Higher Order Thinking

Lesson Starters & Activities

Putting a different ‘spin’ on a lesson starter is a great way to introduce

younger pupils to higher order thinking skills and stimulate meaningful discussion

among pupils.

The following activities can be used as lesson starters or as stand-alone activities (although be sure to leave plenty of time

for sharing answers and discussion afterwards!)

How would you prove your answer?

5 cm

12 cm

15 cm

True or False...?This is a right angled-triangle

Find the Fibs!Sarah completed the following lesson starter.

Her final answers are shown in red. She made some silly mistakes!

1. Calculate 15 - 6 x 2 32. Solve the equation 2x - 7 = 15 x = 43. Calculate the perimeter of this shape: P = 24cm2

8cm

3cmFind her mistakes and

correct her work.

2x + 5 = 17

Make up as many equations as you can in the next 5 minutes that have the same answer

as the one above.

Swap equations with a friend and solve them tocheck their answers.

Using exactly four 4s it is possible to make all the numbers between 1 and 20.

For example: 44 ÷ 44 = 1

and (4 x 4) ÷ (4 + 4) = 2

What other numbers can you make using four 4s?

Answers

1 = (4÷4) x (4÷4)2 = (4÷ 4)+(4÷ 4)3 = (4 + 4 + 4) ÷ 4 4 = 4 + 4(4 - 4)5 = (4 x 4 +4) ÷ 4 6 = 4+((4+4) ÷ 4) 7 = (4+4)-(4÷ 4)8 = (4+4) ÷ (4÷ 4)9 = 4+4+(4÷ 4)10 = (44-4) ÷ 4

11 = 4! / √4 - 4/412 = 4 x 4 - √4 - √413 = 4! / √4 + 4/414 = 4 + 4 + 4 + √415 = 4 x 4 - 4/416 = 4 x 4 + 4 - 417 = 4 x 4 + 4/418 = 4 x 4 + 4 - √419 = 4! - 4 - 4/420 = 4 x 4 + √4 + √4 How many did you get?

http://www.mathsisfun.com/games/broken-calculator.html

Eric’s Broken Calculator

Pyramid Puzzle

http://www.transum.org/Software/SW/Starter_of_the_day/starter_January4.ASP

Justundera Quid

http://www.transum.org/Software/SW/Starter_of_the_day/starter_July5.ASP