Decimals - Adding Decimals (Crossing the Whole) - Planning

The Year 5 summer term lesson on adding decimals is particularly focused on the concept of 'crossing the whole'. The lesson commences with a starter activity, where children are tasked with completing 'fluent in four' questions to recap on prior learning. Key mathematical vocabulary is introduced and reinforced throughout the lesson, such as 'addend', 'sum', and the phrase 'addend plus addend equals sum'. The importance of understanding number bonds is discussed, and practical activities are employed to illustrate this. Using place value charts and counters, the students learn to calculate decimal number sentences and make connections between number bonds to 10 and 100. Partitioning is also explored as a helpful method, with children encouraged to use part-whole models to aid their understanding.

Further practical work includes revisiting the addition of decimals with the aid of place value charts and counters, drawing parallels with written column addition methods. Children are reminded to exchange counters when necessary, and common mistakes such as miscalculations and misconceptions about partitioning are addressed. Independent learning is supported by differentiated worksheets, which cater to various levels of understanding, from working towards the expected level to achieving greater depth. The lesson ends with a reflective 'Give me five' plenary, where students consider what they have learned, the skills they have used, any challenges they encountered, and what they will remember for future lessons. The lesson plan includes a variety of activities ranging from using counters on a place value grid to adding decimal numbers using mental methods and comparing sums with inequality symbols.