Fractions - Subtract 2 Fractions- Starter

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson focused on fractions, students are tasked with subtracting two fractions to find the difference. The lesson, situated in the Spring Term's seventh week and on the fourth day, begins with a "Fluent in Four" revision exercise designed to warm up the students' numeracy skills. This includes a variety of problems, such as a time-telling exercise indicating 1 minute past midnight, a division problem where students divide 176 by 8, and a more complex calculation involving multiplying 12 by 15 and then dividing the result by twice the value of 9. These exercises serve as a quick revision to ensure students are comfortable with basic arithmetic before delving into the main topic of fractions.

The core activity of the lesson involves solving a number sentence by finding the difference between two fractions, specifically subtracting one fraction from another with the same denominator. For example, students are shown how to subtract three-sixths from six-sixths, yielding a difference of one-half. Additionally, the lesson incorporates a practical application of subtraction in a real-life context: Sami has £1 and purchases a packet of biscuits for 89p. Students calculate that Sami should receive 11p in change. The lesson also includes a visual element where students are asked to identify and label the horizontal and vertical lines in a series of images, further reinforcing their understanding of geometry and spatial awareness.