Algebraic Thinking

These materials are designed for teachers to explore ideas about algebra with students, and to encourage students to think in algebraic terms about a range of problems and questions. They can be used collaboratively with colleagues when planning lessons and sequences of lessons that include elements of algebra.

Each zip folder contains a PowerPoint document of activities for introducing the topic to a class, and a comprehensive PDF of notes. The PDF takes teachers through the rationale behind each topic, useful language for teachers to model, how to address misconceptions, and how the topic might be explored in the context of KS2 to KS3 transition.

Thank you to the following for their work on these materials, which were created as part of Work Groups in the Years 5-8 Continuity Maths Hub professional development project: Ashton Coward, Charlotte Hawthorne, Graham Charles, Phil Eadie, Alex Parry, Mari Palmer and Darroch Allden. Thank you also to Dietmar Küchemann for the design of the ‘Dice Game’, ‘Letters’ and ‘Conkers’ tasks.