Place value - Comparing objects - Planning

In the third week of Autumn term, Year 4 students delve into the concept of place value with a focus on comparing objects. The lesson is equipped with practical resources such as Base 10 blocks and counters, alongside worksheets and a presentation to facilitate learning. The key vocabulary for this lesson includes terms like 'compare', 'greater than', 'smaller than', and the different place values from 'thousands' down to 'ones'. The children are encouraged to complete 'fluent in four' questions to warm up their numerical skills. The lesson aims to fortify their understanding of 4-digit numbers, using comparison language and symbols to discern which numbers are greater or smaller than others.

The lesson begins with Activity 1, where students are presented with two 4-digit numbers in pictorial form. They are tasked with converting these representations into numerical form and then using comparison symbols to determine their relative values, starting from the highest place value down to the ones. This is followed by practical exercises where students create numbers using available resources and compare them with those of their peers, using whiteboards to display the comparison symbols. In Activity 2, the children compare two 4-digit numbers, discussing different methods to determine which is more efficient. The activities are designed to enhance the students' place value knowledge and comparison skills, with differentiated worksheets provided for independent practice. Finally, the lesson concludes with reflective questions to ensure the students have grasped the concepts, and they make 'Pinkie promises' to remember what they have learned about comparing numbers.