National Numeracy Day - primary assembly

Educational calendar

Aim

Inviting students to play along with a fictional maths problem game and use their numeracy skills to plan out a party. Building confidence with everyday mathematical applications.

Video summary

National Numeracy Day is celebrated every year on the third Wednesday in May. It is an opportunity to celebrate all things numeracy and build confidence with numbers. Each year has a theme.

This video explores the following:

• A student introduces a maths-based computer game called ‘Party Planner’ where you plan a birthday party against the clock
• While planning the party, she uses different numeracy and problem-solving skills related to multiplication, division, fractions and addition, e.g. adding the number of different coloured balloons using column addition
• She finishes planning out the party just in time, and completes the game.

Video questions

Before watching the video:

• Discuss with the students whether they enjoy maths lessons, numeracy and numbers. Can they offer suggestions for the kinds of fun activities that could be organised for National Numeracy Day in their school?

• Ask the students to explain what they already know about maths problem solving, e.g. often it involves real life problems that need to be solved.

Discussion questions:

• Why do you think learning numeracy skills is important for things outside of school, like shopping, cooking or telling the time?
• Why do you think playing games (like the one in the video) is a good way to help students to enjoy numeracy and numbers?
• Can you think of a time in your own life when you used numbers or measurements to solve a problem?

Activity ideas:

• Students have a 'maths treasure hunt' where they have various maths clues they need to solve towork out the next location to go to in the school buildings/playground.
• Mark out a large number grid (with nine numbers) with chalk outside, or with masking tape inside. For younger students, the numbers could be below ten and for older children the numbers could be two digits. You call out a challenge, e.g. ‘jump with two feet onto an odd number’; ‘make 7 by jumping onto two different numbers and adding them'.

Introduce key terminology, including:

• Numeracy: a good basic knowledge of mathematics; the ability to understand and work with numbers
• Mathematics: the study of numbers and shapes; branches of mathematics include arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry
• Problem solving: the act of finding ways of dealing with problems
• Reasoning: the process of thinking about things in a logical way; opinions and ideas that are based on logical thinking
• Addition: a thing that is added to something else
• Multiplication: the act or process of multiplying numbers
• Division: the process or result of dividing into separate parts; the process of dividing something or sharing it out
• Fraction: a small part or amount of something
• Area: the amount of space covered by a flat surface or piece of land, described as a measurement.

1. Entry

Show a simple mathematics problem on the screen that has a fun real-life context.

2. Introduction

Potential starting questions:

• Were you able to solve the problem on the screen?
• Do you enjoy problem solving in numeracy/maths lessons?
• Do you know when Numeracy Day is this year?

3. Show the video

You may wish to stop at relevant points during this short film to pose questions and check understanding or wait until the end.Use full questions:

• What is the name of the game the student is playing in the video?
• How did knowing the area of the room help Florence with solving the maths problem?
• How was knowing her eight times table helpful for her when she worked out the number of tables and chairs that she would need?
• Did the way that Florence laid out her column addition look the same as the way you complete addition questions in maths lessons? Could ask is there another way she could have calculated it?
• Do you think the division problem would have been more difficult if sandwiches rather than pizzas had been chosen? Why? Or why not?
• Could you think of your own game, like the one in the video, that could help you and your classmates with maths?

4. Closing the assembly

Some reflections on Numeracy Day and celebrating numeracy and numbers.

• How could children celebrate Numeracy Day at their school next year? [Students offer ideas.]
• Have a final moment for quiet reflection, e.g. the students can think about how important it is to increase our confidence with numeracy and numbers as it will help in our everyday lives; the students can think about how celebrating days like Numeracy Day can really help people to enjoy numeracy and numbers.

5. Opportunity to sing

If your assembly includes a song this is an opportunity to sing it.

6. Closing the assembly

Some reflections on Numeracy Day and celebrating numeracy and numbers.

• How could we celebrate Numeracy Day at our school next year? [Invite responses.]
• Have a final moment for quiet reflection - eg pupils can think about how important it is to increase our confidence with numeracy and numbers as it will help in our everyday lives; they can think about how celebrating days like Numeracy Day can really help people to enjoy numeracy and numbers.