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Welcome to the December newsletter! |
A hectic few months have come to an end, Christmas is fast approaching, and we’re still working to provide you with great resources for your students. This newsletter is packed with Christmas themed activities and maths news! We reflect on a packed year with events and engagement that has been both rewarding and challenging, as Maths Week 2022 comes to a close. We would like to extend our sincerest thank you to everyone who has been involved over the last 12 months, and beyond. All the Maths Week team wishes you a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year. In the meantime, keep up to date with us on our social media pages, especially our new TikTok page! Click the buttons below to follow our pages and the content we create for you! If you have any questions be sure sure to drop us an email at mathsweek.wd@setu.ie Thanks, |
In this issue: Advent STEAM calendar Teacher Feedback on Maths Week 2022 Winner of Samsung Tablets SciFest Mathematical Winners Pi-ku Winners What’s On: Coming Events Dec-Feb News Atlas of Irish Mathematicians: Louth Maths outside the Textbook with Douglas Buchanan
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Spotlight |
Celebrating the Festive SeasonSTEAM Advent CalendarNovember 27 - December 22 We're sharing a new activity on our website every day of advent at 12pm. Stay tuned for some wonderful maths fun ranging from STEAM projects to computer animation, and even making your own slime! | |
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What Teachers thought about Maths Week 2022 |
Our post-event survey showed broad satisfaction among teachers participating in Maths Week 2022. Our survey will inform our planning for Maths Week 2023 and our provision of resources throughout the year. Here are some results: 95% of teachers think it is important that pupils understand that maths is a human endeavour and 93% would welcome more resources on the history of maths 88% of teachers said their pupils enjoyed Maths Week 61% thought that the event improved their pupils’ attitude towards maths 60% of teachers would like more resources and 54% would like a pre-Maths Week webinar to help prepare for Maths Week.
This survey and especially the comments submitted will help us provide more resources and design events that meet the needs of all audiences. Our core principle is “Maths for All” and we have made some progress in provision of activities and resources in the Irish Language and we acknowledge we need to do more. We have developed resources in Ukrainian and Arabic and made progress in the provision to blind and deaf learners and we have increased activity with early school leavers. If we can harness the goodwill and expertise of (already busy) teachers that is out there we could greatly increase inclusion. 82% of teachers said they would like to see resources prepared by other teachers on the website while 55% said they would be interested in sharing your resources / ideas via Maths Week website for other teachers and schools. We would like to hear from teachers throughout the year with ideas to share. Please contact us at mathsweek.wd@setu.ie |
Samsung Tablet Draw WinnersThanks to everyone who filled in our post-Maths Week Survey. From those who filled in the survey, 3 winners of a Samsung Galaxy Tablets were drawn - Secondary teacher from Carlow, Primary teachers from Down Primary teacher from Galway.
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SciFest 2022 WinnersA huge congratulations to Rachel Griffin, Luke O'Sullivan, and Liam Waldron from Maire Spillane’s class at Killarney Community College who won the annual SciFest competition with their maths-centric project, ‘A Group Theoretic Approach to Pythagoras’ Theorem’. Well done to the runners up and to everyone who participated throughout the country. | |
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Winners Of The Maths Week Pi-Ku CompetitionCongratulations to the winners of the Maths Week Pi-Ku Competition. This competition ran during Maths Week and had students write a haiku-style poem using the numbers of Pi as the syllable. Congrats again to our winners, who receive a maths workshop for their class and are as follows: Two joint winners from Ms Flaherty’s class in Colaiste Treasa. Rosemarie from Ms Stack’s Class in Colaiste Treasa Niko from St Colmcille’s Community School Ellen & Andrew, joint winners from Borris Vocational School The Chess Poem, Holy Family School for the Deaf
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The Maths Magic workshops are presented by leading maths communicators Dr Katie Steckles from Manchester and Dr Ben Sparks from Bath pictured above yesterday with pupils from Holy Family School for the Deaf, Dublin and Maths Week Ireland coordinator Eoin Gill. Thanks to the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Edinburgh organisers of the competition and Woongjin the sponsors. The competition first ran during Maths Week Scotland and we hope there will be more joint events in teh future. |
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What’s On |
Maths Zine FestFree Online Workshop, December 3 Zines (pronounced ZEEN) are self-published booklets, usually reproduced via photocopier. Zines can be about anything - we will be focussing on making math zines!! You will have the opportunity to: Learn how to make and fold a zine. Share ideas on topics and themes for zines. Meet other like minded people in the math zine community. Have some time to develop your own math zine. Share your progress and get feedback.
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Sci:ComThe Aviva, December 7 SCI:COM is a unique event that welcomes great minds from the arena of science communication and beyond for an exciting day of talks, panel discussions, and networking. | |
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Winter SolsticeWednesday 21 December The Winter solstice to astronomers, the time when Sun to reaches its most southerly point as it would appear to us. (Directly over the Tropic of Capricorn). In a more general sense it is considered as the shortest day of the year or longest night and always occurs around the 21 December. |
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Astronomers are able to calculate the precise time that the Sun will reach it’s lowest point relative to us and this will be at 21:47 on 21 December, 2022. Our ancient ancestors had the means 5,000 years to track the movement of the Sun. Of course, the Winter Solstice was of great interest to them as it marked the point at which the days begin to get longer - a sign of hope that spring was on the way and the Earth will provide sustenance again. They built several structures aligned to the Sun’s movement, the most famous being Newgrange in the Boyne Valley when at Sunrise on the Solstice the sunlight illuminates the central chamber. There are educational resources on the Heritage Ireland website |
BT Young ScientistRDS, January 12-14, 2023 The annual BT Young Scientist exhibition returns in January where wonderful student projects will be put on display for all to see! For more information click the link below! | |
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Peter’s ProblemJanuary IMTA runs a special competition for Transition Year pupils. Dedicated to the memory of the late Peter Tiernan for his many years of devoted work as a teacher and IMTA member. He was also a great supporter of Maths Week Ireland in the early years. | |
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Robert Boyle Winter SchoolThe Robert Boyle Winter School is planned for Saturday 21 January in Dublin. Details coming soon - check out the website to stay updated on the 2023 programme! | |
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Royal Institution Christmas LecturesBBC 4, Airdates still TBC, The Royal Institution annual series of Christmas lectures will be broadcast on BBC Four between Christmas and the New Year. This year, Professor Dame Sue Black will reveal secrets of forensic science. | |
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Coming Soon: Northern Ireland Science FestivalFebruary 16 - 26, 2023 The festival offers a stimulating and wide range of events focusing on the wonders of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. These events present some of the best scientists from NI and beyond to discuss their work, cutting-edge research and what the future might hold. | |
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Coming Soon: Engineers WeekMarch 4-10, 2023 Engineers use a lot of maths and Engineers Week should have a lot of events of interest taking place all across the island. | |
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News |
2023 Maths Ireland CalendarThe 2023 mathematics calendar is in production. We have 50 calendars to give away for free. If you would like to receive a calendar please email mathsweek.wd@setu.ie with Calendar in the subject line and your name and mailing address in the body of the email. |
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How to understand the maths around your bills and save moneyMaths Week Ireland Partner, Brien Nolan of DCU writes in RTE Brainstorm The difficulties many people encounter when learning maths can lead to maths anxiety: negative emotions and behaviours associated with any encounter with mathematics or numbers generally. Educators speak of the maths anxiety cycle, where these negative states inhibit mathematical learning – and prevent individuals' development of the very confidence and skills that would help them to overcome their anxieties. A context of immediate relevance is the cost of living crisis. News on this topic invariably involves mathematical terms - the unwelcome percentage increases of fuel prices, interest rates and the rate of inflation. Understanding the numbers is key to making good financial decisions. | |
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Maths Eyes Entries are closed!Entries for this year’s competition are now closed. Good luck to everyone who entered this year, the winners will be announced in February 2023! | |
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Atlas of Irish MathematicsLouth The 31st in the bi-monthly regional Irish focused blog highlights mathematical people associated with County Louth. Read about Louth-born mathematicians and those originally from elsewhere who have taught at notable institutions in Louth, including Dundalk Grammar School and Dundalk RTC (which dates from 1971 and became Dundalk Institute of Technology, aka DKIT, in 1998). We now have covered almost counties and they can be seen at www.mathsireland.ie | |
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Coming Soon: Mathematicians of County Waterford and Mathematicians interred in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin. |
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| DCBEAGLE CHALLENGESBEYOND THE TEXTBOOK December 2022 Douglas Buchanan ~ dcbeagleb@gmail.com ~ www.dcbeagle.com ~ @dcbeagle1 |
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The Twelve Days of Christmas With Christmas just over the horizon we turn to the very popular song, Twelve Days to Christmas, where there are several mathematics exercises around all the gifts. At my sessions I show the John Denver and the Muppets version before going into the number work. The quality of the video is not great but the pupils can relate to the Muppets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDBMzGq1vhs Ideas and material can be collected from the following links: · A table of the total number of gifts collected plus the number of legs of the gifts! Click here. · The cost of the 12 days of gifts. Click here · Problem solving with The 12 Days of Christmas. Click here. Have fun! |
Puzzle of the month. Transferring the Counters (Henry E Dudeney) Divide a sheet of paper into six compartments, as shown in the illustration, and place a pile of fifteen counters, numbered consecutively I, 2,3 ... 15 downwards, in compartment A. The puzzle is to transfer the complete pile, in the fewest possible moves, to compartment F. You can move the counters one at a time to any compartment but may never place a counter on one that bears a smaller number than itself. Thus, if you place I on Band 2 on C, you can then place 1 on 2, but not 2 on 1. |  |
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Let Us Play I know this sounds old fashion but if the pupils of today are exposed to the following activities you will find they will be engaged. When one analyses the games, it is surprising how many mathematical skills and concepts are involved. Playing cards Games with a pack of playing cards – several are clearly explained with illustrations. The Book of Card Games – 252 PDF booklet Compendium of Games One of my favourite gifts was a Compendium of Games in a box and I was surprised you can still buy a box with 100 games for under £20. The Works has a version for £12. · Ancient board games – a PDF file · Simple board games - – a PDF file Transferring the Counters solution Make a pile of five counters (1 to 5) on B in 9 moves. Make a pile of four (6 to 9) on C in 7 moves. Make a pile of three (10 to 12) on D in 5 moves. Make a pile of two (13 and 14) on E in 3 moves. Place one (15) on F in 1 move. Replace 13 and 14 on F in 3, 10 to 12 on F in 5, 6 to 9 in 7, and I to 5 in 9 moves. Forty-nine moves in all. Fun short videos for you Professor fixes the whiteboard – click here 7 into 28 – Abbot and Costello – click here Kid Snippets: "Math Class" (Imagined by Kids) – click here A hilarious letter about a speeding ticket – click here Final words The time is about to come for you to sit back and relax and charge the batteries. Have a wonderful break. |
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