Articles & Videos

Maths homework – make it more than just practice

Paper airplane

Subscribe to our newsletters

Receive teaching resources and tips, exclusive special offers, useful product information and more!

Subscribe

Back to Differentiation articles & videos

Maths homework – make it more than just practice

iMaths 10/8/15

“student-working-on-imaths-book-at-desk-in-classroom“

Note: iMaths is in its final year and will be discontinued at the end of 2024. If you’re looking for a primary maths resource written for the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0, explore Maths Trek.

Maths homework is an effective way to improve student performance but it has to be both relevant and engaging. Keeping it on the ‘engaging’ side of the equation usually provides the biggest challenge.

Here are some fun iMaths homework ideas to try.

Differentiation tasks: something for everyone

The three levels of iMaths Differentiation tasks consolidate, revise or extend the understanding of the concepts in the Topics taught in the classroom. Print out the appropriate Differentiation task – Support, Consolidation or Extension – for each student to practise the concept at home. Differentiation tasks can be found within the corresponding Topic at iMaths Online.

Interactive online games: engage reluctant learners

iMaths Online games are a fun way for students to consolidate number concepts learnt in the classroom. Have students log in to the student site and navigate to the Games tab to play 100 Board, Gridlock, Number Charge or Track It.

For targeted game time, review the Games Reference sheet located in the Prep & Planning section of iMaths Online to see which maths concepts are covered by each game.

Interactive Tools: explore maths essentials

As well as interactive games, students can also access the interactive tools. Have students explore the Clock, Hundred Board, Spinner or Number Line at home. Why not set students specific tasks and ask them to take screenshots or write down the results of their work to bring into class? For example:

  • Use the Clock to make the times 9:45 am, 10:15 pm and 1:30 pm.
  • Use the Spinner with the yellow, red, green and blue quadrants. Spin the wheel 4 times and record your results. Were the results close to what you expected?
Investigations: take them home

Most iMaths Investigations are done in class as an individual or small group activity. However, some Investigations are ideal as a project-style homework task. Set these Investigations for homework tasks to get parents involved as active partners in your maths program. Investigations that are well suited to be completed at home include:

Year 1: Fruit cup morning tea (Investigation 9)
Year 2: Marble ramp (Investigation 1)
Year 3: It’s on the cards ( Investigation 2)

Year 4: Plenty of pikelets (Investigation 3)
Year 5: Down the drain (Investigation 3)
Year 6: Practice makes perfect (Investigation 4)

Weblinks: expand minds

For Investigations you’re completing in class, have students conduct the initial research at home using the weblinks at the student site. Assign students an Investigation weblink to research, then ask them to present their findings to their group or the class.

Problem Solving Strategy videos: watch and learn

What student wouldn’t love to watch a video for homework? Featuring the fun character duo Bell and Poppy, there are 10 videos showing the 10 Problem Solving Strategies in action.

So, whether you’re using homework as core skills practice, remediation, extension or to show that maths can be fun, iMaths gives you more than enough options to choose from.

More iMaths articles & videos