An interactive whiteboard resource that you may find useful for practising multiplication tables with your class.  It is intended to support children in visualising what multiplication does.  The rainbows illustrate the counting on technique and the raindrops show the number of sets in the multiplication.  Led by the teacher, a  class  can work through each multiplication table tapping it to confirm the group’s answer with the appearance of the next rainbow.

At the bottom of the screen you will see a scroll bar.  Tap above this to move one along on the currently selected multiplication table.  The next rainbow will appear as well as the raindrops.  Holding and dragging the scroll bar will allow you to advance through the multiples (unless you have tapped enough times to make all of the rainbows appear some or all of this will be blank).  Or you can flick the scroll bar for it to move quickly to the opposite end.

Changing the multiple amount or pressing clear will make the rainbows and raindrops dissappear ready to start again on either the same or a different multiplier.

Suggestions, comments, problems are appreciated in the comments section.

Go to interactive whiteboard resource.

A paper copy of the chain of rainbows can be downloaded here for student use.

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This interactive whiteboard resource is designed to facilitate a class competition.  The children in the class are divided into 4 groups and allocated a team colour: red,green, blue or yellow.  Students follow a printed instruction set to generate a number.  Once the team have discovered the combination the team captain goes to the interactive whiteboard, selects his team colour and then enters the combination.  Once the number is entered he/she presses the key button.  If the combination is correct the appropriate button slides away to reveal a jewel.  If the combination is incorrect that team ’s light goes out and they are locked out for a number of seconds.  The winning team is the first to get and enter the correct combination.  Mis-keys can be corrected by pressing the ‘E’ key.

In the first instance there is one sheet available to download that can be used for students to follow and find a combination.  This is designed with a session in the computer suite in mind.  The teams will need to use the internet to research facts to help them discover the combination.  Teams that make efficient use of planning, communication and teamwork will have an advantage.  A good tactic that the students can be left to discover themselves, or informed of, is for some of the team to go ahead in the questions to find necessary information for when it is needed by the students who are performing the calculations.  In this way students can develop research and social skills as well as applying their existing mathematics skills.

Teachers can set the number of seconds incorrect answers lock out a team  by clicking the solitary triangular button (with the double arrow on it) and then adjusting the slider on the pop-out panel to the desired amount of time.  On this panel the appropriate question code should also be selected (there is only ‘number 1′ question sheet available at the moment).

New question sheets will be released over time.  It is hoped that teachers who feel they can make use of this resource will create new ones and submit them for others to use.  Themed question banks could be created this way where the research is focussed on a particular subject.  Or sheets that use only maths skills could be created so that the internet isn’t needed.

Go to interactive whiteboard resource.

Get Combination Sheet Number 1.

Get Combination Sheet Number 1ii.  (This produces the the same code as sheet 1 so combination 1 should be selected on the resource still).  This combination sheet has been generously created and shared by W.S. Frost.  This sheet uses pure mathematical skills so no research tools are necessary and it can be used in any classroom.

Get the answers for Combination sheet number 1, this is a word document with the working out for the sheet above that can be modified for creating new question sheets.  Once you have created the new sheet submit it to the email address below and it will be formatted and its final code added to the resource.  Please state what credit you would like to receive i.e. name or school etc.

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As an additional function the outer red wheel can be freely spun by pulling quickly and releasing and this will spin the hands of the clock to a random time.  This function will be easier on an interactive whiteboard than with using a mouse.

EDIT: I have now added a clock for when you want to introduce roman numeral clocks. This one references the clock that often has the name of its bell extended to it, Big Ben. There is still a rotating bevel on this on and it works like the simple clock. The bevel is invisible unless you start to drag it.

NOTE:  A list minute change has introduced a bug into the rotation making the hand’s movement choppy.  This will be fixed today.  Fixed!

The image of the clock tower is courtesy of DAVID ILIFF and is used under a Wikipedia Commons license.

Please feedback on how useful you find this resource.

For standard IWB clock go to interactive whiteboard clock.

For roman numerals “Big Ben” clock go to interactive whiteboard clock.

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An update to the most frequently used interactive whiteboard resouce on this site.  A variety of measuring devices can be shown on the screen grouped together in themes.  Use the arrow buttons to select between them.  Click the “New” button to generate a new set of readings.

More than one device is shown on screen to allow for the differentiation between abilities during a class questioning session.  Some devices have more complex demarcation than others.  Some devices will always move to a whole mark on the scale others allow a measurement to fall in between.   Those devices where the demarcation may be difficult to read from a distance use a magnifying mechanism alongside them.

Reading scales 2 interactive white board resource.

The original reading scales resource.  On the whole this uses more straightforward scales so may be useful for introducing the concept.

If you have any suggestions for new measuring scales for this resource or encounter any problems please leave a comment.

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An interactive whiteboard resource to encourage students to apply their maths skills to the real world.

As many students now have mobile phones which include a calculator this resource attempts to emulate such a calculator.  The teacher can demonstrate how to use the simple calculators to do useful real world maths.  The advantage of this calculator simplicity  is that the student needs to actually understand how the maths works rather than just what buttons to press.  Hopefully the students can be encouraged to practise maths outside of school, in shops etc.

At the moment 2 types of real world questions can be generated by the resource: percentage discounts and area.  As this calculator does not include a memory function the real world aspect is further emphasised by providing a notepad for jottings.  Depending on school policy it could be useful for students to develop these skills further using their own phones in a lesson.

The calculator:

Green button is equals

Red button is clear all

* selects the operations.

# is the decimal point

Click and draw on the notepad, click the curled corner to clear the page.

Choose question types using the blue icons.  Tap the question to reveal the answer.

If you encounter any bugs with the calculator please report them here.  Even simple calculators have quite a number of rules on how they work.  This generates a large amount of different combinations of actions, not all of which may have been encountered in tests.  Any other comments or suggestions are also welcome.

Go to interactive whiteboard resource.

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This interactive whiteboard resource is intentionally fast paced to encourage students to estimate and consider what answer looks correct without necessarily working it out accurately. The fast pace also ensures a number of students can have a turn at the front of the class without taking up to much time.  Class questioning could consider what ways we can check whether an answer looks right.  I.e. adding 2 odd numbers will produce an even answer, rounding to the nearest ten and then adding for an estimated answer etc.

Borrowing the idea of diffusing a bomb from television drama the students need to connect the components together based on the addition questions and answers.  Click and drag from the question to the answer (or vice-versa).  Every failed connection results in sparks and a 5 second time penalty so accuracy is important.

This resource has sound so ensure your speakers are at an appropriate level.

As always if you encounter any bugs or problems please report it here.  If you like this resource and would like it applied to another concept or have a suggestion to improve it also leave your comment.

Go to interactive whiteboard resource.

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An interactive whiteboard resource for students to practice ordering numbers/fractions as well as a bit of logical thinking.  This resource simulates a slide puzzle.  Tapping a square next to an empty space moves it into that empty space.  The (difficult!) challenge is to order the squares so that their contents is in ascending order from the top left.  The rows follow the pattern demonstrated in the background image blocks i.e. smallest at the top left ascending to the right, then restarting on the left.  When the correct arrangement is reached the tile’s border changes colour and the tiles spin.  No more interaction is possible until “Go” is clicked again.  Note clicking “Go” restarts the puzzle at any time.

If you like this resource and would like further varieties please leave a comment with the 15 or 12 items that you would like ordering and the resource will be added for all to use. Words or numbers are possible although obviously length is limited.  Other comments or bug reports also welcomed.

One resource is a 4 by 4 grid and contains fractions to be ordered.  Go to Interactive Whiteboard Resource.

One resource is a 3 by 4 grid and contains multiplications to be ordered.  Go to Interactive Whiteboard Resource.

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