Place value - Counting in 25s - Planning

The Year 4 Autumn term curriculum for place value includes a focused week on counting in multiples, particularly in 25s, which is a key step in understanding larger numbers and their patterns. The National Curriculum objectives for this week are comprehensive, covering counting in multiples of 6, 7, 8, 25, and 1,000, as well as skills such as finding 1,000 more or less than a given number, recognising the place value of each digit in a four-digit number, and ordering and comparing numbers beyond 1,000. Students will also learn to identify, represent, and estimate numbers using various representations, round numbers to the nearest 10, 100, or 1,000, and solve practical problems involving these concepts. The curriculum even extends to counting backwards through zero to include negative numbers. Key vocabulary for this unit includes terms such as 'place value', 'digit', 'numerals', 'multiples', and 'negative numbers' among others.

In the specific lesson on counting in 25s, children will revisit counting in 50s and 100s to help them become fluent with the new multiple. The class will use base 10 and place value counters to fill in missing numbers on a number track, starting with 25 and increasing. This hands-on activity is designed to solidify their understanding of the place value system and the patterns that emerge when counting in multiples of 25. The lesson will also draw connections between counting in 25s and 50s, using a number line from 0 to 100 marked in 25s increments to illustrate that 25 is halfway to 50. Children will then apply their knowledge to complete differentiated worksheets, which include identifying errors in sequences and reasoning questions. The key questions posed in the lesson encourage students to observe patterns and relationships in numbers, fostering deeper mathematical thinking. The lesson plan includes strategies to support students working at different levels, from those working towards the expected level to those capable of greater depth understanding.