Students have had a fantastic start to Maths in 2023 with the introduction of a 2-3 week numeracy program for our Year 7-9 students.  As we know, Maths is a skills-based subject and one that needs to be practised to be able to retain information for the next level of learning.  As such and to give our students the best support heading into their year of Maths, numeracy based activities were developed as a fun and engaging way to remember and practise some of the key aspects needed for Maths at high school.  This term and into early next term, all students will be focusing on the Number and Algebra unit of the curriculum and how it is linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of “Life on Land”

Year 7 Maths

At the end of their numeracy program we had an incursion with a company called World of Maths. All Year 7 students spent one lesson solving hands-on practical Maths based challenges in the Hall and enjoyed working collaboratively to solve as many challenges as they could, in one hour.

From this, they have started the Year 7 Maths work on index notation, prime and square numbers and integers.  Students have applied their knowledge of positive and negative numbers in many hands-on activities in class and how these are used in our life on land, such as temperature, below and above land and sea levels.

Assessment will be a small exam in Week 7, either on Thursday or Friday depending on your child’s Maths class. 

Year 8 and 9 Maths

After the numeracy program, students have extended their knowledge of integers and index notation into index laws and have been learning how to combine these laws to solve and simplify various numerical and algebraic expressions.  The Year 9s have also been learning about scientific notation and learning how to write very large numbers in simple and smaller form.  Classes did an investigation of distance and time that different planets have to earth, growth of cells and representing these numbers using their knowledge of positive and negative indices.

Assessment - will be a small exam in Week 6 either on Thursday or Friday for Year 8 depending on your child’sMaths class and on the Friday for all Year 9s. 

Below are some pictures of Year 8 students investigating the real life aspects of integers and a Year 9 student's revision notes of index laws, combining her love of art into a visual representational summary of maths concepts. 

Year 10 Maths

Students, and parents may be noticing the significant jump in mathematical concepts for Year 10.  This is the last year in the Prep-Year 10 curriculum before students move into their chosen Maths pathway for Year 11 and 12.  As such, it is very important that students are revising key concepts at home, even if homework is not set and attending WIN time or speaking with their teacher, if they have questions. So far, students have been simplifying basic algebraic fractions, which they had a small test on last week.  From here, students will be studying more complex linear equations. 

Assessment will be another mini test in Week 8 either on Thursday or Friday depending on your child’s Maths class.

Equipment

Teachers are reporting that a significant number of students still do not have all the necessary equipment for their Maths class; Some students attend class with no book, iPad or pen.  Many teachers are having to supply students with writing equipment from supplies of their own.

Students are required to bring the following to Mathematics each lesson, to enable them to participate fully and actively in class. 

• Writing Equipment
• Mathematics exercise book
• iPad (with keyboard, mouse and pencil)
• Calculator - Scientific

Without this equipment for work, students have difficulty completing the required class work or assessment to the best of their ability.  Can I ask that you check in with your child if they are missing any of the above items and have them ready for their next lesson? If there are any reasons as to why these items can’t be supplied please let me know.

Thank you to all families for assisting in delivering the best possible outcomes for their child’s learning by ensuring they are prepared each day for Mathematics class. Please contact me on txrus5@eq.edu.au if you have any questions.

With warm regards

Tania Russell - Head of Department Mathematics