Place value - Represent numbers to a 1000 - Planning

The first week of the Year 4 Autumn term in Place Value is dedicated to understanding and representing numbers up to 1000. The National Curriculum objectives set out a comprehensive list of skills, including counting in multiples, finding 1000 more or less than a given number, and recognising the place value of each digit in a four-digit number. Students are also expected to order, compare, and round numbers beyond 1000, and to count backwards through zero to include negative numbers. The key vocabulary for this unit covers a wide range of terms such as 'place value', 'digit', 'numerals', 'base 10', 'round up', 'round down', and 'negative numbers', among others. To assist in learning, various resources are used, including Base 10 blocks, place value counters, coins, worksheets, and presentations.

The lesson itself begins with a starter activity where children recap counting forwards and backwards in multiples, starting at different numbers. The main teaching input focuses on using concrete resources like Base 10 to represent numbers up to 1000, emphasising the importance of multiple representations for a solid grasp of three-digit numbers. Practical activities include building three-digit numbers with manipulatives and discussing the value of structured representation. Further activities involve drawing Base 10 and creating pictorial representations, with place value counters and coins adding real-life context. Children are encouraged to verbally reason their understanding using stem sentences and to answer key questions that address common misconceptions, such as the value of digits within numbers and the constraints of place value columns. The lesson concludes with a reflective 'Give me five' activity, where children consider what they've learned, the skills they've used and found tricky, and what they will remember from the lesson. Differentiation is evident, with activities tailored for those working towards, at expected level, and at greater depth.