Place Value - A Perfect Math Lesson

Place value is one of those important concepts in mathematics. Teachers (and when you are relief teaching) simply can't afford to get this math skill wrong.

Place value is essential to success in mathematics. 

Addition Left to Right

When I am relief teaching, I love mental math activities as an activity that engages the whole class.

I am amazed at how kids, even the turkeys, respond to mental math challenges and this one is up there with the best.

It is the skill of adding numbers from left to right and kids love to take on this challenge as the problems becoming more and more complex.

There is an excellent opportunity to scaffold the less capable learners. They can do a written form of the mental activity until they develop the mental skills themselves.

Check out Article No: 30 - Addition from Left to Right

How many ways can you teach number facts?

Anyone who teaches will know how important number facts are to success in mathematics. Gosh, all I can remember about my own primary school years is reciting my "tables" - and you know what? I think I am a pretty good mathematician as a result.

How to Teach - Split Quotation Marks

This is a short punctuation exercise on the teaching of split quotation mark. This is a skill that needs to be taught directly so this little PowerPoint might give you  a start. CLICK HERE to download the file.

NAPLAN for Relief Teachers

There are few teachers who would hold NAPLAN in high regard - but it is a necessary systemic imperative. This is a small one-page pretest that could be used as a teaching tool.

Free Lesson - Punctuation

This is a simple PowerPoint punctuation lesson. The class is presented with a punctuation passage. When students have finished, the correction is presented.

Top Math/Language worksheet

This is a great worksheet (even if I do say so myself). It is based on a word search grid. The only difference is, to find which words are in the grid, students must do a math operation.

Kruger Park

Battle at Kruger Park is a YouTube Video. The video plays for about 9 minutes. Click the image to be taken to the video. It is used for the motivation for this activity.

Power FULL

I have used this style of sheet in several year levels with great results. The kids are challenged and are often forced to work in pairs to get the answers.

5 Ways To Eat Poetry

... Well, not really.


     But I have found that kids love good poetry and Australian poetry (as a totally unbiased view) is the best.

Table Tennis Ball Investigation 1

Investigate the relationship between drop height and bounce height.

Drawing Art

     Drawing Art can be used by students of all year levels and explores linear art.

10 Quick Ideas for Shopping Catalogues.

Shopping catalogues are a great resource for Relief Teachers and are freely available. Keep at least 50 or so similar catalogues in your bag of tricks. 


Catalogues are a source of inspiration for all types of math activities which will keep students actively engage in productive learning.

How to teach with a shopping catalogue?

Answer: Anything.

Working with Formulae #1

Using the basic formula, Wage = Hours worked x Rate per hour, students are shown with this Powerpoint how to work with formulae. This lesson is suitable for year 7 students.


CLICK HERE if you would like to download this PowerPoint.