Decimals - Making a Whole - Planning

In the Year 4 summer term, students delve into the world of decimals with a focus on 'Making a Whole'. The lesson is supported by a variety of resources including a laminated 100 square grid, worksheets, and a presentation. The objective is to help children understand how to combine decimal numbers to make a whole number. To kick off the lesson, students are encouraged to recall what they have previously learned about decimals and to discuss the concept and vocabulary related to the topic. They are then guided to recognise that they will be working with numbers less than 1, such as 0.35, to make a whole, rather than numbers like 1.18 or 3.5, which exceed one whole.

The lesson incorporates visual aids, such as pictorial images and the 100 square grid, to help students visualise hundredths and how they come together to form a whole number. They are encouraged to apply their knowledge of number bonds to ten and one hundred to assist in their calculations. Key questions posed during the lesson aim to deepen understanding of the relationship between tenths, hundredths, and whole numbers. As part of their independent learning, students are tasked with shading in hundredths on the grid and determining how many more are needed to complete a whole. The lesson is differentiated to cater to varying levels of proficiency, ranging from working towards the expected level, where students start with tenths and progress to hundredths, to achieving greater depth, where students work with a broader range of numbers and more complex part-whole models.