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Resources & Ordering ... Poly Plug ... Task Cameos ... Working Mathematically with Infants ... Maths With Attitude ... Sphinx Album ... Web Papers

 

Resources & Ordering

Tasks evolve from, and inspire, our Support Services. Over 240 tasks are available individually or in a variety of teacher-developed kits.
  • Each task is an invitation to work like a mathematician.
  • Each task has another life as a whole class investigation which models how to work like a mathematician.
To support whole class investigations which are concrete, visual and make sense we also supply a range of additional resources.

Red Square  Resource List

Red Square  How To Order

Red Square  Task Catalogue ... PDF file

Red Square  Price List ... PDF file of all resources

Task Boxes
Task boxes at Moonee Ponds West. Read more about his school here.

Orders from
Outside Australia
Please read this information first.

Green Line

Tasks & Task Kits

Tasks & Maths300

Other Kits & Resources

Task Packages

Task Centre Kit for Aboriginal Students

Library Kit for Home Lending

Points of View ... Mixed Media Unit

Chance & Data ... Replacement Unit

Tasks for Infants

Storing Tasks

Refresh Your Task Centre

Notes

  • Some tasks include Recording Sheets to support the investigation. If you purchase 50 or more tasks you receive a pack with master copies and an extensive manual. For smaller purchases, or if you misplace your masters, you can print your own Recording Sheets.

  • If you came to this site from Maths300 Membership information, or you only want the on-line membership without any resources, return to Maths300 here.
Maths With Attitude
Why? Because I want to build my Working Mathematically curriculum at particular year levels and in particular strands with maximum support.

Working Mathematically
Curriculum Pack

Why? Because I want to introduce a Working Mathematically curriculum in a large scale, sustained way taking advantage of the discounted professional development and Maths300 membership and broad resource base available in this pack.

Starting Maths300 & Tasks
Why? Because I am working with a limited budget and I want to experiment with a Working Mathematically curriculum across multiple year levels and strands.

Starting Maths300
Why? Because I want full access to the Maths300 site now and a CD-ROM of the first 50 lessons may be useful.

Working Mathematically with Infants

Poly Plug

Sphinx Shapes

Trisquares

Tricubes

Pyramid Puzzle

Pentagon Triangles

3d Geoshapes

Rotagrams

Professor Morris Puzzles

...and more

We also recommend:

Matt's Maths Mat

Matt's mini-Whiteboard

Green Line

Ordering Information

How To Order

  • Our Task Catalogue lists all 240+ tasks showing task names and numbers, year levels and curriculum strands.
    Note: You DO NOT have to choose your own tasks. We can choose for you if you provide criteria. See Individual Tasks below.
  • You may order using your official purchase order or our Order Form.
  • There are many choices. Please contact us at any time to discuss options for your school.
  • We offer extensive professional development to support the introduction of any of our resources.
  • Our Price List includes costs of professional development services and a summary of this web page.

Orders from Outside Australia

All prices are in Australian Dollars. Price to clients outside Australia is the Australian price plus freight. For your convenience, this Currency Converter is provided as a guide to current exchange rates.

Payment is in Australian Dollars (AUD) either by Credit Card, Bank Cheque or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Our invoice will provide payment details.

Please contact Ina Koetsier, Distribution Manager for details:

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Green Line

Tasks & Task Kits

Task Packages

Choose From
  • Task Centre Package ... specify Year Levels where tasks will be used.
    Discounted. 100 tasks, manual and 1 day of professional development.
  • Task Centre Kit ... specify Year Levels where tasks will be used.
    100 tasks and manual.
  • Task Centre Starter Kit ... specify Year Levels 2-4 or 5-7 or 8-10.
    50 pre-selected tasks and manual.
  • Individual Tasks ... specify any number; 240+ to choose from.
    Tell us year levels and special conditions so we can choose for you, or choose your own from the Task Catalogue.
Prices & Ordering
  • Task Centre Package: ...$2,431 (+ consultant's costs where relevant)
  • Task Centre Kit: ...$1,496
  • Task Centre Starter Kit: ...$748
  • Individual Tasks: ...$14.96 each
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Task 176 at Wade High School, NSW
Additional Information
Explore the links in Mathematics Task Centre to learn more about teaching, learning and assessing with tasks.

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Task Centre Kit for Aboriginal Students

The Task Centre Kit for Aboriginal Students was created over several years by teachers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Teachers from bush schools in the Northern Territory and urban schools in Queensland were involved in the original development. The kit has been successfully used with Indigenous students in places as widespread as urban and rural Tasmania, urban and outback South Australia, remote Western Australia, inner city Sydney and parts of the United States of America.

Task cards are presented in a different way to the main stream kit. They are A4 in size and their colours reflect the vibrance and variation of the Australian landscape. The motifs and drawings of students from trial schools enhance each task. The kit also includes a Teachers' Manual with hints and solutions. Professional development is available to support this resource.

It was reported by Aboriginal Education workers in the INISSS project (Tasmania) that Indigenous students developed increased self-esteem when the other students were seen to be using 'their kit'.

Prices & Ordering

  • Kit: ...$849.50
  • PD: ...$1,100 per day (+ consultant's costs where relevant)
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Sphinx at Ernabella Anangu School, SA
Additional Information
Explore the links in Indigenous Students to learn more about the history of this kit and its use in a wide variety of Indigenous schools.

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Library Kit for Home Lending

There are two Library Kits - one for primary and one for secondary. Each has 20 tasks from the mainstream kit and an extra 'parent' card like the one shown. This offers hints and extensions for the specific tasks and explains:
  • the value of hands-on learning in the curriculum
  • the benefits of parents and students working together on mathematics
Solutions are available from Mathematics Centre (see Library Kit link below).

The focus of the kit is on maths around the kitchen table. Solving mathematical problems together, using concrete materials and talking about the challenges involved as a family, can support the development of the student's problem solving skills, mathematical skills and literacy skills. It is also a reflection of how mathematicians work. Developing such a bridge between home and school can lead to a three way 'conversation' between student, teacher and parents through the use of mathematics journals, as shown below in Home School Lending.

Prices & Ordering

  • Library Kit: ...$368.50
  • Please specify primary or secondary.
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
Explore the links in Library Kit to learn more about using this kit to support maths around the kitchen table. This includes extensive use of mathematics journals and email buddies as explained in Home School Lending.

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Points of View ... Mixed Media Unit

Structured to support Multiple Intelligences teaching, this three week unit in shape and space integrates the use of ten tasks, whole class lessons, investigation guides and software in a rotating work station model.

The mathematics content focus of each component is 2D representations of 3D objects, a topic that can be found in every official curriculum document. Tasks 31, 32, 67, 69, 77, 78, 90, 103. 104, 192 are included and Building Views from Maths300 provides the software component.

It is not necessary to belong to Maths300 to purchase this unit.

The manual includes responses from trial teachers & students from Years 5 - 8 and is both an excellent unit in itself and a model for creating other Mixed Media units.

Prices & Ordering

  • Points of View Kit: ...$302.50
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
Find out more about the Mixed Media approach to learning to work like a mathematician in the Integrating Tasks link. Points of View is included in the Working Mathematically Curriculum Pack.

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Chance & Data ... Replacement Unit

This kit, which includes twenty tasks and a manual, is designed to support either upper primary or lower secondary teachers who are exploring alternative teaching structures.

The kit supplies enough material to completely replace three weeks of 'traditional' work in the Chance & Data strand. The same mathematical content is covered but the focus is on teaching and learning through hands-on problem solving and whole class investigations. The model encourages staff team work during preparation and offers three alternative forms of assessment.

In effect this unit is an in-house professional development program that is acted out by teachers in their own classroom.

The manual is extensive and includes investigation guides at two levels of difficulty and sample student project reports. The kit is both an excellent unit in itself and a model for creating other Replacement units.

Prices & Ordering

  • Kit: ...$357.50
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.

Additional Information

Find out more about the Replacement Unit approach to learning to work like a mathematician in the Integrating Tasks link.

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Tasks for Infants

Using tasks as prepared implies a reasonable level of independent literacy. This is not necessarily present in young children, however tasks can still be successfully used when they are viewed as an opportunity to support literacy learning as well as mathematics.

Support structures are introduced to help the children read and understand the card. The materials provide a context for the understanding in the same sense as a picture in a picture/story book; but also in a different sense, since the context in a task is represented concretely. Some of those support structures are:

  • Teaching Group ... introduce 2 or 3 tasks orally before handing them to partners, perhaps supported by writing out the task card words - or key words - on a vocabulary chart.
  • Parent Helpers ... or additional teaching staff who work as they do in reading classes to help children explore the meaning of the text.
  • Year 5/6 Buddies ... who, having become 'expert' in one or two tasks, have been trained by their Year 5/6 teacher to ask questions that encourage the children rather than to give answers.

Infant teachers have reported that these
Infant Tasks can be adapted in various ways for use with young children. Please select from this list. Your colleagues have judged these tasks as adaptable to infants, but left the process and details of adaptation to you. However, several of them, and some others, are included with extensive adaptation ideas in Working Mathematically with Infants.

Prices & Ordering

  • Infant Tasks: ...$14.96 each, please specify from the Infant Tasks list.
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.

Additional Information

  • One school we visited many years ago, which had developed its own infant task set, used large poster size problem cards. The students could gather around them on the floor. They were hand written on coloured card and laminated. The storing process was clever too. The cards, with equipment bags attached, were pegged to coat hangers hung from a rolling home-laundry drying rack.
  • A rich infant classroom would also include Poly Plug and membership of Calculating Changes.

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Storing Tasks

All tasks are packed in specially made, sturdy, press-seal bags. These are very effective if you are intending to move tasks around the school.

Should you need additional bags we can supply the same type for $22 per 100 plus freight.

However, some schools use their tasks in a particular room called a Task Centre and consequently store tasks in plastic cake-storer type boxes such as those shown here, or in the Organisation Album and other aspects of the Photographs page.

Moonee Ponds West Primary School has combined both boxed storage and transportability by storing the plastic boxes beside a through way to many classrooms.

Mathematics Centre does not supply plastic boxes, or other storage systems, but does provide the following information:

  • Boxes
    Plastics & Storage Warehouse tell us that it is no longer possible to obtain the traditional boxes shown in the photos above. However, they can provide one that is a little larger and are experienced at supplying throughout Australia. Wayne is very easy to deal with.

    Plastics & Storage Warehouse
    Contact: Wayne Bartlett
    Tel: 03 9334 2392
    Fax: 03 9330 4337
    Price: Approx $3.50 - $4 and free delivery in the Melbourne Metropolitan area.
    Delivery charges applies to other areas.

    In the USA schools have had success with similar boxes through the Rubber Maid web site.

    It may also be possible to find appropriate boxes at the local discount shop. The critical measurement is the size of our task cards. Almost all mainstream task cards are 20cm x 20cm. Additional A4 boards are used in a few tasks and all task cards in the Aboriginal Kit are A4. Two or three tasks use A3 boards.

  • Press-Seal Bags

    Press-seal bags can be hung from racks using 2-clip trouser hangers available from large department stores.

  • Raeco Hangbags
    Raeco Hangbags clip at the top but don't completely seal. However, tasks are delivered in press-seal bags so popping those inside the hangbags works like a charm. Add the large, crisp, clear labels Sue prepared for Southern Cross Primary School, Canberra, and its all 'ready to roll'. If you are interested in the 'Raeco solution' ask your Librarian, or check the Raeco web site.

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Refresh Your Task Centre

Ina Koetsier, Distribution Manager, provides a service which includes checking and repairing or replacing your tasks.
  • Has your task resource been left to languish?
  • Do you want to revive it?
Service fee is $137.50 per day (travel and accommodation where necessary) and parts are replaced at cost - almost always on the spot. Contact Ina through the Contacts link at the head of the page.
Near the end of the year, Ina came to sort out our task centre. This is a job no-one wants to do and no-one has the time to do. She spent the day sorting, replacing missing bits, and cleaning with some chosen helpers - and she was so enthusiastic!
How wonderful it was to see our task centre perfect, no parts missing, no problem sheets missing and the right parts in the right box.
Thank you Ina for a great job.

Tiffany Chandler, Notre Dame College, Shepparton

  • Too far from Melbourne?

    Give Ina a call and ask about packing up your Task Kit and sending it to her for revival. Ian Rowland, Red Cliffs Secondary College (near Mildura) did just that and this was his response:

I cannot express my thanks for your help to restore our Problem Solving Task Centre. We are progressing. Not sure why everyone does not have these resources.

As part of the Refresh Your Task Centre service, Ina can also assist in upgrading your existing tasks to Maths With Attitude kits.

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Green Line

Tasks & Maths300

Maths With Attitude

Sixteen kits in all, but available only to Maths300 members. The four at each of Years 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10 are organised into curriculum strands:
  • Chance & Measurement
  • Number & Computation
  • Pattern & Algebra
  • Space & Logic
Each kit offers 20 tasks, a CD-ROM of lessons from Maths300 and a week by week planner for integrating tasks and investigations. Investing in four kits at each level provides 25 weeks of core curriculum with the single objective of all students learning to work like a mathematician in best practice classrooms.

Prepare your students for Maths With Attitude from the day they enter school with Working Mathematically with Infants, designed for Years K - 2.

Prices & Ordering

  • Kit: ...$429 each to Maths300 members
  • Maths300 Membership: ...$495 followed by annual subscription at $190. Special price for schools with 50 or fewer students.
  • Order Maths300 with your first kit(s). Include your Maths300 membership number if you are a current member.
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
  • Maths300 membership is per campus.
  • There is extensive additional information about Maths With Attitude including teacher evaluations and how to upgrade your current task collection to create your own Maths With Attitude kits.

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Working Mathematically Curriculum Pack

This discounted package of:
  • 4 Maths With Attitude kits of your choice
  • Points of View mixed media unit
  • Maths300 membership for 1st year
  • Class set of 3d Geoshapes™
  • Professor Morris Poster Puzzles
  • Professional Development workshop day
is only available with PD and only available to schools that have not yet joined Maths300.

Complete implementation of the WM Pack will require commitment to the concept of learning to work like a mathematician being the big picture storyshell (raison d' ętre) of mathematics education.


Prices & Ordering

  • WM Pack: ...$3,564
  • Special price for schools with 50 or fewer students.
  • Maths300 membership will involve an annual subscription fee of $190.
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
  • Maths300 membership is per campus.
  • Find extra detail about Working Mathematically Curriculum Pack, including an outline of the staff development day, listed here on the Maths With Attitude page.

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Starting Maths300 & Tasks

This discounted package includes Maths300 membership for the first year plus:
  • Starting Maths300 CD-ROM
  • 31 hands-on tasks related to lessons on the CD-ROM

This package offers 31 tasks for the price of 28 and the Maths300 membership is discounted. It is an excellent way to begin constructing a Working Mathematically curriculum.

  • Maths300 lessons support teachers in modelling how a mathematician works.
  • Each task is an invitation to the students to apply the model for themselves.

Tasks comes in a sturdy press-seal bag and contain a laminated problem solving card and enough equipment for two students to explore the problem.

The package provides sufficient teacher support, hands-on problem solving, software and investigation sheets to nourish curriculum shift towards Working Mathematically across a range of curriculum strands. More tasks can be added to the collection later.

Starting Maths300 Kit

Prices & Ordering

  • Starting Maths300 & Tasks: ...$946
  • Special price for schools with 50 or fewer students.
  • Maths300 membership will involve an annual subscription fee of $190.
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
  • Maths300 membership is per campus.
  • See Kit contents for more details.

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Starting Maths300

Full Membership of Maths300 for the first year plus a CD-ROM with:
  • 50 lessons
  • 21 with software
  • 30 linked to hands-on tasks, and
  • Crazy Animals, Lesson 57, as a bonus in the Free Tour section.
    This lesson has software and it also links to a task.
The CD-ROM can be used on any computer with a web browser and a CD-ROM drive, without going on line. It can also be loaded onto the school server for easy staff access. Price includes first year membership of Maths300 so you will also be issued with a Username, Password and licence document.

Starting Maths300 allows you to begin including Maths300 in your curriculum without any on-line issues. When you are comfortable with the material the username/password allows immediate access to all the other lessons.

Prices & Ordering

  • Membership & CD-ROM: ...$533.50
  • Additional CD-ROMs: ...$38.50 each
  • Special price for schools with 50 or fewer students.
  • Maths300 membership will involve an annual subscription fee of $190.
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
  • Maths300 membership is per campus.

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Other Kits & Resources

Working Mathematically with Infants

This kit brings together the work of Calculating Changes, Mathematics Task Centre and Maths300 to enhance young children's number sense (Years K - 2) beyond what is normally expected for the age.

Working Mathematically with Infants is only available to Calculating Changes members and contains:

  • 20 Poly Plug
  • CD-ROM which includes 45 early years activities extracted from Calculating Changes plus PowerPoint presentations from trial teachers
  • Manual with scope and sequence planners and 45 additional whole class investigations
At each year level the planners offer 10 weeks per semester of week by week, lesson by lesson sequenced activity. That's 60 weeks over three years designed to enhance number sense, number concepts and number skills - all important for a mathematician - to prepare students for involvement with Maths With Attitude from Year 3 onwards.

Threaded activities in the program have been developed and trialed over fifteen years by teachers in the Calculating Changes network. Whole class investigations have been adapted from Maths Tasks and Maths300 lessons. It is not necessary to have the tasks used, nor it is necessary to be a Maths300 member to make excellent use of this kit. However, if you do have access to these extras, your curriculum can only be richer.

Professional development is available to support the introduction of this kit.

Prices & Ordering

  • Working Mathematically with Infants Kit ...$429
  • Calculating Changes Membership ...$330 (once only, no annual subscription)
  • Additional Poly Plug ...$12.10 each
  • Additional manuals ...$27.50 each
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
  • Current Calculating Changes members with Poly Plug need only order manual(s) and CD to make their own kits.
  • The CD-ROM may be copied to the school server for easy teacher access.
  • Visit Calculating Changes to find sample activities, PD programs and more.

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Poly Plug

Poly Plug is two 5x5 grids of foam plugs, one of which is red, and one of which is twice as thick but yellow on one side and blue on the other. It is an extremely flexible learning aid because it is both unstructured when the plugs are removed and used as counters, and structured when held in arrangements defined by the grid ... or parts of it ... or multiples of it.

The material is 'classroom savvy' in that:

  • it is colourful and tactile
  • it has a loss-proof pack up system built in ... no gaps so all plugs must be there
  • it is silent
  • it cannot be used to hurt
  • it is almost indestructible
Poly Plug is the preferred material for Calculating Changes and can also be used to explore the whole class investigation life of many tasks. Poly Plug also has many other uses such as exploring the array model of multiplication, concepts of fractions and ratio, creating equations and illustrating the difference between two squares. In addition, Poly Plug Game Pack offers a reproducible resource book of 16 strategy games in four families and one Poly Plug set as playing pieces.

Prices & Ordering

  • Poly Plug 1 - 24 sets ...$14.96 each
  • Poly Plug 25 - 99 sets ...$13.75 each
  • Poly Plug 100+ sets ...$12.10 each
  • Poly Plug Game Pack ...$42.46 each
  • Poly Plug Resource Book ...$27.50 each
  • Calculating Changes Membership ...$330 (once only, no annual subscription)
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
Our Poly Plug page leads to scores of activities and more detail.

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Sphinx Shapes

Sphinx, Task 166, is a wonderful example of the principles underpinning a good task and what it means to work like a mathematician in happy, healthy, cheerful, productive, inspiring classrooms. It is also the source of the story behind the Task Centre Project logo:

a story which has particular relevance to Aboriginal students.

To get the most from this task teachers need multiple copies of the Sphinx shape. Teachers can design, print and laminate their own (the shape is made from 6 equilateral triangles) or can perhaps organise for the students to make the school set in conjunction with the Design & Technology teacher.

However, the easier alternative is to purchase these sturdy, colourful, Australian made plastic Sphinx shapes.

Prices & Ordering

  • Sphinx Shapes (pack of 100) ...$55 per pack
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.

Additional Information
  • Explore our Sphinx Album to discover a world of mathematics for primary and secondary classrooms that develops from this one shape. There are many examples from classrooms around the world.
  • Sphinx is also the basis of Maths300 Lesson 25, Sphinx and Maths300 Lesson 99, What's It Worth?.

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Trisquares

Trisquares are used in Tasks 237, Trisquares, and 238, Growing Trisquares. Based around a unit square rather than a unit triangle, these shapes have the same property as Sphinx, so anything you can do with Sphinx you can do with Trisquares, but the pictures that result certainly don't look the same.

Trisquares offer many applications across primary and secondary school including:

  • Shape discrimination & other spatial experiences
  • Perimeter & area
  • Problem solving
  • Square numbers
  • Pattern & algebra
  • Graphing
Teachers and children can make their own from thin card, but the more efficient approach is to purchase these sturdy, colourful, Australian made Plastazote Trisquares.

Prices & Ordering

  • Trisquares (pack of 108) ...$88 per pack (6 panels of 18)
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.

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Tricubes

Tricubes are used in Tasks 69, Tricubes, 77, Tricube Constructions A, 90 Tricube Constructions B, 193, Surface Area with Tricubes and 234, Growing Tricubes. They are also used in Maths300 lesson 165, Surface Area with Tricubes.

Based around a unit cube rather than a unit triangle, these shapes have the same property as Sphinx, so anything you can do with Sphinx you can do with Tricubes in both two and three dimensions.

Tricubes offer many applications across primary and secondary school including:

  • 3D constructions & spatial perception
  • Tessellations
  • Base area (foot print)
  • Surface area
  • Volume
  • Pattern & algebra
  • Linear, quadratic and cubic graphs
We know of one school where the children made their own wooden Tricubes, but the more effective and efficient approach is to purchase these tactile, colourful, Australian made Plastazote Tricubes.

Prices & Ordering

  • Tricubes (class set of 100) ...$143 per set (25 x 4 colours - colours may vary from photo)
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.

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Pyramid Puzzle

Pyramid Puzzle, Task 101, has a depth of algebra and mathematical history that takes it far beyond the initial 3D spatial puzzle. This investigation should be part of every Year 12 algebra curriculum.

There is considerable information about the mathematical depth of the task, which includes summing Natural, Square and Triangle Numbers and proof by Mathematical Induction, in its Task Cameo and Maths300 Lesson 138. Use a class set of pyramid puzzle pieces to activate the whole class lesson life of the task. These Australian made puzzle pieces are available in sturdy, colourful plastic at a very reasonable cost. Four pieces build to make one pyramid.

Hint: Provide a paper plate to each student as well as the puzzle. This will (a) provide a non-slip surface and (b) make it almost impossible for the longer pieces to roll onto a hard floor and perhaps snap.

Prices & Ordering

  • 25 Pyramids ...$110 (4 pieces per set)
  • 50 Pyramids ...$198
  • 100 Pyramids ...$375
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.

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Pentagon Triangles

Task 81, Pentagon Triangles, involves a multitude of work in space, measurement and number patterns which has become the basis of Maths300 Lesson 134. Teachers could make cardboard Pentagon Triangles by cutting a regular pentagon into isosceles triangles along its diagonals. But if you don't want that work, and you do want something more permanent and attractive for your whole class investigation then these colourful, Australia made, plastazote pieces are the way to go.

Prices & Ordering

  • Pentagon Triangles (class set of 320) ...$66 per set (5 pairs of red and blue panels)
  • The class set is 16 sets of 20 triangles. Each set is enough for one pair of students. The 20 triangles in a set are made up of 5 red and 5 blue of each of the two shapes of isosceles triangle shown in the photo. Student sets are therefore easy to pack up.
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.

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3d Geoshapes

3d Geoshapes, are click together plastic pieces in a range of shapes. The joining sides make a hinge which allows folding into three dimensions. Although the plastic they are made from is thin, it is incredibly strong. These Australian made shapes are frames, not solid surfaces, so construction of 3D objects is easier because fingers can get in, out, around and through. This material opens up a world of hands-on exploration K - 12 and is particularly useful in the task centre context.

The shapes resource several of our tasks, such as Cube Nets, Tetrahedron Nets and Pointy Fences. To activate the whole class investigation life of these tasks you will need a class set of the materials.

For example, as a whole class investigation, Cube Nets, Task 31 (Maths300 Lesson 116) is an excellent way to illustrate what it means to work like a mathematician. In addition the lesson offers several learning features which encourage us to reflect on better choices for teaching and learning. Teachers wishing to convert this task to a whole class investigation would need four packs of squares.

Prices & Ordering

  • Equilateral Triangles ...$39 per pack of 102 pieces
  • Squares ...$39 per pack of 60 pieces
  • Pentagons ...$39 per pack of 30 pieces
  • Hexagons ...$39 per pack of 24 pieces
  • Class Starter Pack ...$176 per pack of 102 Triangles, 120 Squares, 30 Pentagons, 24 Hexagons
  • Learning Space with 3d Geoshapes, Book 1, Years K - 2 ...$22
  • Learning Space with 3d Geoshapes, Book 2, Years 3 - 6 ...$22
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.

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Rotagrams

A Rotagram is a clear plastic circle set into a clear plastic square. The circle can rotate against the square. One arm of an angle is marked (and fixed) on the square. The other is marked on the circle and consequently rotates. There are no units marked so the focus is on the concept of an angle and the way it is measured, rather than on the skills related to using a protractor. It is a very useful device for comparing angles.

Originally designed by Geoff Giles for DIME Projects, Scotland, they are now manufactured in Australia. Some schools may also have the original A5 booklets Geoff designed to accompany Rotagrams and will now be able to use those again.

Rotagrams are critical for building a whole class investigation around Task 214, Angle Estimation, and are also suggested in Maths300 Lesson 133, Angle Estimation, which has grown from the task.

Prices & Ordering

  • Rotagram ...$1.80 each
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information
Rotagrams are recommended in the Victorian Mathematics Developmental Curriculum P-10 under item Angles: 3.25 - Space.
See Activity 1, No. 5 under Teaching Strategies.

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Professor Morris Puzzles

50 Poster Puzzles and Teacher's Notes. Each is designed to be the focus of a Poster Problem Clinic. They are presented by a unique CAR-toon character and all text is in rhyme. This approach is consistent with Gardner's Multiple Intelligences research. The rhyme and rhythm of the text appeals relates to musical intelligence, the drawings to visual intelligence and emphasis on discussion and sharing encourages language-based and interpersonal learners.

Teacher's Notes connect each puzzle to tasks from the Task Centre collection and, importantly, list many Start Talking questions to extend each puzzle.

  • all puzzles presented in rhyme
  • original CARtoon drawings
  • attractive presentation
  • suitable for Years 2 to 8
  • wide range of puzzles
  • photocopiable for your class
  • generate talk about mathematics
  • each puzzle is supported by a teachers' book with:
    • solutions
    • questions to generate further mathematical talk
    • a list of related hands-on tasks
Professor Morris Puzzles are included in Working Mathematically Curriculum Pack

Prices & Ordering

  • Professor Morris Puzzles ...$44 for puzzles and teacher's notes
  • Prices include GST. Delivery charges apply.
  • Order with either your school purchase order or our Order Form.
  • Print our Price List for a complete list of services and resources.
Additional Information

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...and more

We supply bulk material to convert most tasks to whole class investigations, such as number tiles like those in the photo. Bulk orders of 2cm wooden cubes are also popular.

See the latter section of our Price List for these additional items.

We also recommend Matt's Maths Mat and Matt's mini-Whiteboard (below) offered by well know mathematics teacher and consultant Matt Skoss.

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Matt's Maths Mat

Physical involvement (kinaesthetic learning) is a key component in playing out the whole class investigation 'life' of many tasks. One of the aids that can be used to challenge students in this way is a large plastic mat with cells big enough for a student to sit inside. Until now teachers have had to make their own, or have had such a grid painted in the playground. That is no longer necessary.

Matt Skoss, experienced task centre teacher and consultant, has found a way to mass produce these mats. There are many learning opportunities that develop when you have one of these mats. These links will start you thinking.

The Mat
  • 7.5m x 3.6m mat made from virtually indestructible shade cloth
  • 3 x fluoro elastics
    (many applications eg: geometry)
  • 17 x LamiPanel labelling sheets
    (postcard size - 6" x 4")
  • axes for graphs
  • packed in a suitcase on wheels
Contact
Matt Skoss
Possum Educational Services
31 Battarbee St.
Alice Springs NT 0870
Australia
Phone: 0418-624 631
Email: matt@skoss.org
ABN: 77 540 358 153
Price
  • $495 + Freight (GST not charged)
  • Freight is typically $40 - $70 in Australia.

Matt's mini-Whiteboard

These have been a hit with several classes in the Red Centre.
What is also generating interest are the mini-Whiteboards I tote around with me. Using whiteboard markers kids record their data, then walk up to a whiteboard to contribute to the 'community data'. I was stunned with the reaction of the teachers. This stuff is on 6mm plywood, rather than the 20mm plywood A3-size whiteboards in some schools (...which could be classified as a weapon!).

I used them with Sultanas in Fruit Cake - a variation on the Maths300 Chocolate Chip Cookies lesson. Bringing the mini-Whiteboards out to the front was a convenient way of 'collecting the community data' as a precursor to jumping into a stem & leaf plot. Not an essential process, but nice.

Price
The following are a guide. Updated latest prices will be found at:
http://maths-no-fear.wikispaces.com/Resources-For+Sale
  • Post card size: $0.50 each plus freight
  • A4 size: $1.40 each plus freight
  • You supply the whiteboard markers.
Contact
Matt Skoss
Possum Educational Services
31 Battarbee St.
Alice Springs NT 0870
Australia
Phone: 0418-624 631
Email: matt@skoss.org
ABN: 77 540 358 153

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