---
title: "Maths in How the world works: cycles, forces and a fair test"
description: "Two units for the How the world works island on Explorisle, Cycles and machines and Weather: the maths in each station, a decision post, classroom tasks."
image: https://asurekha.com/hubfs/explorisle/app/share-1200x630.png
---

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● Unit of inquiry resource

# Maths in How the world works

This theme is about patterns, cycles and systems, discovery and design. The maths is order and measure: put a cycle in order, read a force meter and a thermometer, feed a number machine and find its rule, then design a test.

Ameera Surekha, who built Explorisle at home for one child · 26 September 2026

## The theme, in one paragraph

How the world works is one of the six transdisciplinary themes used by IB PYP schools. On the island it carries two units. A teacher sets one as the class goal and the children who join get it.

## Unit one: Cycles and machines

**Central idea (the island's own words):** The world works in patterns, cycles and systems that people can test and design with.

**Lines of inquiry:** cycles in nature; forces and measures; design and test. **Concepts:** function, causation, change.

| Station | What the child does | The maths |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cycles | puts a day, a year, a plant's life or a frog's life in order | Sequence |
| Measure a force | reads a force meter and a ramp | Measurement |
| Feed the machine | puts a number in, reads one out, finds the rule | Pattern and function |

**The decision post, Design a test:** Add weights one at a time until one breaks, change the ramp, or time three runs? There is no wrong answer; the child gives a reason, and the reason lands on the class sheet.

**The exhibit:** finish the stations and the child earns a machine for their own plot.

## Unit two: Weather

**Central idea (the island's own words):** Weather follows patterns that people measure, record and predict.

**Lines of inquiry:** measuring weather; patterns in the year; predicting. **Concepts:** change, causation, form.

| Station | What the child does | The maths |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The thermometer | reads temperature, including below zero from Year 4 | Measurement: temperature |
| Round the year | puts the seasons and the water cycle in order | Sequence |
| The rain chart | reads a week of rainfall | Data handling |

**The decision post, The forecast:** Stay in because it will rain, go out and risk it, or take a coat and go? There is no wrong answer; the child gives a reason, and the reason lands on the class sheet.

**The exhibit:** finish the stations and the child earns a machine for their own plot.

## Tasks for the classroom without a screen

- A thermometer on the sill, read at nine every morning for a month. Line graph. What does the line do?
- A number machine made of a shoebox: a child inside is the rule. Feed it numbers until the class can say the rule.
- Three ramps, one toy car, a tape measure. Change one thing at a time. Which thing changed the distance most?

## The evidence sheet

On the island, tap **For teachers** on the first screen, make a class (you get a six-character code and a teacher key), set the level for the class, and pick this unit as the class goal. Children join with the code and a seat number; no name, no email. The **evidence sheet** in the class view prints the central idea, the lines of inquiry, the concepts, what each station practised, and every seat's findings and reasons, ready to paste into your planner.

On the island

[Open the theme islands](https://explorisle.asurekha.com)[About Explorisle](https://asurekha.com/explorisle?hsLang=en-gb)

**Not on the island yet:** a unit on light and shadow with angles, and one on simple machines with ratio. On the list.

Read next

- [Maths inside a unit of inquiry, without losing the maths](https://asurekha.com/explorisle/teachers/maths-in-a-unit-of-inquiry?hsLang=en-gb)
- [The primary maths scope and sequence, explained](https://asurekha.com/explorisle/maths/scope-and-sequence?hsLang=en-gb)
- [Sharing the planet](https://asurekha.com/explorisle/units/sharing-the-planet?hsLang=en-gb)
- [How we organise ourselves](https://asurekha.com/explorisle/units/how-we-organise-ourselves?hsLang=en-gb)

Explorisle is an independent product of A Surekha (the registered business of Ameera Surekha). It is not endorsed by, affiliated with or licensed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. IB, PYP and International Baccalaureate are registered trademarks of the IBO.

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