What do all these stick pictures have in common?

Yes, they are all made from sticks….anything else you notice?

The sticks have been cut to specific lengths? Correct: 10cm, 25cm, 50cm can be seen in all these photos.

When you add up the total length of the sticks used in each photo, they should all equal 3 metres. A clever little problem solving challenge for a class to undertake.

• If you want to up the level, then encourage children to convert their counting from centimetres to millimetres and metres.
• It can become a more interesting investigation if children decide to change an aspect of the challenge such as changing the total length of the sticks. How would your class adapt this problem?
• Cut sticks can be bought from Cosy or Muddy Faces. Better still why not get your class to cut their own during the winter months as a woodland maths challenge.
• A nifty homework challenge can be to get each child to measure out a length of cardboard. They take this home and have to collect a bundle of x amount of sticks of this length. Remember to provide advice about collecting sticks in an environmentally sustainable way in line with the access laws of your country.

Many thanks to Dyce Primary School children for their work here.

This blog post was originally published in November 2017.