Place value - Negative numbers 1 - Planning

In the fourth week of the Autumn term, Year 4 students embark on a new mathematical concept: negative numbers. The lesson begins with a starter activity where students revisit what they've learned previously. The class then delves into the world of negative numbers, with the teacher introducing the concept using a visual aid—a number line presented on a slide. During the discussion, students may initially refer to negative numbers as 'minus numbers', but the teacher clarifies that 'minus' is associated with the operation of subtraction, and the correct term is 'negative numbers'. The number line also serves to illustrate the concept of zero, which is neither positive nor negative, and the symmetry it creates on the line.

For the main activity, children practice counting backwards through zero, using the number line as a tool to support their learning. They are then given differentiated worksheets for independent learning, tailored to their levels of understanding, from working towards the expected level to achieving greater depth. The plenary includes a 'Give me five' reflection session, where students use hand gestures to express what they've learned, the skills they've utilised, the challenges they faced, the support they found helpful, and the key points they promise to remember. Depending on their proficiency, students either use the number line to aid in counting, count backwards through zero mentally, or tackle three-step problems that involve counting forwards and backwards to find a given number.