A colleague argues that calculators should never be used in the Intermediate Phase. Critically discuss this opinion and provide recommendations for the effective use of calculators.

Learners will work in groups to design a small garden plot for the school. They will decide what to plant, where to place different plants, and how much space each plant needs. They will also plan for the materials required, like soil and seeds.

• Measurement: Learners will measure the dimensions of the garden plot (length, width) to calculate its perimeter and area. They will measure the required spacing between plants and the depth for planting seeds. This reinforces understanding of units (e.g., meters, centimeters) and geometric concepts.
• Ratio: Learners can determine the ratio of different types of plants (e.g., 2 rows of vegetables for every 1 row of flowers). They might also calculate the ratio of water to fertilizer needed for plant care. This helps them understand proportional relationships and how quantities relate to each other.
• Percentage: Learners can calculate the percentage of the garden dedicated to different plant types or the percentage of the budget allocated to seeds versus tools. They could also track the percentage of seeds that successfully sprout. This develops understanding of fractions as parts of a whole and their real-world application.

Learners will use an interactive number line application on tablets or an interactive whiteboard. The app will present various numbers (whole numbers, fractions, decimals) and ask learners to drag and drop them to their correct positions on a blank number line. The app can also feature challenges where learners estimate the position of a number or identify numbers between two given points.

The interactive number line provides a dynamic visual representation of numbers, allowing learners to physically manipulate and compare their magnitudes. Immediate feedback from the app helps learners correct misconceptions about number order and relative value. This hands-on, visual approach strengthens their understanding of number relationships, estimation, and the structure of the number system, which are all crucial components of number sense.