With the 2014 FIFA World Cup about to kick off on 12 June, you might be on the look out for some good maths resources to bring a bit of Brazilian flare (and English disappointment) into the classroom. With that in mind, I have picked out my favourite 5 World Cup related maths resources that have been uploaded to the TES Maths website, and there are some absolute crackers in here!
And remember, all resources uploaded to the TES website are completely free to download and use. You just need to register.
A pdf file packed full of activities and challenges covering a whole host of mathematical topics, each with a sneaky World Cup theme. We have straight line graphs via free kicks, algebraic substitution via top trumps, Pythagoras via Spain’s training regime, and loads more. My favourite, though, is Pass it like Pirlo, where students can learn vectors from the Italian craftsman.
Fantasy Football games can often get complicated with loads of different rules, which may alienate younger or less able students. However, this one hits the nail on the head with its simplicity. Students have £45 to spend to buy one team from each group. This then leads to practising key skills of addition, subtraction and probability in a fun and engaging way. PowerPoint and spreadsheet included to help you run the activity throughout the tournament.
3. World Cup Simulation Activity
I chose this gem as my Resource of the Week, and it is not hard to see why. Students’ knowledge of averages, percentages and crucially experimental probability, will be tested and applied in a fun and engaging setting. There are plenty of opportunities to adapt this task to suit the age and ability of your students, from lower achieving Year 7 students, right up to older Key Stage 4 students who might want a taste of A Level Statistics.
4. World Cup 2014 Maths Challenge
A more structured activity here, but nonetheless worthwhile. Students are given a series of problems, all with a World Cup theme. There are questions on fractions, decimals, fractions, bearings, averages, probability, and lots more. It is the kind of resource that tricks students into thinking that they are not doing maths, when they clearly are!
5. World Cup 2014 Games and Activities
There are dozens of activities and ideas here, including word searches, crosswords and snap with flags. You could argue that this is ideal for ticking the ever painful literacy across the curriculum box! However, my favourite part of this resource is the PowerPoint called World Cup 2014 countries data files. This gives facts and figures about each of the countries, setting up the potential for cross-curricular links with history and geography.
And there you have it. Hopefully there is something there to suit all tastes, ages and abilities. And as ever, thanks so much to the kind and generous users of the TES Maths website for sharing your wonderful work.
Come on England…