“Events like these not only promote a love for mathematics, but also encourage critical thinking and problem-solving abilities among students, a skill for life.”
TGS maths students unleashing their creativity
Term 2 has been a busy one in the Mathematics department; from multiple year levels having extended assessment tasks to competitions run inside and outside the School.
Using mathematical equations to recreate artwork
The Year 11 Mathematical Methods students got a chance to be very creative with their assessment - using numbers to reproduce artwork.
The boys visited the 2024 Grammar Art Show in Term 1 and were given the task to reproduce a chosen work using their knowledge of mathematical functions and their graphs; with some artworks more complex to reproduce than others. A tricky task when each student had to select a unique piece of art.
With a significant limitation of only being allowed to use 20 lines, the boys did a fantastic job at thinking outside the box to recreate their chosen piece.
Enjoy the gallery below to see the progression of some of the boys' recreations.
Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers' Problem-Solving Competition
Last month, students nominated themselves for the Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers' annual problem-solving competition. This gruelling two-hour test required the boys to solve a variety of problems individually and had the highest participation rate that TGS has seen to date, with over 80 boys taking part across Years 7 to 12. The papers were sent away, and a lot of the boys are eager to see how they went.
Darling Downs Maths Teams Challenge
On Tuesday, 7 May the Darling Downs Maths Teams Challenge was held at St Ursula’s College and saw an array of schools from around the region participate in both a team and relay event across three divisions (Junior Years 7 and 8, Intermediate Years 9 and 10, and Senior Years 11 and 12). This event proved to be a challenging yet rewarding opportunity for students to showcase their mathematical skills and creativity.
TGS entered two teams of boys in each division and were given a special TGS tunnel as they headed off to the Challenge.
The TGS A team came away as the Senior Division winners where 18 teams competed for the top spot from 11 schools. TGS B team secured an impressive 5th place in the same division. In the Intermediate Division, TGS secured notable 4th and 5th positions, showcasing their mathematical prowess. Meanwhile, in the Junior Division, the TGS A team clinched a commendable second place amidst 25 teams from 14 schools.
Year 9 classroom activity
The Year 9 cohort saw themselves venturing outside the classroom to complete their assessment tasks, where they used inclinometers and trigonometry to determine the height of the spire on top of School House – no long measuring tapes or ladders required.
Term 3 will be another busy one with big internal assessments due for our Year 12 boys, and more competitions including the Australian Mathematics Competition in August and the Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad in September.
The TGS Mathematics curriculum really does have something to appeal to all.
Latest Blog
Women of Grammar Luncheon
A Tribute to the Heart of the School Originally scheduled for International Women's Day but rescheduled (thanks, Cyclone Alfred!) to the eve of Mother's Day, the timing felt serendipitous. It was a day to honour the women—past and present—whose quiet strength, tireless support and enduring love have shaped the School's legacy and the lives of its boys for 150 years. The marquee was beautifully appointed for a day of merriment
Lachlan Stuart's Marathon Feat
Mr Stuart will return to TGS again for the event held on Wednesday, 28 May to support the Year 12's significant fundraising G150 Gift Run event. The boys are running 1500km in a relay format to honour a 1968 TGS Interact Club fundraising project that will help upgrade the original School gates on Herries Street, along with raising funds for the Nerve Connection Foundation.
Remembering Private Colin Stirling, a TGS Old Boy (1899-1900)
This was the headline that screamed out on the pages of the Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser on Thursday, 15 August 1901. With ANZAC Day just last Friday, this week we continue to honour many of our Old Boys who gave the ultimate sacrifice including Private Colin Stirling, a TGS Old Boy (1899-1900) and our first former student lost in the Boer War. The story began with: “News was received on Tuesday afternoon that in an engagement at Kopjesfontein, on the 6th instant,…
Honouring Tradition: Toowoomba Grammar School and ANZAC Day
This year marks 98 years since TGS and the 13 Army Cadet Unit (Toowoomba Collective Unit) first participated in ANZAC Services in Toowoomba. The School's commitment to these services is a testament to its deep-rooted military traditions and the enduring spirit of remembrance. Mounties out the front of School House in 1908. A Legacy of Service Toowoomba Grammar School's military traditions date back to its early days. The School's Cadet Unit, formed in 1892, has been a cornerstone of its…
Outdoor Pursuits and Activities Week - Developing Good Character Beyond the Classroom
We offer a range of enrichment activities for our boys, but the last week of Term 1 is a very special opportunity for all of our Senior School students. It's Outdoor Pursuits and Activities Week, which provides age-appropriate physical challenges in a safe, well-supervised environment. Activities on the various camps may include ropes courses, rock climbing, bodyboarding, surfing, mountain biking and canoeing. The aim is to foster a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of the environment.…
Stories behind key TGS staff helping shape our students
It was my great privilege to join TGS as Head of House - Boyce Boarding in 2024. The opportunity to lead these young men of character on their TGS journey carries great weight but is also enormously exciting. Embarking upon this project alongside my wife Meg as Boyce Boarding House Manager strengthens the team further. I am hopeful that we will demonstrate to the boys how positive relationships can foster a warm and supportive environment. I know that many of our boys are familiar with strong…
More Than Just an Education and That Makes All the Difference
Toowoomba Grammar School excels in its extensive co-curricular programs, particularly in performing arts and sports. Our boys learn that success comes from hard work and dedication. This ethos is inspired by quotes like “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great,” “The harder I work, the luckier I get” and the words emblazoned on our P.B. Hauser Aquatic Centre wall “Success is the celebration of preparation.” These opportunities allow students to excel in programs…
Stewardship: Leading the Way in Safety, Sustainability and Security
However, the challenges facing the Director of Facilities, Mr Bengie Dickeson and the Director of Information Technology, Mr Ron Robinson certainly are. This month's weather has been nothing if not unpredictable and it's in those conditions that both these men's skills come to the fore. With Tropical Cyclone Alfred and its threat to our School campus and community - Mr Bengie Dickeson and Mr Ron Robinson played integral roles in keeping everyone and everything on our 150-year-old campus safe.…
Pursuing New Horizons in Horticulture
Jake Moon is a sixth-generation primary producer. He is dedicated to agriculture and is currently working at his family’s St George farming enterprise, tackling some of the sector’s biggest challenges. The 28-year-old says his family moved to the St George irrigation precinct in 1978, initially growing rockmelons and watermelons, hence the business name Moonrocks. Seasonal and market changes led them to switch crops frequently, growing grapes, broccoli and even wax flowers over the years.…
