Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division - Common Factors - Planning

In the Year 6 Autumn term, students delve into the world of numbers, focusing on the four operations during the fourth week. The specific small step for this session is understanding 'Common Factors'. The class is equipped with times tables grids for support, alongside worksheets and a presentation to facilitate learning. The key vocabulary introduced includes terms such as 'factors', 'common factors', 'arrays', 'mental methods', 'multiples', 'Venn diagram', 'integer', 'ascending', and 'descending'. These terms are essential for students to comprehend the lesson's content, and they are encouraged to visit the provided website for vocabulary cards and definitions.

The class starts with a recap of what a factor is, discussing its role as an integer that divides another number without leaving a remainder, or as a number that can be multiplied with another to result in a larger integer. Students engage in activities to identify common factors of number pairs, using systematic methods to list these factors in ascending order. They also learn to spot the odd one out in a set of numbers based on common factors and to find numbers that share given common factors. The lesson includes group work with reasoning activities and differentiated worksheets to cater to various levels of understanding. The plenary session is designed to reinforce what has been learned, focusing on the recall of times tables facts and the differentiation between factors and multiples. Students reflect on the skills they've used and the knowledge they've gained, ensuring they remember the key concepts of finding common factors.