Recent Events
The final session of this year’s Green Time Multiply activities recently took place at Torwood in Bonchurch. The group of ten learnt what a fraction is by completing four interactive worksheets.
Mark led the session teaching the group members how to recognise and add simple fractions. They learnt how to read, write and compare quantities including halves and quarters. They covered how to read and write common fractions. Group members were each given a packet of M&Ms and followed a worksheet to count how many they had in total. After recounting for individual colours they created fractions for each and added the fractions together.
The counting brought about a lot of laughter, fun and chaos. This result was many group members having to recount their M&Ms more than once. Group members even found themselves rescuing M&Ms from the floor before Aireen’s dog Peanuts found them. Luckily all were found and returned to the table for recounting.
The group enjoyed homemade soup, bread and cake while having fun being creative by colouring or painting their own
- Christmas Card
- Christmas Stick Character
- Christmas Bag
- Christmas Stocking.
Alternatively the group had the opportunity to make a cross stitch card and select their own design of a robin, a Christmas tree or a Santa.
The Festive Crafts Workshop with a splash of fun maths let everyone taking part develop everyday useful maths skills. The time spent together was the perfect way to relax in friendship with other people. They all made a personalised festive item for use over the festive season.
Coming Soon
Green Time, Green Skills Multiply developing maths skills in a fun informal way through the use of crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health returns with a spring crafts workshop in 2024.
There will also be a special workshop whereby maths skills will be developed by making a different cake or pudding of choice from around the world. It will be combined with an Easter Bunny Drive charity fund-raising evening. Fun for all with a slice of cake and tea.
More details on both workshops can be announced In January 2024.
Nine Equals IW Friends and Family group members joined Mark on Sunday 1st October 2023 to take a trip around two miles of Firestone Copse. They explored attractive English Oak and Ash trees as well as coniferous Douglas Fir, Cedar and Scots Pine trees that provide evergreen year round interest.
The group took part in an Orienteering Multiply Challenge exploring different trails and pathways into the heart of the trees and woodland. With lots of laughter they developed their maths skills by completing a fun, enjoyable maths task at each of the six orienteering posts.
The afternoon finished in the picnic area sharing food and drink amongst the trees and enjoying each other’s company in the warm autumn sunshine.
They went hom looking forward to the next Green Time activity that will be taking place in November 2023.
Green Time Multiply Magical 9 - Explore Firestone Copse with a Splash of Maths started the new partnership programme between MCEnhancement, Equals IW and the Isle of Wight Council Adult and Community Learning and is funded to run up to July 2024.
Green Time - Multiply is a way of developing maths skills in a fun, informal way by using nature, crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.
Green Time Walk
Fifteen people including two new friends took part in exploring Brading Down Nature Reserve and Kelly's Copse.
During the walk Rachel from Gift to Nature talked about the wildlife and plant life of the reserve.
With Rachel's and Mark's help the group correctly identified wild garlic while foraging for it in Kelly’s Copse.
They took the opportunity to admire the beautiful views of Sandown and Shanklin Bay.
Multiply Session
Mark lead the Multiply session to develop the group's maths skills in a fun informal way.
They learnt to make Damper Bread. This was flavoured to the individual’s taste from
- wild garlic
- cheese
- raisins
- sultanas
- currants
- chocolate buttons.
Toppings were chosen individually from
- red peppers
- cheese
- melted butter
- chocolate spread
- jam
- peanut butter
Group members worked in pairs following the recipe instructions. They used kitchen scales to weigh out ingredients and a measuring jug to add the correct amount of water.
All the group successfully cooked their damper bread on a camping stove.
The walk was a lovely 2.5 miles round trip, took 5,600 steps, and burnt 234 Kcal.
Green Time - Multiply is a way of developing maths skills in a fun, informal way by using crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.
More Success for Green Time Walk – Multiply – With a Splash of Fun Maths
On Thursday 6th July 2023 ten participants from Green Time joined Rachel from Gift to Nature and Mark for the final ‘Multiply’ activity from the current funding.
The group explored Merstone Station and learnt about the community orchard and heritage of the old railway station. The community orchard is home to a range of wildflowers, fruit trees and blossom providing a source of early nectar. There will be another opportunity to visit the community orchard in August or September for apple and blackberry foraging.
As the group explored the orchard they developed maths skills with Mark through some fun measuring tasks.
Working in small groups members were able to
- Use a tape measure to read scales and record measurements
- Work out the perimeter of simple shapes
- Find the perimeter of a compound shape.
Group members completed a range of simple calculations with and without a calculator as they completed their worksheets. While sat at the orchard tables they enjoyed some tasty home cooked Indonesian and Filipino food. Birds were in full evening song in the beautiful sunshine.
The group then joined Mark and Rachel on the Rookley Ramble Walk to Rookley Village Green and back to Merstone Station. During the walk the group admired the wild flowers, plant and wildlife taking notice of the stunning views of the surrounding countryside. The group noticed Godshill Church in the distance and how it stood out in the evening sun against the backdrop of the lush green hills.
Mark has created a further year’s programme of activities and he will find out at the end of July if ‘Multiply’ will continue to build on two successful years of delivery.
Rookley Ramble Walk is a beautiful 4.13 miles, 6.65 kilometres, 9,000 steps 400 calories summer’s evening walk.
Green Time - Multiply is a way of developing maths skills in a fun, informal way by using crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.
A Second Year of Success for Green Time Walk – Multiply – With a Splash of Fun Maths
A smaller group took part in the Equals IW Green Time Multiply 1.7 mile walk visiting three Gift to Nature sites
- Pan Country Park
- Shide Chalk Pit
- Pan Mill Meadows
They found out about Newport’s industrial past and saw how the landscape had changed over time. This walk was self-guided and needed individuals to read, follow and share a set of directions.
It was good to see different group members taking the lead with them all working as a team to find the direction to take.
While on the walk they took part in a quiz identifying dates and finding numbers to later complete a maths worksheet connected to history learnt on the walk.
The evening included a picnic break at Shide Chalk Pit to chat, relax and listen to the birds singing in the sunlight. The group developed their maths skills by carrying out calculations with and without the calculator on their mobile phones.They had to to add, subtract, multiply and divide, read and compare distance and extract information from a table.
This walk was part of the Changing Landscapes Isle of Wight Spring Walking Festive held between 13 and 21 May 2023.
Green Time - Multiply is a way of developing maths skills in a fun, informal way by using crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.