Mathematics has a reputation for being restrictive and boring. However, when we provide students with opportunities to see the creativity and fun in maths, they are more likely to approach it with enthusiasm.
Here at Essential Resources, we supply maths teaching resources to encourage students to use their imagination and problem-solving skills. We want to help teachers show their students that maths has meaning and relevance today. Our resources link maths concepts to stories, the outdoors, finance and puzzles.
Our primary school resources align with the Australian maths curriculum strands - numbers and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability. We cover these areas through maths investigations, task cards, basic fact worksheets and Harry O’Brien’s, Open-ended Problem Solving.
The Australian curriculum (F-10 Curriculum) outlines the basic mathematic topics for primary school. The mathematics curriculum consists of the interaction between three content strands and four proficiency strands.
If we start with the proficiency strands. They explain “how the content is explored; that is, the thinking and doing of mathematics.”
The proficiency strands are understanding, fluency, problem-solving, and reasoning.
The content strands or “topics” describe what is taught and learnt. The content strands and sub-strands include:
Number and algebra – Number and place value; fractions and decimals; real numbers; money and financial mathematics; patterns and algebra; and linear and non-linear relationships.
Measurement and geometry – Using units of measurement; shape; geometric reasoning; location and transformation; and Pythagoras and trigonometry.
Statistics and probability – Chance; and data representation and interpretation.
Essential Resources top mathematics titles are:
Maths Problems and Investigations by Greg Purcell
The series has three books, each aimed at different primary school levels. The books aim to get students to learn mathematics and apply their knowledge and skills in real-life situations. The problems challenge students to use mental strategies and traditional written strategies.
Algebra for Everyone by Vaneeta Manners
Number and algebra are one of the three strands of mathematics throughout the Australian curriculum. Already in primary school, a proportion of students think they cannot do algebra. Algebra for Everyone is a maths teaching resource developed to give all students a foundation of algebra for them to progress through the mathematics curriculum.
Open-ended Problem Solving by Harry O’Brien
This is a series of mathematics teaching resources designed to fit in with the Australian primary school curriculum. The books provide open-ended problems that challenge and expand thinking. The problems can be solved in multiple ways using different problem-solving strategies. For example, estimation, patterning or guess and check.