understanding of fractions to solve and create simple problems.

A trip to TalyllynIn these three activities, which focus on travel, learners select information and solve real-life problems.

Grandfather’s clockThese three activities require learners to use a range of procedural and reasoning skills to solve problems within the context of a grandfather and his clock.

Same colourTwo activities that require learners to use logic to solve a problem, then create symmetrical patterns.

Knock them outThree number-based activities that require learners to play a game involving dice then give a simple proof involving odds and evens, then consider the likelihood of different outcomes from rolling dice and consider different ways of proving that the sum of four consecutive numbers is even.

The first activity was included in the 2014 National Numeracy Tests (Reasoning) and contains stimulus materials and a teachers’ script, test questions, a markscheme and learner exemplars.

Cat on bricksIn these two linked activities, learners use their numerical reasoning to work out the number of bricks on which a cat is sitting, then use information about heights of nested boxes to find how many boxes could be stacked vertically within the classroom.

The first activity was included in the 2014 National Numeracy Tests (Reasoning) and contains the test question, markscheme and learner exemplars.

Ice creamTwo linked activities that focus on solving real-life problems involving profit and loss and include learners interpreting and creating linear graphs.

The first activity was included in the 2014 National Numeracy Tests (Reasoning) and contains the test questions, markscheme and learner exemplars.

Mosaic patternsTwo activities based on the context of tiles and focus on area, proportions, factors and fraction addition.

The first activity was included in the 2014 National Numeracy Tests (Reasoning) and contains the test question, markscheme and learner exemplars.

Wake upThese two activities focus on combinations. Learners find times when the digits on a clock sum to nine, then explore different combinations for a three-digit lock and how this relates to the issue of protecting personal information.

The first activity was included in the 2014 National Numeracy Tests (Reasoning) and contains the test question, markscheme and learner exemplars.