Consecutive Numbers
Channel: AssocTeachersMaths
Date: 2020-06-02

Consecutive Numbers is from a series of mini 'Maths Snacks' videos from the Association of Teachers of Mathematics

A group of ATM mathematics experts are sharing some ideas though these videos to support children and their parents whilst children may be away from school for whatever reason.  They are a mixture of tasks, puzzles, challenges, and games, selected to support and enrich the mathematics taught at school.

Many can be accessed by very young children, with a little bit of adult support, and all of them are relevant to pupils across the whole school age-range.

There is hardly ever a single right answer and there are many ways of working on these tasks.  They are designed to be enticing, and focus on working in ways that mathematicians do, such as exploring situations; looking for patterns and rules; asking questions and seeking answers; and, trying out and testing ideas.

Parents can work with their children.  All family members can join in.  This isn’t cheating!  Encourage children to have a go; ask them what they are noticing and what they have found out; ask them if there are more ways of completing the task.  And, finally, why not make another similar task using different shapes or numbers?  Make their maths snacking enjoyable! 

Maths snacks can supplement the work being sent home from school or, for those unable to access the work from school, these maths snacks provide a healthy alternative.  Children will need a pencil and paper and they might need a pair of scissors, dice, counters or buttons and a calculator.

By keeping mathematically fit, children on their return to school will be in good mental shape to reconnect and progress with their school mathematics courses.  Who knows?  They may continue maths snacking