Decimals - Write Decimals - Planning

In a Year 4 summer term lesson focusing on decimals, students are introduced to writing decimal numbers. The lesson begins with a starter activity that recaps previous learning, ensuring a solid foundation for the new topic. The class then moves on to using visual aids, with children drawing place value charts on whiteboards to represent various decimal numbers as called out by the teacher. Examples include writing 3.89 or composing a decimal with six tenths. The teacher models the process using a worksheet before allowing the children to work independently, reinforcing their understanding of decimal notation.

As the lesson advances, children learn to partition decimal numbers in Activity 2. They explore how a number like 0.95 can be divided into 9 tenths (0.9) and 5 hundredths (0.05), and are encouraged to consider alternative partitioning methods. For instance, if a number has 8 tenths, they deduce that it would also include 15 hundredths (0.15). The concept is further illustrated through a series of partitioning patterns, enhancing their comprehension of decimal values. Key questions prompt students to think about the ones, tenths, and hundredths in a number, the value of individual digits within a decimal, the use of zero as a placeholder, and the various ways to partition decimals. The lesson concludes with a reflection activity, where students consider what they've learned, the skills they've used, and any challenges they faced. Differentiated worksheets cater to varying levels of understanding, from those working towards an expected level to those demonstrating greater depth in writing and reasoning with decimals.