The distance around a circle is called the circumference
The distance around a circle is called the circumference
There are 21 dots on a dice
There are 21 dots on a dice
Eight eights are sixty four
Eight eights are sixty four
A hexagon has six sides
A hexagon has six sides
17 is a prime number
17 is a prime number
There are 366 days in a leap year
There are 366 days in a leap year
Triangles tessellate
Triangles tessellate
A rhombus has four equal sides
A rhombus has four equal sides
Seven squared is forty nine
Seven squared is forty nine
See above ten phrases
which need to be memorised.
Each time the blue play button is clicked a phrase will be removed
from the collection. The aim of the activity is to write down
the exact the phrase after it has been removed.
After the last phrase has been removed all ten phrases are
then shown in the order they were removed so that accuracy can be checked. The auto play button removes phrases at thirty second intervals (the time interval can be changed - see below).
I think this is a great starter and a fantastic way for pupils to remember certain facts.
A O'hagan, Holyrood School Glasgow
Enjoyable but a bit stressful..in a good way!
9F, Robert Clack
An excellent starter to improve memory. However is it possible to change the phrases so it can be used again?
Transum,
Dear Robert, yes there are a number of other sets of phrases for Kim's Game. You can click on one of the Game buttons above. For other activities of a similar nature click on the key word 'Memory' above.
Transum,
A great way to remind students of the mathematical facts they have learned but need to keep revisiting in order to refresh their memories. This can be great fun with the teacher controlling the speed at which the statements disappear. The answers are presented at the end of the game giving the teacher some time to get the next part of the lesson ready as the students mark their own answers.
Dansecdev,
How is this kim's game . Kims game involves physical objects to be retrieved after extended periods of time for training intelligence operatives.
A couple of people have mentioned that 'there are 21 dots on a dice' should be 'there are 21 dots on a die'.
My reference point is the Oxford Dictionary which states that dice is an acceptable singular and plural form of die. According to this source, dice was once the plural of die, but in modern standard English dice is both the singular and the plural: 'throw the dice' could mean a reference to either one or more than one dice.
How did you use this starter? Can you suggest
how teachers could present or develop this resource? Do you have any comments? It is always useful to receive
feedback and helps make this free resource even more useful for Maths teachers anywhere in the world. Click here to enter your comments.
The phrases, in the order they disappeared, will be shown in the panel at the top of this page at the end of the game.
Note to teacher:
Doing this activity once with a class helps students develop strategies. It is
only when they do this activity a second time that they will have the
opportunity to practise those strategies. That is when the learning is
consolidated. Click a button below to play another version of this game or play the same game again (the phrases will disappear in a different order)
Basic Shapes
Fancy Shapes
Circle Parts
Angle Theorems
Fractions
For many pupils the initial task of memorising ten items is far too difficult. You can make the game easier by removing some of the items with the blue button before you present the pupils with this activity.
The auto play feature removes phrases after a certain number of seconds (30 seconds by default). You can vary that time interval if it is not suitable for your class here:
Auto Play: Remove phrases every
Note that the first phrase is removed four seconds after pressing the auto play button despite the time interval set for the rest of the phrases above.
Christmas Present Ideas
It is often very difficult choosing Christmas presents for family and friends but so here are some seasonal, mathematics-related gifts chosen and recommended by Transum Mathematics.
Go Genius Maths
Transform maths practice into an exciting adventure with Go Genius Maths! This award-winning board game is designed to make learning maths enjoyable and engaging for children aged 7 and above. Perfect for family game nights or classroom activities, Go Genius Maths helps players develop essential arithmetic skills while having heaps of fun.
Whether you’re looking for a gift to inspire young minds or a tool to supplement maths education, Go Genius Maths is the ultimate choice. Spark curiosity, nurture mathematical talent, and turn learning into an unforgettable journey!
How Not To Be Wrong
The maths we learn in school can seem like an abstract set of rules, laid down by the ancients and not to be questioned. In fact, Jordan Ellenberg shows us, maths touches on everything we do, and a little mathematical knowledge reveals the hidden structures that lie beneath the world's messy and chaotic surface. In How Not to be Wrong, Ellenberg explores the mathematician's method of analyzing life, from the everyday to the cosmic, showing us which numbers to defend, which ones to ignore, and when to change the equation entirely. Along the way, he explains calculus in a single page, describes Gödel's theorem using only one-syllable words, and reveals how early you actually need to get to the airport.
What more could the inquisitive adult want for Christmas? This book makes a cosy, interesting read in front of the fire on those cold winter evenings. more... #ad
Graphic Display Calculator
This handheld device and companion software are designed to generate opportunities for classroom exploration and to promote greater understanding of core concepts in the mathematics and science classroom. TI-Nspire technology has been developed through sound classroom research which shows that "linked multiple representation are crucial in development of conceptual understanding and it is feasible only through use of a technology such as TI-Nspire, which provides simultaneous, dynamically linked representations of graphs, equations, data, and verbal explanations, such that a change in one representation is immediately reflected in the others.
For the young people in your life this is a great investment. Bought as a Christmas present but useful for many years to come as the young person turns into an A-level candidate then works their way through university. more... #ad
Apple iPad Pro
The analytics show that more and more people are accessing Transum Mathematics via an iPad as it is so portable and responsive. The iPad has so many other uses in addition to solving Transum's puzzles and challenges and it would make an excellent gift for anyone.
The redesigned Retina display is as stunning to look at as it is to touch. It all comes with iOS, the world's most advanced mobile operating system. iPad Pro. Everything you want modern computing to be. more... #ad
Before giving an iPad as a Christmas gift you could add a link to iPad Maths to the home screen.
Craig Barton's Tips for Teachers
Teaching is complex. But there are simple ideas we can enact to help our teaching be more effective. This book contains over 400 such ideas." more... #ad
"The ideas come from two sources. First, from the wonderful guests on his Tips for Teachers podcast - education heavyweights such as Dylan Wiliam, Daisy Christodoulou and Tom Sherrington, as well as talented teachers who are not household names but have so much wisdom to share. Then there's what he has learned from working with amazing teachers and students in hundreds of schools around the world.
The Story Of Maths [DVD]
The films in this ambitious series offer clear, accessible explanations of important mathematical ideas but are also packed with engaging anecdotes, fascinating biographical details, and pivotal episodes in the lives of the great mathematicians. Engaging, enlightening and entertaining, the series gives viewers new and often surprising insights into the central importance of mathematics, establishing this discipline to be one of humanity s greatest cultural achievements. This DVD contains all four programmes from the BBC series.
Marcus du Sautoy's wonderful programmes make a perfect Christmas gift more... #ad
Christmas Maths
This book provides a wealth of fun activities with a Christmas theme. Each photocopiable worksheet is matched to the Numeracy Strategy and compatible with the Scottish 5-14 Guidelines. This series is designed for busy teachers in the late Autumn term who are desperate for materials that are relevant and interesting and that can be completed with minimun supervision.
All the activities are suitable for use by class teachers, supply teachers, SEN teachers and classroom assistants and cover topics such as 'How many partridges did the true love give all together?' and 'Filling a sleigh with presents by rolling a dice!'. Children will have lots of fun working through the Christmas Maths themes but also gain valuable skills along the way.
A great source of ideas and another reasonably priced stocking filler. more... #ad
A Compendium Of Mathematical Methods
How many different methods do you know to solve simultaneous equations? To multiply decimals? To find the nth term of a sequence?
A Compendium of Mathematical Methods brings together over one hundred different approaches from classrooms all over the world, giving curious mathematicians the opportunity to explore fascinating methods that they've never before encountered.
If you teach mathematics to any age group in any country, you are guaranteed to learn lots of new things from this delightful book. It will deepen your subject knowledge and enhance your teaching, whatever your existing level of expertise. It will inspire you to explore new approaches with your pupils and provide valuable guidance on explanations and misconceptions. more... #ad
Math with Bad Drawings
I had been tutoring the wonderful Betsy for five years. When the day came for our last ever session together before the end of her Year 13, I received this beautiful book as a gift of appreciation.
This a very readable book by Ben Orlin. I'm really enjoying the humour in the writing and the drawings are great.
Ben Orlin answers maths' three big questions: Why do I need to learn this? When am I ever going to use it? Why is it so hard? The answers come in various forms-cartoons, drawings, jokes, and the stories and insights of an empathetic teacher who believes that mathematics should belong to everyone. more... #ad
Click the images above to see all the details of these gift ideas and to buy them online.
Your access to the majority of the Transum resources continues to be free but you can help support the continued growth of the website by doing your Amazon shopping using the links on this page. Below is an Amazon link. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases which helps pay for the upkeep of this website.
Teacher, do your students have access to computers such as tablets,
iPads or Laptops?
This page was really designed for projection on a whiteboard but if you really want the students to have access to it here is a concise URL for a version of this page without the comments:
Transum.org/go/?Start=September11
However it would be better to assign one of the student interactive activities below.
Here is the URL which will take them to a student version of this activity.
If you are not familiar with Rudyard Kipling's story of Kim, or, to give him his full name, Kimball O'Hara, he was the son of a sergeant of an Irish regiment
in India in the late 1800s. His father and mother died while he was a child, and
he was left to the care of an aunt.
His playmates were all local Indian boys, so he learned to talk their language and to know their ways. He became great
friends with an old wandering priest and travelled with him all over northern India. One day he chanced to meet his father's old regiment on the march,
but in visiting the camp he was arrested on suspicion of being a thief. His
birth certificate and other papers were found on him, and the regiment,
seeing that he had belonged to them, took charge of him, and started to
educate him. But whenever he could get away for holidays, Kim dressed himself in
Indian clothes, and went among the locals as one of them.
After a time he became acquainted with a Mr Lurgan, a dealer in old jewellery and curiosities,who was also a member of the Government Intelligence Department. This
man, finding that Kim had such special knowledge of local habits and customs,
decided that he could make a useful agent for Government Intelligence work. He
therefore gave Kim lessons at noticing and remembering small details, which is
an important point in the training of a Scout.
Mr Lurgan began by showing Kim a tray full of precious stones of different kinds. He let
him look at it for a minute, then covered it with a cloth, and asked him to
state how many stones and what sorts were there. At first Kim could remember
only a few, and could not describe them very accurately, but with a little
practice he soon was able to remember them all quite well.
At last, after much other training, Kim was made a member of the Secret Service,
and was given a secret sign, a locket to wear round his neck
and a certain sentence, which, if said in a special way, meant he was one of
the Service.
