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Puzzled Mania or Puzzles Maniac?
At-Bristol science centre and Clerical Medical launch new online maths
resource
19 October 2006 - At-Bristol, a leading science centre in the
UK, and leading pensions and investments provider, Clerical Medical, have
launched an online website - PuzzleMania to inspire learning in maths
through interactive challenges and games.
PuzzleMania can be found at
www.puzzlemania.org.uk
and has been designed with key elements of the Key Stage 3 curriculum in
mind. Through the interactive games and challenges, it aims to boost
students’ confidence in the subject and encourage them to see that maths
is not an abstract subject.
“The PuzzleMania website is a timely response to Government’s recent
report which indicates that Key Stage 3 is a vital stage in maths
education. Through this effort, we hope to help capture students’ interest
at this crucial stage of their education and to encourage interest in
maths, which can potentially lead to an increase in take-up of the subject
post GCSE, and an increased confidence to use maths outside the confines
of the classrooms," says Emma Cook, exhibitions manager, At-Bristol.
Commenting on the exhibition, Clerical Medical Community Affairs Manager
Helen Sewell says, “Clerical Medical have a long-standing community
programme aimed at improving financial literacy and numeracy. Through the
HBOS Foundation we are delighted to support the PuzzleMania website as
part of our programme. We hope that it will encourage greater numeracy
skills among children.”
Clerical Medical is part of HBOS PLC. The HBOS Foundation is an
independent registered charity that supports charities and not-for-profit
organisations across the UK.
The online house of PuzzleMania is split into six rooms all bursting with
brain bending challenges. From popular sudoku, cryptic challenges,
mysterious mind teasers and silly maths jokes, there is a host of
interactive activities that reveal the wizard world of numbers.
“We drew upon the theme of a house to show how maths can apply to real
life and puzzles, as we know, are always a popular and a fun way to
learn!” says Emma.
For example, in the bathroom’s mirror movement section, students are
challenged to draw a picture with their mouse moving in a contrary
direction - absolutely mind-boggling! While in the bedroom, ‘Tower of
Hanoi’ challenges students to crack their heads on moving a stack of discs
one at a time, but using a set of rules that will leave you baffled until
you spot the pattern!
The website also includes a section for maths teachers to download
resources for free. These resources are designed for use in classrooms or
as homework sheets and PuzzleMania online can also be used in conjunction
with an interactive whiteboard.
The PuzzleMania website, which is based on a popular maths exhibition
launched last year, is created by At-Bristol science centre and funded by
Bristol-based Clerical Medical. Visit
www.puzzlemania.org.uk
For more information please contact
Polly Stewart, Clerical Medical
01275 554344 /
polly.stewart@clericalmedical.co.uk
Mavis Choong, At-Bristol Press Office
0117 915 7152 / 0796 733 4152 /
mavis.choong@at-bristol.org.uk
Note to Editors:
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At-Bristol is a leading non-profit science centre in the
UK and a major player in the worldwide science centre movement. It aims to
be a world-class science and natural history centre that makes
distinctive, valued and recognised contributions to informal science
learning and public engagement with science locally, regionally,
nationally and internationally. A registered charity (no. 1049954),
At-Bristol has hosted more than 3 million visitors and continually strives
towards making science accessible to all.
www.at-bristol.org.uk
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Clerical Medical is a multi-award winning provider of
investments and pensions, which is provides to customers through
independent financial advisers. Established in 2002, the HBOS Foundation
is a registered charity (no. SC032942). A total of £20 million over five
years has been earmarked for community giving focused on two guiding
themes; money advice and financial literacy, and developing and improving
communities.
www.clericalmedical.co.uk
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