Ramadan Maths Activities: KS2 Topical Maths [5]
May (and the majority of June) in 2018 is Ramadan; when Muslims fast from early dawn to sunset in order to be closer to God. As such, it’s only fair that we get cracking with the Ramadan Maths activities.
The month-long fast is ideally placed to link Key Stage 2 Maths to the real world, discuss religion and Maths and celebrate diversity in your primary classroom.
Diversity in primary education
Diversity can be defined as the ways in which people are both alike and different; from race, ethnicity, culture, religion, class, and gender. As we know, diversity is hugely important in life and, in school, is crucial to forming an effective team (or classroom). If you have a diverse range of people tackling (for example) a Maths investigation, then you have a more diverse range of techniques and ideas to help you succeed!
KS2 Topical Maths Problems for Summer Term 2018
Looking for more topical Maths investigations? Download 18 more fun, printable activities to try with your KS2 class 
In short, being in a room with a group of people with different ideas is much more productive than being in a room with people who all have the same ideas.
Maths and religion – symmetry in Islamic art
The stunning patterns that adorn mosques, madrasas and palaces around the world are both beautiful and mathematically inspired. Islamic art is created using symmetry and repeated geometric shapes. The image below? Made with Maths:
No matter how beautiful, pieces like this always start out simply; with a ruler and a pair of compasses. The framework for the art itself is based on Greek geometry, i.e the principles of building complex patterns and shapes using simple lines, repetition, and symmetry.
Why not try starting your Maths lessons by asking how pupils think Maths helped to create the image above? Then you could follow on with our topical Maths investigation linked to Ramadan (below). Or, for more summer-term 2018 activities linked to topical Maths in the classroom, download your free topical problem solving resource.
Ramadan Maths Investigation: ‘Fasting Times’
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every day during this month, Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours in a complete fast. Ramadan is much more than just not eating and drinking; it is a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practise self-discipline and sacrifice.
Here are some Ramadan Maths questions for you to try:
1a. How many days does Ramadan last?
1a. How many hours is this?
2a. If daylight hours are from 04:45 to 21:15, how many hours are spent fasting each day?
2b. Each week?
2c. For the whole of Ramadan?
3. Give the answers to question 2 in days (rounded to the nearest whole day).
Check out 20+ more fun topical Maths investigations KS2 in our blog: 5 Ways to Use Topical Maths to Improve Problem Solving and Reasoning.
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