Stats in the Wild
This set of bespoke evidence-based resources are for exploring statistics using outdoor maths. For students aged 11-16.
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Learn with Will
Best suited for Second and Third/Fourth Level
Learn with Will is a video series of Maths, Science and English. Join Chris and Will on their magical adventures as they bring stone circles to life and summon magical forest spirits, to help you learn about measuring circles.
In Bringing Magic Circles to Life, you'll learn how to measure different parts of a circle, like the radius, diameter, circumference, and area. And in Summon Magical Forest Spirits, you’ll learn how to measure more parts of a circle, like the arc and sector. And there's worksheets to download too, if you want to keep practicing.
Content by Learn with Will
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Strategy Games
Best suited for Second and Third/Fourth Level
Use strategy games and transport network to explore maths in the classroom.
These videos and puzzles look to develop mathematical thinking and problem solving skills. Each includes tips and advice for how to complete.
Created by University of Edinburgh
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Maths Tales RPG
Best suited for Second Level and above
This RPG game about maths in Ancient Egypt was developed by Daisy Abbott from Anderston Primary Parent Council, for Maths Week Scotland 2024. It covers various maths topics.
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Have Fun with Maths - play the Shannon switching game
Best suited for Second Level and above
This collection of resources by the University of Edinburgh focuses on strategy games and some applications of Mathematics to transport networks. The aim is to develop mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as exploring the creative and fun side of mathematics. All resources, including explanatory videos, a range of games and puzzles, and tips for teachers/parents can be found via the link below.
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Roman Hackers
Best suited for Third/Fourth Level
This resource are aimed at lower secondary pupils was created for Maths Week Scotland 2021, and helps learners explore the role of maths in the hacksilver discovered from the Roman empire.
Watch the video to find out how Museum Curator Dr Fraser Hunter uses maths to uncover the stories behind these hacked up treasures. Learn more with our Roman Hackers resource (download below), which guides pupils to create and hack up their own silver vessels.
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Issue to action: Maths
Best suited for Third/Fourth Level
These resources offer maths teams an opportunity to take an applications approach within the BGE phase. The materials explore 3 broad themes – climate change, gender equality and migration – with 2 sets of activities for each theme supported with a PowerPoint presentation.
Created by Scotdec
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How Many Penguins
Best suited for Third/Fourth Level
Introduce your pupils to the concept of populations and samples by taking on the role of an Antarctic scientist calculating penguin populations.
Developed by the Royal Statistical Society.
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Navigating Our Word
Best suited for Third/Fourth Level
Navigating our World has been developed by the Learning and Engagement Team at Dynamic Earth, with funding from Maths Week Scotland, to highlight the maths in the world around us and relate it to topics such as outer space, map reading, and world history.
In this workshop we give an introduction to navigation; discuss the history and uses of latitude and longitude; visit Edinburgh’s One O’clock Gun and discuss the speed of sound; look at how satellite navigation works; and wrap it all up with a timeline of the entire history of navigation. Ideal for learners working across second-fourth level and can be access in a modular and on-demand way through videos and downloadable resources in your classroom
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Maths in Motion: DYW Online Talks
Best suited for Third/Fourth Level
To celebrate Maths Week Scotland 2023, DYW Live held a day of live webinars on the theme of 'maths in motion', featuring:
- Professor of Mathematics talking about their journey to becoming a STEM Ambassador.
- Stream Marine Careers talking about the maths required to work at sea sailing on ships and boats.
- Firstbus explaining how maths is core to their business from ticket prices to timetabling to how many buses and drivers they need.
- A consultant for the energy sector will explain how maths is crucial to her work.
Replays of all talks are available to watch on the e-sgoil website.
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Maths Tales: DYW Online Talks
Best suited for Third/Fourth Level
To celebrate Maths Week Scotland 2024, DYW Live held a day of live webinars on the theme of 'maths tales', featuring:
- Hans Unkles, fisherman and boat builder
- Eliza Ralph, founder of Spectral Wrender
- Mary Sowter, mechanical engineering student
Replays of all talks are available to watch on the e-sgoil website.
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Maths Week at Work: Careers in Maths
Best suited for Third Level and above
A series of videos produced by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Maths Week Scotland, where five Maths graduates working in different sectors explain how they use mathematics in their job. Each of them also challenges us with a puzzle which is somehow related to their work. A solution to each puzzle is also presented.
The videos, together with handouts and solutions to the puzzles can be found via the link below.
Produced by Francesca Iezzi and Aarol Films.
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Careers Carnival
Best suited for Third Level and above
Head over to the Careers Carnival for pre-recorded videos of STEM Ambassadors about their careers in maths, engineering and space amongst others! The videos have been developed for secondary-aged pupils but some might also be suitable for P6/P7 pupils.
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Stats in the Wild
Best suited for Third Level and above
This set of bespoke evidence-based resources are for exploring statistics using outdoor maths, and includes three lessons: Creature Features, Wings and Things, and Flora Explorer.
The lesson resources can be done in any order and are suitable for students aged 11-16.
Produced by Dr Lucy Rycroft-Smith and Darren Macey as part of Maths Week Scotland 2025.
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Maths for Climate Change
Best suited for Third Level and above
Maths skills are at the heart of understanding climate change, understanding people’s responses to climate change and developing solutions – whether those are for preventing climate change, or adapting to it. Learn how you can use the Royal Meteorological Society new Climate Change Concept Tool, to support maths in the curriculum.
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The Role of Actuaries
Best suited for Third Level and above
Discover how problem solvers and critical thinkers unpick problems and tackle issues such as climate change and cyber risk, in this series of short videos.
Created by Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
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Online Talk: Code Breaking & Cryptography
Best suited for Third Level and above
Watch the replay of the Code Breaking and Cryptography interactive talk from Maths Week Scotland 2022. Join Katie Chicot and Vicki Brown on a whistle stop tour of historical codes, where you will learn to make and break codes and see how cryptography is used today.
Hosted by the Open University
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Online Talk: Using Statistics to Monitor Air Pollution
Best suited for Third Level and above
Using Statistics to Monitor Air Pollution - Around 30,000 deaths per year in the UK are linked to air pollution according to government figures. Around the UK, governments and local authorities are increasingly taking action to reduce air pollution levels through schemes which reduce vehicle emissions and encourage the use of public transport, cycling and walking. To target these interventions in the right areas, it is crucial that we can understand which parts of the country are most exposed to pollutants. This talk will explain how statistics is at the heart of this process.
Part of the Royal Statistical Society's William Guy Lecture Series
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Online Talk: Driving is a Risky Business
Best suited for Fourth Level and above
Road safety is vital for everyone. Whether we drive or cycle, catch the bus or walk, we are all affected by driving – and the policies surrounding it. How do we therefore decide whether people with long-term medical conditions should be offered driving licenses?
Dr Laura Bonnett, a medical statistician at the University of Liverpool and the Royal Statistical Society’s William Guy lecturer for 2020, will seek to answer this question for people who have had epileptic seizures. Maths concepts covered include probability, percentages, estimates and risk thresholds.
This talk was recorded during Maths Week Scotland 2020.
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Online Talk: Red Squirrel Conservation
Best suited for Fourth Level and above
Andy White (Heriot-Watt), whose research is focussed on applying mathematics to understand and manage wildlife systems, discusses the plight of red squirrels in the UK, how mathematical models were key tools in understanding the role of invasive grey squirrels, and how mathematics is being used to design forest management plans to conserve the remaining red squirrels in Scotland.
This virtual talk from Maths Week Scotland 2021 was hosted by Heriot-Watt University and International Centre for Mathematical Sciences
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Online Talk: Dandelion’s Halo
Best suited for Fourth Level and above
Cathal Cummins (Heriot-Watt), whose research focuses on fluid mechanics of swirls, encompassing problems in biology, renewable energy, and beer, discusses how equations predict the halo vortex and the implications for the flight of nature’s tiniest fliers.
This virtual talk from Maths Week Scotland 2021 was hosted by Heriot-Watt University and International Centre for Mathematical Sciences
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Family Maths Activities
Suitable for all levels
Browse our Family Activities section for more maths inspired arts & crafts, games and puzzles. Some are also suitable for the classroom, and others you may want to suggest to your pupils to try at home.
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Christmas Maths Activities
Suitable for all levels
Check out our Countdown to the Christmas Holidays activities. We have a total 40 different activities from our 2022 and 2023 countdowns - choose from a seasonal mix of maths themed puzzles, games, arts and crafts, and more! Includes activities for all levels.
Schools Funding
If you require funding to take part in Maths Week Scotland, take a look at the Schools Enrichment Fund.