Addition and Subtraction - Add and subtract multiples – 1s, 10s, 100s, 1000s - Planning

The curriculum for Year 4 students in the autumn term includes a week dedicated to understanding place value, particularly focusing on adding and subtracting multiples of 1s, 10s, 100s, and 1000s. The National Curriculum objectives for this week involve mastering the formal written methods of column addition and subtraction for numbers up to 4 digits, estimating and using inverse operations to verify answers, and solving two-step addition and subtraction problems within various contexts. To facilitate learning, key vocabulary such as 'addition', 'subtraction', 'place value', 'column method', and 'inverse operation' are emphasised, with resources available to help students grasp these concepts. The lesson plan includes practical activities using place value counters and grids, worksheets, and presentations to support independent learning and group work.

During the lesson, children will engage in a series of activities designed to enhance their understanding of place value and the operations of addition and subtraction. They will use place value counters to represent numbers and will practice adding or subtracting thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones, both practically and mentally. The lesson encourages the use of mental methods, with practical resources available to aid those who need additional support. Students are prompted to reflect on their learning through questions that explore the highest value counter, changes within the columns during addition or subtraction, and common misconceptions regarding place value. The lesson concludes with a self-assessment where students consider what they've learned, the skills they've used and found challenging, and what they will remember moving forward. Worksheets are tiered to cater to different levels of proficiency, from working towards the expected level to achieving greater depth in place value understanding.