Bring mathematics to life through a series of creative lessons.
Subject: Mathematics
Our teaching and learning resources empower Key Stage 3 students to understand the real-world value of mathematics.
Each lesson is introduced by Towncaster architects Sophie and Tomas and the mayor of Greater Towncaster. The mayor sets the scene, explaining what she thinks the city needs. Sophie and Tomas are tasked with responding to these needs. They require your students’ help and their mathematical skills to come up with a design solution.
The resources make use of topical and relatable themes to help learners understand the importance of mathematics and how it can support the creation of the spaces where we live work and play: parks, bridges, markets and homes.
How to use the resources
There are four Mathematics lessons and each one is designed to last one hour. The lessons have been designed so there is a natural progression from one to the next. However, they also work as stand-alone lessons. Some have extension activities too.
The following lessons can be explored consecutively or individually. Lessons can be condensed or expanded if you have more or less time:
- Botanical Gardens
Key mathematical themes: volume and surface area - Bridges
Key mathematical themes: structures, algebra and parabola curves - Market Hall
Key mathematical themes: geometry and area - Homes
Key mathematical themes: shapes and the nets of shapes
Each lesson contains:
Teacher Notes – to give full instructions and background information to support your delivery of the lesson.
PowerPoint – to provide engaging visual stimulus for you to show your class, to illustrate the lesson and guide the activities. (Only classroom-based lessons have PowerPoints). PowerPoint files use Bariol font and are designed in standard (4:3) format. Some reformatting may occur on devices that do not support these.
Activity Sheets – to provide students with further guidance. These should be printed out A4 double sided, with the binding on the short edge. They can then be folded down the centre to create an A5 booklet.
Available Resources
Mathematics Lesson 1: Botanical Gardens
- Teacher Notes
- PowerPoint
- Activity Sheet
Mathematics Lesson 2: Bridges
- Teacher Notes
- PowerPoint
- Activity Sheet
Mathematics Lesson 3: Market Hall
- Teacher Notes
- PowerPoint
- Activity Sheet
Mathematics Lesson 4: Homes
- Teacher Notes
- PowerPoint
- Activity Sheet
- Town Plan Grid
- Net for a Suspension Bridge
- Net for a Truss Bridge
- Net for the Dome
- Net for the Housing Block
- Net for the Rows of Small Houses
- Net for the Market Stall and Large House
Credits:
Writer: Danni Kerr
Illustrations: Dovilė Čiapaitė
Graphics: Ashleigh-Paige Fielding
Editor: Fiona MacDonald
About the Mathematics resource writer:
Danni Kerr is the founder of Yorkshire-based architecture practice, Superhistory. She is passionate about education. Danni has designed and run workshops for students from primary school to masters level in her capacity as a RIBA Architecture Ambassador, Chair of the RIBA Huddersfield Branch of Architects and as a Teaching Associate at the Sheffield School of Architecture, where she is also undertaking a PhD. Danni is also a RIBA Role Model, supporting inclusivity in the profession.
