Maths Skills in Science RN298 / C51

There is significant overlap between science and mathematics curricula, but students’ experience of shared topics is often very different in the two subjects. Are applications from science regularly used to explore concepts in maths lessons? Are the mathematical techniques that students learn in science developed with understanding?

In this session you will be able to develop departmental strategies to support the teaching of mathematical concepts in science such as graphs (to enable students to sketch, interpret, draw and find lines of best fit) as well as more general skills required (to manipulate 'number', such as rounding, standard form and links to appropriate units). As well as developing specific skills, you will consider how to build confidence in students to enable them to solve and manipulate equations and develop a sustainable approach to maths in science.

Topics covered:

• Identify common content, discover how the same mathematical topics look different in science to how they appear in mathematics
• consider how and when topics are taught in mathematics and explore ways of teaching that develop sufficient mathematical understanding whilst providing fluency in the skills required for success in science. 
• Develop strategies and activities to convey the purpose of graphs in science by developing the skills of sketching, interpreting and drawing graphs
• Develop strategies and activities to understand the links between rounding, standard form and the use of units in a scientific context
• Explore strategies and activities to develop fluency in solving and manipulation equations in a scientific context.