For Pupils
ACTIVE MATHS
Maths is all around us. Not only does maths underline every process and pattern that occur in the world, but also, a good understanding will help us enormously in our everyday life. From reading the time, interpreting timetables, estimating distance, weighing ingredients, calculating money amounts and change due, measuring the area of a room that needs a new carpet, estimating capacity of containers, identifying patterns, using fractions to divide objects equally and the list goes on...
A key element of mathematics is problem solving...basically applying your maths knowledge to a real-life situation. Many maths skills can also be practised through games which can also be very sociable and fun. Here are some great games that utilise and develop some of your mathematical skills. Who says you need technology to have fun!
Chess/Droughts: Did you know that chess is part of the curricula in approximately 30 countries and can in fact improve logical and mathematical skills! So what skills are needed to play chess well? Perhaps the most obvious ones are visualisation and analysis. Of course, there are other skills involved in chess, such as planning, the ability to adapt to changing situations and pattern recognition. There is one more essential skill: prophylaxis. This is the ability to see the game from your opponent's point of view, i.e. to create tactics and strategies on his behalf, as well as how to frustrate them. Children often surprise themselves by how much they actually enjoy this game and as with everything, the more practise you get, the more skilled a player you become. Droughts is another game along the lines of chess that children enjoy which has less complex rules.
Card Games/Dice Games/Board Games:
Decision making
Strategy
Mental arithmetic
Sequencing/Ordering
Pattern recogniton
Probability and chance
Prophylaxis (This is the ability to see the game from your opponent's point of view, i.e. to create tactics and strategies on his behalf, as well as how to frustrate them.)
What is your favourite board game to play? Ask your teacher if you can bring it to school to share with your classmates.
Connect 4 or X&O:
Decision making
Strategy
Pattern recognition
Prophylaxis (This is the ability to see the game from your opponent's point of view, i.e. to create tactics and strategies on his behalf, as well as how to frustrate them.)
Lego, building and construction games:
Geometry (visualisation of shape and space)
Puzzles/Jigsaws:
Geometry and pattern recognition (visualisation of shape and space)
Darts:
Mental arithmetic skills are evident here - addition, subtraction, doubling and tripling. (Aside: Gross Motor Skills)
Pool/Snooker:
Mental Mathematics
Decision making
Judging distance, angle, spin, power of strike
Both sides of brain working together (right brain for visualisation, conceptionalising space and distance and perception. Left side of brain for logic, facts, semantic pieces of information.
Prophylaxis (This is the ability to see the game from your opponent's point of view, i.e. to create tactics and strategies on his behalf, as well as how to frustrate them.)
You don't need technology to have fun with Maths!
So the next time, your parent or guardian asks you to stop playing board games and do your school work…..tell them you are doing your school work!!
Now go play, socialise and learn at the same time!
i PADS
More and more schools are purchasing i-Pads for their students. St. Mary’s NS has a set of i-Pads for educational purposes for use throughout the school. Each class will get to experience this technology in a controlled environment with an aim to develop technological skills and make the learning process more fun, interactive and enjoyable. Click here for a list of educational i-Pad apps!
LITERACY FUN
Tongue Twisters
A tongue twister is a phrase that is designed to be difficult to say aloud! Try some of these tongue twisters at home. Time yourself saying one and challenge a family member or friend to beat your time!
Boggle is a fun word game you can play. You can play on your own or with friends. Click on the link above to use the boggle board to make as many different words as you can. Start off with some smaller words and then challenge yourself to make bigger words! What is the biggest word you can make? Record your score using the scores linked here.
The link above has a variety of recommended reading lists for all age groups. There is nothing better than getting lost in the pages of a good book. You might not love reading. The key to success is reading something you are interested in. If you’re reading the back of the cereal box, you’re still reading! It all counts!
“A book is a gift you can open again and again and again”.
Garrison Keillor
USEFUL LINKS
Literacy
A variety of resources and articles for young learners.
Thesaurus and word tools for your creative needs.
Educational resources and free eBooks to support children's learning at primary school and at home.
Interactive educational app for children to develop reading for pleasure, grammar and spelling.
English/Maths games.
A wide selection of audiobooks read by some familiar faces.
Mathematics
A collection of fun Maths games for children.
A free platform that provides free Mathematics video tutorials and interactive exercises for children of all ages.
English/Maths games.
A bank of Maths games and activities.
Interactive Maths activities, games and challenges for children.
Gaeilge
A database of Irish terms containing over 270,000 terms, searchable under both Irish and English versions.
Television programmes through Gaeilge for children.
Gaeilge resources for all class levels.
Gaeilge radio online
App that provides a fun, interactive way to practice Gaeilge.
Re watch some of your favourite shows as Gaeilge. Remember, you don’t have to understand every word. Garfield as Gaeilge is just as funny as Garfield in English!!
SESE
This website provides information and activities on History, Geography & Science broken down into class levels.
Discover Primary Science is a flagship project run by the Discover Science & Engineering (DSE) awareness programme. The programme aims to show children how important and fun science can be!
Smart videos for curious minds of all ages
Videos, fun facts and quizzes on a range of topics, especially on the area of S.E.S.E.
Children can get closer to nature with these 50 things to do outdoors. Parents can print off the simple tasks and pupils can tick off the activities as they complete them
Other Curricular Areas
A children's encyclopedia.
Free dance videos, yoga exercises, and mindfulness activities for kids!
This Irish visual arts website has short videos, slideshows, lessons and projects for primary school pupils.
Illustrator Jarrett Lerner has a number of unfinished comic strips here which can be printed off and completed.
An interactive site with a collection of music animations suitable for pupils in senior classes.
This website has hundreds of improvisation games for pupils of all ages.