Fractions - Count in tenths - Planning

In a mathematics lesson tailored for Year 4 students, the concept of counting in tenths is introduced, which is a fundamental aspect of understanding fractions. The session begins with a starter activity that prompts students to recap what they have previously learned about fractions. The class then moves on to the main teaching input, where children are encouraged to count up and down in tenths through various methods, including visual representations. An emphasis is placed on recognising what occurs when the count surpasses one whole, such as when reaching 11/10, and how this can be understood as 1 whole and 1/10. The lesson is designed to reinforce their grasp of fractions without the immediate need to write mixed numbers.

The lesson includes a series of engaging activities, starting with using a counting stick to count in intervals of tenths, akin to counting by twos. Subsequent activities involve building fluency in counting tenths using pictorial aids, words, and numerical fractions. A puzzle activity challenges students to discern patterns and navigate a maze using both digits and words to represent tenths. The lesson concludes with a plenary where students reflect on what they've learned, the skills they've employed, and what they found challenging, as well as identifying the resources or support that assisted them in the lesson. Differentiated worksheets are provided for independent learning, catering to varying levels of proficiency, from working towards the expected level to achieving greater depth, each with tasks designed to reinforce and extend their understanding of counting in tenths.