Maths by Month – November (updated 2021)

Welcome to the third installment in this year’s Maths by Month posts, designed to explore the Operation Maths topics on a month-by-month basis.

As we journey together through the school year, Edco Primary Maths and the Operation Maths blog continues to support teachers, schools and families, along the way. Central to this is our Digging Deeper series of posts aimed at teachers and the extensive series of Dear Family posts, aimed at parents and families, supporting children’s mathematical development at home. In addition, for teachers who want to find out more about the Operation Maths program, check out the About Operation Maths posts.

HINT: To ensure you don’t miss out on any future blog-posts, please subscribe to the Operation Maths blog via email, on the top right hand of this page.
Another way to keep up to date an all new maths-related developments is to like/follow the Edco Primary Maths page on Facebook and/or Twitter 

Operation Maths for Junior Infants to Sixth Class:

• Junior Infants: Analysis of Number (Numeration) looking at numbers one to three
• Senior Infants: Counting, Analysis of Number (Numeration, Combining, Partitioning) looking at numbers six and seven, Algebra (extending patterns), 2D Shapes and Data
• First Class: Counting and Numeration (numbers to 50), Operations and Time
• Second Class: Extending and Using Pattern, Time and Operations 

HINT: Teachers of Infants to Second Class – don’t forget to use the Operation Maths Assessment Records on excel for recording and collating the End of October Assessments

• Third Class: Multiplication and Division, Time and Money
• Fourth Class: Multiplication and Division, 3D objects and Time
• Fifth Class: Multiplication and Division,  The Circle and Money
• Sixth Class: Number Theory, Multiplication and Division and The Circle

To access lists of relevant links and online resources, navigate towards the end of the relevant Dear Family posts, for a whole suite of suggestions, organised into approximate class levels.

Don’t forget that integrated with your digital Operation Maths pupil books, are numerous custom-made digital resources to support each maths topic. Just click any of the hyperlinks while viewing the digital book to bring you direct to the relevant resource.

TIP! If there are any digital resources for a particular page, they will also be briefly given and described in the footer of that page (both print and digital books). 

HINT: If you are new to Operation Maths this year or have changed class level, be sure to check out the Quick Start Guide to the Operation Maths books and the companion Quick Start Guide to the Operation Maths Digital Resources. Don’t forget that Operation Maths also has you covered for planning whether you’re teaching a single class or multi-class. 

Other suggestions for November:

• The Bebras^® Computing Challenge 2021 runs from 8th to 26th November; it introduces computational thinking (i.e. the thinking skills behind coding and programming tasks) to students, by allowing them to solve interactive tasks online. The tasks can be answered without prior knowledge about computational thinking or information and communication technology. The aim of Bebras is to get students all over the world excited about computing. The challenges are divided into five different age categories from 8-18 years old. On the link above, both teacher and student can explore previous challenges and, even if your class or school doesn’t register to take-part (which is free), the past challenges are very engaging and worthwhile to explore as a whole class or groups.
• The 11 November marks the anniversary of the ending of the Great War, “the war to end all wars”, which is now typically referred to as World War 1. For 5th and 6th class teachers, who are planning to explore this topic in history, check out these Maths Activities from the Trench Brothers Education Zone.
• Codes and code breaking were a very important part of warfare tactics during both World War 1 and 2. To find out more about the maths of code breaking click on the link.
• Science Week 2021 runs from 7th-14th November. Maths and Science, are intrinsically interconnected (eg consider STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). Of the STEM areas, coding is one of the most exciting, not least of all to kids! And Operation Maths is the only Irish maths programme that has integrated coding activities via the Scratch Lessons for Operation Maths 3-6. Check out the scratch lessons that are included in the Operation Maths digital resources via your TRB or edcolearning.ie For infants, the Aistear Themes are an ideal way to explore STEM using a thematic focus (and lay the foundations for the development of computational thinking skills); consult the Junior and Senior Infants TRB for the monthly Aistear suggestions.

For some more primary-focused STEM activities, check out the links below:

• https://thestemlaboratory.com/kindergarten-stem-activities/
• https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/stem-activities-for-kids/
• https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/31235/primary-school-activity-booklet
• https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/education/free-stem-activities-for-the-classroom/
• https://www.yearofengineering.gov.uk/school

We’re here to help! If you have any questions on Operation Maths, Number Facts or anything related to primary maths over the course of the school year, please PM or contact Edco Primary Maths via Facebook and/or Twitter 

Maths by Month – October (updated 2021)

Welcome to the second installment in this year’s Maths by Month posts, designed to explore the Operation Maths topics on a month-by-month basis.

As we journey together through the school year, Edco Primary Maths and the Operation Maths blog continues to support teachers, schools and families, along the way. Central to this is our Digging Deeper series of posts aimed at teachers and the extensive series of Dear Family posts, aimed at parents and families, supporting children’s mathematical development at home. In addition, for teachers who want to find out more about the Operation Maths program, check out the About Operation Maths posts.

HINT: To ensure you don’t miss out on any future blog-posts, please subscribe to the Operation Maths blog via email, on the top right hand of this page.
Another way to keep up to date an all new maths-related developments is to like/follow the Edco Primary Maths page on Facebook and/or Twitter 

Operation Maths for Junior Infants to Sixth Class:

• Junior Infants: Early Mathematical Activities (comparing and ordering), Algebra (extending patterns), Analysis of Number (Numeration looking at number one)
• Senior Infants: Data, Algebra (extending patterns), Time, Counting, Analysis of Number (Numeration, Combining, Partitioning)
• First Class: Counting and Numeration, Operations, Extending and Using Pattern
• Second Class: Comparing and Ordering, Operations, Counting and Numeration

HINT: Teachers of Infants to Second Class – don’t forget to use the Operation Maths Assessment Records on excel for recording and collating the End of October Assessments

• Third Class: Addition and Subtraction and 2-D Shapes
• Fourth Class: Addition and Subtraction and 2-D Shapes
• Fifth Class: Addition and Subtraction and Time
• Sixth Class: Addition and Subtraction and Time

To access lists of relevant links and online resources, navigate towards the end of the accompanying Dear Family posts, for a whole suite of suggestions, organised into approximate class levels.

Don’t forget that integrated with your digital pupil books, are numerous custom-made digital resources to support each maths topic. Just click any of the hyper links while viewing the digital book (see example of purple icon below) to bring you direct to the relevant resource.

TIP! If there are any digital resources for a particular page, they will also be briefly given and described in the footer of that page (both print and digital books). 

HINT: If you are new to Operation Maths this year or have changed class level, be sure to check out the Quick Start Guide to the Operation Maths books and the companion Quick Start Guide to the Operation Maths Digital Resources. Don’t forget that Operation Maths also has you covered for planning whether you’re teaching a single class or multi-class. 

Other suggestions for October:

• The October plan for third to sixth classes has deliberately allowed for a free week, to enable teachers to engage with Maths Week, held every year at this time. This year, Maths Week will run from 16-24 October, and while it will be a very different celebration this year, with no public gatherings, it will still be possible to participate virtually. So why not start to consider now, how your school might get involved in this national celebration of maths, and don’t forget to register your school at the link above. Check out their resources, including problem solving, puzzles, acmhainní as gaeilge, and their resource packs by class level also. You can also follow these links below, from previous Maths Weeks, to find out more about Maths Art (which, coincidentally, links very well with October Operation Maths for 3rd and 4th classes i.e. tessellations in 2D shapes), Maths and history and code breaking.
• You could also make Maths Week become a game-themed week in your class. Teachers of third to sixth classes could use the Games Bank in the Operation Maths TRB. Teachers of infants to second classes can use any of the games listed in the short-term plans in their TRBs.
• Another option for Maths Week, if you didn’t already do it in September, is Jo Boaler’s Week of Inspirational Maths. Click on the link for an overview of the activities in Week of Inspirational Math, and scroll down to the bottom of the page to access all the resources; Kindergarten roughly aligns with Infants, Grade 1 and 2 with 1st & 2nd classes, and Grades 3-5 roughly align with 3rd-6th classes.
• Other STEM projects to consider during October:
  • Space Week 4-10 October
  • Codeweek.eu 9-24 October

We’re here to help! If you have any questions on Operation Maths, Number Facts or anything related to primary maths over the course of the school year, please PM or contact Edco Primary Maths via Facebook and/or Twitter