About Starter of the Day

This page is about the lesson starters. You can also read About Transum and see who is behind this online resource.

There are 366 different Starters of The Day. They are activities designed for pupils to work on at the beginning of their mathematics Lesson. The format lends itself to be projected from a data projector or used on an interactive whiteboard. A starter will give your lesson a focused beginning and give you time to attend to the other little tasks you have to do at the beginning of the lesson such as calling the register and preparing for the rest of the lesson.

Ideally a starter should be related to the work the children are currently studying but our starters of the day presented here give you a ready made helping hand if you are in a rush.

Alphabetical list of starters
available in January

All The Nines

Add up all the numbers in the nine times table.

Aunty Dotty

A real life situation requiring the division an amount of money according to a given ratio.

Broken Calculator (2 and 3)

Make the numbers 1 to 10 using only the keys on the broken calculator.

Consecy Brothers

Which three consecutive numbers multiplied together give the given answer.

Dancing

Work out how many people were at the dance from the clues given.

Figuratively Speaking

Write the numbers written as words using digits.

Happy New Year

Work out the date for various given amounts of time after the beginning of the year.

Happy Numbers

To find out whether a number is happy or not, square each of its digits, add the answers and repeat. If you end up with 1 the number is happy! How many other happy numbers can you find?

House Numbers

The numbers on five houses next to each other add up to 70. What are those five numbers?

How Many Triangles? 2

How many triangles are hidden in the pattern? What strategy might you use to count them all to ensure you don't miss any out?

In Your Head 2

Here are the simple percentage calculations everyone should be able to do in their heads.

Inbetweens

Find fractions between two given values.

Kim's Game 2

This is the Maths version of the traditional memory game. Memorise 10 mathematical facts then recall them as they disappear from view.

Lemon Law

Change the numbers on the apples so that the number on the lemon is the given total.

Light Shopping

A lamp and a bulb together cost 32 pounds. The lamp costs 30 pounds more than the bulb. How much does the bulb cost?

Mental Maths Quiz

A traditional twenty question mental arithmetic test presented as a PowerPoint presentation.

Moon Lengths

Estimate the distances shown on this photograph of the moon's surface.

Negative Numbers

Perform calculations involving negative numbers

Noodlewhack

Divide one whole number by another on your calculator. If the answer has one digit repeated but no other digits you have a Noodlewhack.

One Ninth

Investigate three fractions which add together to give one ninth.

Online Psychic

Work out why subtracting a two digit number from its reverse gives a multiple of nine.

Pears Make Squares

Find three numbers such that each pair of numbers adds up to a square number.

Pentadd

Five numbers are added together in pairs and the sums shown. What might the five numbers be?

Pyramid Puzzle

Arrange numbers at the bottom of the pyramid which will give the largest total at the top.

Rotational Symmetry

Draw a pattern with rotational symmetry of order 6 but no line symmetry.

Roundabout

Go around the roundabout performing each of the operations. Which starting point gives the largest answer?

Seeing Squares

How many square numbers can be found in the grid of digits.

Shunting Problem

Allow two trains to pass by using the limited amount of siding space.

Square Circle Kite

Write down the names of all the mathematical shapes you know.

Squared Animals

Separate three rows of three animals using three squares.

Starting With

Write down as many mathematical words as possible that begin with a particular letter.

Complete index of starters for the whole year

Starters listed by topic

National Curriculum links

Though starters can be chosen to match a particular topic there is also a lot to be said for choosing whichever starter has been set for today. Doing an activity that is not typical of the normal Mathematics lesson routine or which is a little outside of the teacher's comfort zone may produce unexpectedly positive results. Why not take a risk once in a while?

Each starter has a related pupil activity. Scroll down the starter page to find the URL of this activity.

Please contact Transum if you have any ideas or suggestions by email:

Alternatively you may want to add a comment to the list below:

Featured Activity

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Nim

A very old game but one which involves mathematical based strategies. Take turns with the computer to remove items from the piles. You can remove as many items from the same row as you like. Whoever removes the last item is the winner.

Most popular
starters

How Many Triangles? 1

The 23 September starter has earned an average score of 4.58

How Many Triangles? 2

The 23 January starter has earned an average score of 4.51

How Many Triangles? 3

The 23 May starter has earned an average score of 4.37

Maths Crossword

The 15 June starter has earned an average score of 4.31

One out of Ten

The 1 April starter has earned an average score of 4.29

How Many Rectangles?

The 16 November starter has earned an average score of 4.26

How Many Squares? 1

The 27 December starter has earned an average score of 4.18

Sum Square

The 27 April starter has earned an average score of 4.14

9:50 Puzzle

The 30 May starter has earned an average score of 4.13

Graph Picture

The 16 May starter has earned an average score of 4.12

Average ratings are scored out of 5

Search the Transum website:

Recommended

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Estimation Golf

Play a round of golf using your estimation skills rather than golf clubs. So far this activity has been accessed 6445 times and 68 people have earned a Transum Trophy for completing it.

Have today's starter of the day as your default homepage. Copy the URL below then select
Tools > Internet Options (Internet Explorer) then paste the URL into the homepage field.

Feedback

Comment recorded on the 24 May 'Starter of the Day' page by Ruth Seward, Hagley Park Sports College:

"Find the starters wonderful; students enjoy them and often want to use the idea generated by the starter in other parts of the lesson. Keep up the good work"

Comment recorded on the 28 May 'Starter of the Day' page by L Smith, Colwyn Bay:

"An absolutely brilliant resource. Only recently been discovered but is used daily with all my classes. It is particularly useful when things can be saved for further use. Thank you!"

Comment recorded on the 10 April 'Starter of the Day' page by Mike Sendrove, Salt Grammar School, UK.:

"A really useful set of resources - thanks. Is the collection available on CD? Are solutions available?"

Comment recorded on the 10 April 'Starter of the Day' page by Transum, :

"Sorry Mike, because some of the starters link to live data on the Internet there is no CD version. Thanks for your comments."

Comment recorded on the 25 June 'Starter of the Day' page by Inger.kisby@herts and essex.herts.sch.uk, :

"We all love your starters. It is so good to have such a collection. We use them for all age groups and abilities. Have particularly enjoyed KIM's game, as we have not used that for Mathematics before. Keep up the good work and thank you very much
Best wishes from Inger Kisby"

Comment recorded on the 12 July 'Starter of the Day' page by Miss J Key, Farlingaye High School, Suffolk:

"Thanks very much for this one. We developed it into a whole lesson and I borrowed some hats from the drama department to add to the fun!"

Comment recorded on the 10 September 'Starter of the Day' page by Carol, Sheffield PArk Academy:

"3 NQTs in the department, I'm new subject leader in this new academy - Starters R Great!! Lovely resource for stimulating learning and getting eveyone off to a good start. Thank you!!"

Comment recorded on the 14 September 'Starter of the Day' page by Trish Bailey, Kingstone School:

"This is a great memory aid which could be used for formulae or key facts etc - in any subject area. The PICTURE is such an aid to remembering where each number or group of numbers is - my pupils love it!
Thanks"

Comment recorded on the 28 September 'Starter of the Day' page by Malcolm P, Dorset:

"A set of real life savers!!
Keep it up and thank you!"

Comment recorded on the 18 September 'Starter of the Day' page by Mrs. Peacock, Downe House School and Kennet School:

"My year 8's absolutely loved the "Separated Twins" starter. I set it as an optional piece of work for my year 11's over a weekend and one girl came up with 3 independant solutions."

Comment recorded on the 3 October 'Starter of the Day' page by Fiona Bray, Cams Hill School:

"This is an excellent website. We all often use the starters as the pupils come in the door and get settled as we take the register."

Comment recorded on the 9 October 'Starter of the Day' page by Mr Jones, Wales:

"I think that having a starter of the day helps improve maths in general. My pupils say they love them!!!"

Comment recorded on the 14 October 'Starter of the Day' page by Inger Kisby, Herts and Essex High School:

"Just a quick note to say that we use a lot of your starters. It is lovely to have so many different ideas to start a lesson with. Thank you very much and keep up the good work."

Comment recorded on the 23 September 'Starter of the Day' page by Judy, Chatsmore CHS:

"This triangle starter is excellent. I have used it with all of my ks3 and ks4 classes and they are all totally focused when counting the triangles."

Comment recorded on the 26 March 'Starter of the Day' page by Julie Reakes, The English College, Dubai:

"It's great to have a starter that's timed and focuses the attention of everyone fully. I told them in advance I would do 10 then record their percentages."

Comment recorded on the 3 October 'Starter of the Day' page by S Mirza, Park High School, Colne:

"Very good starters, help pupils settle very well in maths classroom."

Comment recorded on the 19 October 'Starter of the Day' page by E Pollard, Huddersfield:

"I used this with my bottom set in year 9. To engage them I used their name and favorite football team (or pop group) instead of the school name. For homework, I asked each student to find a definition for the key words they had been given (once they had fun trying to guess the answer) and they presented their findings to the rest of the class the following day. They felt really special because the key words came from their own personal information."

Comment recorded on the 3 October 'Starter of the Day' page by Mrs Johnstone, 7Je:

"I think this is a brilliant website as all the students enjoy doing the puzzles and it is a brilliant way to start a lesson."

Comment recorded on the 2 May 'Starter of the Day' page by Angela Lowry, :

"I think these are great! So useful and handy, the children love them.
Could we have some on angles too please?"

Comment recorded on the 11 January 'Starter of the Day' page by S Johnson, The King John School:

"We recently had an afternoon on accelerated learning.This linked really well and prompted a discussion about learning styles and short term memory."

Comment recorded on the 17 November 'Starter of the Day' page by Amy Thay, Coventry:

"Thank you so much for your wonderful site. I have so much material to use in class and inspire me to try something a little different more often. I am going to show my maths department your website and encourage them to use it too. How lovely that you have compiled such a great resource to help teachers and pupils.
Thanks again"

Comment recorded on the 2 April 'Starter of the Day' page by Mrs Wilshaw, Dunsten Collage,Essex:

"This website was brilliant. My class and I really enjoy doing the activites."

Comment recorded on the 5 April 'Starter of the Day' page by Mr Stoner, St George's College of Technology:

"This resource has made a great deal of difference to the standard of starters for all of our lessons. Thank you for being so creative and imaginative."

Comment recorded on the 6 May 'Starter of the Day' page by Natalie, London:

"I am thankful for providing such wonderful starters. They are of immence help and the students enjoy them very much. These starters have saved my time and have made my lessons enjoyable."

Comment recorded on the 19 June 'Starter of the Day' page by Nikki Jordan, Braunton School, Devon:

"Excellent. Thank you very much for a fabulous set of starters. I use the 'weekenders' if the daily ones are not quite what I want. Brilliant and much appreciated."

Comment recorded on the 1 May 'Starter of the Day' page by Phil Anthony, Head of Maths, Stourport High School:

"What a brilliant website. We have just started to use the 'starter-of-the-day' in our yr9 lessons to try them out before we change from a high school to a secondary school in September 2007. This is one of the best resources on-line we have found. The kids and staff love it. Well done an thank you very much for making my maths lessons more interesting and fun."

Comment recorded on the 7 December 'Starter of the Day' page by Cathryn Aldridge, Pells Primary:

"I use Starter of the Day as a registration and warm-up activity for my Year 6 class. The range of questioning provided is excellent as are some of the images.
I rate this site as a 5!"

Comment recorded on the 17 June 'Starter of the Day' page by Mr Hall, Light Hall School, Solihull:

"Dear Transum,

I love you website I use it every maths lesson I have with every year group! I don't know were I would turn to with out you!"

Comment recorded on the 16 March 'Starter of the Day' page by Mrs A Milton, Ysgol Ardudwy:

"I have used your starters for 3 years now and would not have a lesson without one! Fantastic way to engage the pupils at the start of a lesson."

Comment recorded on the 21 October 'Starter of the Day' page by Mr Trainor And His P7 Class(All Girls), Mercy Primary School, Belfast:

"My Primary 7 class in Mercy Primary school, Belfast, look forward to your mental maths starters every morning. The variety of material is interesting and exciting and always engages the teacher and pupils. Keep them coming please."

Comment recorded on the 19 November 'Starter of the Day' page by Lesley Sewell, Ysgol Aberconwy, Wales:

"A Maths colleague introduced me to your web site and I love to use it. The questions are so varied I can use them with all of my classes, I even let year 13 have a go at some of them. I like being able to access the whole month so I can use favourites with classes I see at different times of the week. Thanks."

Comment recorded on the 1 February 'Starter of the Day' page by Terry Shaw, Beaulieu Convent School:

"Really good site. Lots of good ideas for starters. Use it most of the time in KS3."

Comment recorded on the 8 May 'Starter of the Day' page by Mr Smith, West Sussex, UK:

"I am an NQT and have only just discovered this website. I nearly wet my pants with joy.
To the creator of this website and all of those teachers who have contributed to it, I would like to say a big THANK YOU!!! :)."

Comment recorded on the 1 February 'Starter of the Day' page by M Chant, Chase Lane School Harwich:

"My year five children look forward to their daily challenge and enjoy the problems as much as I do. A great resource - thanks a million."

Comment recorded on the i asp?ID_Top 'Starter of the Day' page by Jan, South Canterbury:

"Thank you for sharing such a great resource. I was about to try and get together a bank of starters but time is always required elsewhere, so thank you."

Comment recorded on the i asp?ID_Top 'Starter of the Day' page by Peter Wright, St Joseph's College:

"Love using the Starter of the Day activities to get the students into Maths mode at the beginning of a lesson. Lots of interesting discussions and questions have arisen out of the activities.
Thanks for such a great resource!"

Do you have any comments? It is always useful to receive feedback and helps make this free resource even more useful for those learning Mathematics anywhere in the world. Click here to enter your comments.