THIRD SPACE LEARNING Are numbers real? 75 questions to make you think Year 1 - 6 About this resource Children are inherently curious about the world around them. They naturally ask many philosophical questions that may not have a definitive answer, but do provoke very interesting discussions. It is important that pupils are able to ask and explore these types of questions to develop their critical and creative thinking skills. Many children have the belief that mathematics deals only with right and wrong answers, the questions in this resource all have some connection to mathematics, but do not all have an absolute answer. How to use this resource Pose the question and provide pupils with time to consider their answer and encourage them to think carefully about their answer. Next, give pupils time to share their answers as well as their justifications or explanations for their answers. It is important that pupils understand they need to listen carefully to each other without interruptions, even if they do not agree with someone else’s point of view. After listening to one point of view, some pupils may then want to offer an opposing (or supporting) view and should be encouraged to do so in a thoughtful and constructive way to develop the discussion. © Third Space Learning 2022. You may photocopy this page. How to use this resource (cont’d) The questions in this resource have been designed so they are not specific to a year group (although some language may be difficult for younger years to understand). You may wish to revisit questions in different year groups as pupils may change their opinions and explanations as they age. There are various ways to use ‘Are Numbers Real?’. Entering Class: Display a question while pupils are entering the classroom in the morning or after lunch, ready to discuss after registration. End of the Week Create a display board showing one question where pupils can share their answers and discuss at the end of the week. Small Group Discussion Give small groups one question. Allow them time to discuss the question before sharing their responses with the whole class. For more resources and intervention support go to thirdspacelearning.com Questions about maths generally Tick when complete! 1 Was mathematics invented or discovered? 2 Do all mathematical questions have a right or wrong answer? 3 4 5 6 Which mathematical idea was the most significant: written numbers or the base 10 number system? Is it more important to understand how to count or the concept of mathematical equality? Are there other ways to count (not in base 10)? Are computers better at maths than the humans who programmed them? 7 Which mathematical concept is the most challenging? 8 Can maths be beautiful? 9 Is maths creative? 10 Is maths art? © Third Space Learning 2022. You may photocopy this page. More questions about maths generally Tick when complete! 11 Is art mathematical? 12 Can everything be described using mathematical language? 13 Can all maths be represented pictorially? Questions about infinity 1 What does infinity mean? 2 Does infinity exist? 3 Is zero the opposite of infinity? 4 If numbers are infinite, is there a number that hasn’t been ‘discovered’ yet? For more resources and intervention support go to thirdspacelearning.com Questions about numbers Tick when complete! 1 Are numbers real? 2 What are numbers? 3 What do numbers represent? 4 Are some numbers lucky/ unlucky? 5 Can everything be turned into numbers? 6 Is there a most important or most significant number? 7 Are words or numbers more important? 8 How many objects can you count in a single glance? 9 Do numbers have related colours? 10 Can you have a negative number of footballs/ sweets etc? © Third Space Learning 2022. You may photocopy this page. Questions about 0 Tick when complete! 1 Does 0 exist? 2 How are 0 and nothing similar/ different? 3 In Ancient Rome, the Romans did not have a representation for zero as a number. Is it important to be able to represent zero? 4 Can you divide by 0? 5 Can something be exactly 0cm long? 6 Can someone be exactly 0 years old? 7 Can one side of a cube measure 0cm? For more resources and intervention support go to thirdspacelearning.com ‘How many’ questions Tick when complete! 1 How many bricks make a brick wall? 2 How many people would make a crowd of people? 3 How many trees make a forest? 4 How many blades of grass are in a field? Questions about money 1 Is money real? 2 How much money would make you rich? 3 Can I buy a two pound coin from you for two pounds? 4 If I borrow a million pounds, am I a millionaire? 5 If I win a million pounds then spend it all, am I still a millionaire? For more resources and intervention support go to thirdspacelearning.com Questions about time Tick when complete! 1 Is time linear or cyclical? 2 Is there more past than future? 3 How long is the present? 4 Is it better to overestimate or underestimate how long something will take? 5 Does time actually pass quicker when you’re having fun? 6 Does time speed up as you get older? 7 At what age do you become an adult? For more resources and intervention support go to thirdspacelearning.com More questions about time 1 2 3 4 Tick when complete! One year on Mars lasts 687 days. If I grew up on Mars, would I be younger than if I grew up on Earth? The faster you move, the slower time passes. If I moved at the speed of light, would I age? Does time have a beginning and/or an end? Which mathematical invention was the most significant: the sundial or the clock? Questions about geometry 1 2 3 Can you ever accurately draw a perfect circle by hand? Is the circumference of a circle ever entirely accurate or is it always an estimate? What is more important: place value or geometry? © Third Space Learning 2022. You may photocopy this page. Questions about mass Tick when complete! 1 Is a coloured piece of paper heavier than a white piece of paper? 2 Does paper become heavier when I write on it? 3 Is an inflated balloon heavier than a deflated balloon? 4 Do I weigh less when I breathe out? 5 Do I weigh less when I blow my nose/ sneeze? 6 Is a house heavier when it is dusty? 7 Does a cup of coffee weigh more when I add one spoonful of sugar? 8 Does one glass of water weigh less than one glass of squash? 9 Does the world weigh more when it’s raining? For more resources and intervention support go to thirdspacelearning.com Questions about measures Tick when complete! 1 Is there anything that cannot be measured? 2 When does loud start? 3 When does quiet end? 4 At what temperature does ‘hot’ start? 5 What temperature is twice as cold as 0 degrees? 6 What height do you need to be before you are considered ‘tall’? 7 What is the minimum area of a large room? 8 If I paint a wall, does the room become smaller? 9 When does a glass become full? © Third Space Learning 2022. You may photocopy this page. Do you have a group of pupils who need a boost in maths this term? Each pupil could receive a personalised lesson every week from our specialist 1-to-1 maths tutors. Raise attainment Plug any gaps or misconceptions Boost confidence Speak to us thirdspacelearning.com 0203 771 0095 hello@thirdspacelearning.com THIRD SPACE LEARNING © Third Space Learning 2022. You may photocopy this page.
