Maths Explorer Years 3 & 4

Maths Explorer is suitable for mainstream and mixed ability classes in Years 3 and 4.

Unlike the Maths Games program and the Maths Olympiad competition, mainstream students can work in pairs or small groups to complete the papers collaboratively.  This can help to build students’ confidence and lay the foundations of effective problem solving – preparing them for participation in the Maths Games and/or Maths Olympiad in later years.

Students who have been identified as high potential/high ability or gifted students can work on the problems individually.  Intervention and adjustment opportunities allow teachers to use some of the more challenging tasks and problems in this program to meet the needs of the higher level students.

No. The Maths Explorer is suitable for all students in Years 3 and 4.  There are task based activities and problems to suit mainstream students as well as options within the program to extend high achievers

Mainstream students work in pairs or small groups of three when completing the Maths Explorer papers. This collaborative approach is particularly beneficial in identifying various possible ways to solve a problem, and in reducing potential anxiety in individual students. The teacher in charge marks the paper and records the score against each student’s name when submitting results.

Alternatively, high potential or high achieving students can complete the papers individually.  There are also two additional Maths Challenger tasks in each paper that provide an extra challenge for students who would benefit from extension activities.

APSMO provides a number of resources to support teachers and help them to prepare students to sit the papers.  These include Resource Kits prior to each Maths Explorer paper that contain sample questions focussing on the individual problem solving strategies that will be included in the paper, plus step-by-step solutions to each problem, digital games and a series of differentiated task-based activities. We also provide a Preparation Kit and Practice Paper in Term 1, teacher guides, videos and digital games to use in class, as well as access to Past Papers in the Members’ Portal.

We recommend that at least 30 minutes to an hour per week is spent practising problem solving. With the Maths Explorer we also encourage teachers to adapt problem solving strategies for use around the school in outdoor activities or with hands-on, practical activities.

All registered students will receive a Certificate of Achievement for presentation at the end of the year.

Six special awards (“Maths Star” cloth patches) are also provided to each team for presentation to deserving students at the teacher’s discretion.

If a student transfers to another school that is participating in the Maths Explorer, his/her results can be transferred to the new school’s team.

Written notification containing details of the student and both schools’ teams must be provided to APSMO in order for the transfer to take place.

The standard cost to register one team of up to 30 students in the Maths Explorer is $180 per team.
An Early Bird discount rate of $160 per team is available for registrations received before the end of the previous year.  Discounts are available for multiple Maths Explorer team registrations.