Mathematics at ENPS

Mathematics Connections to the Olympics

The Victorian Mathematics curriculum aims to provide students with access to important mathematical ideas, knowledge and skills that they will draw on in their personal, work lives and to become active global citizens. At Essendon North Primary School, we decided to make mathematical connections to the Olympics through the big ideas of measurement, additive thinking and data analysis.

Foundation

Students competed in Mini Olympics and explored the vocabulary linked to direct and indirect comparisons, including vocabulary like higher, longer or shorter.

Year One Mini Olympics

Students competed in Mini Olympics and used informal measurements to measure and compare length between two items. Students developed an understanding of the four components needed for accurate measurement:

• Objects need to be placed end to end
• Objects need to be placed in a straight line
• Objects need to be the same size and unit
• Objects need to start at the one end and finish exactly at the other

The Year Two Potato Olympics 

Year Two potatoes participated in multiple events where students focussed on applying their understanding of addition and subtraction.

Year Four Potato Olympics

The Year Four student Potathletes competed in many events, including breakdancing and diving. Students measured length, mass and time and compared data.

Melissa Paola 

Mathematics Learning Specialist and Year Six Teacher