Proportional Reasoning Transition Lessons

These transition lessons from the National Strateigies have been developed to support transfer from middle to upper schools but will also support year-on-year transition in Key Stage Three for all secondary schools.

Three pairs of transition lessons are available:
• Fractions, decimals and percentages, two lessons towards the end of Year Seven
• Fractions, decimals and percentages, two lessons near the beginning of Year Eight
• Thinking proportionally, two lessons for the end of Year 8 that link with the Year Nine unit on proportional reasoning in Interacting with mathematics in Key Stage Three.

The transition lessons form part of existing units in the sample medium-term plans for mathematics and are related to two of the mini-packs in Interacting with mathematics in Key Stage Three: multiplicative relationships (Year Eight) and proportional reasoning (Year Nine).

The transition lessons set out to provide useful information about students’ attainment in proportional reasoning A key feature of these lessons is the drawing together of earlier teaching and learning. The emphasis is on enabling students to use and apply what they have already learned about solving problems, testing a hypothesis and presenting an argument to justify their decisions. The lessons set some of the work in similar contexts. Students are encouraged to work collaboratively and to develop their thinking skills.

Opportunities for assessment, based on key objectives, are built into the plenary sessions. Assessment sheets are provided; these help students to recognise their progress.

• URL: http://stem.org.uk/rx6wf