Fractions - Find the whole - Planning

In a Year 6 mathematics lesson focusing on fractions, students are tasked with finding the whole from a known fractional value. The lesson utilises worksheets and presentations as resources and introduces key vocabulary, such as 'fractions', 'numerator', 'denominator', and 'division', among others. Students start by recapping previous learning, which sets the stage for the day's objective: determining the whole amount when only a fraction is known. The first activity involves solving word problems through bar modelling, a visual method that helps children grasp the concept of fractions representing parts of a whole. They are encouraged to think about how this process differs from finding a fraction of a whole amount, as discussed in the previous lesson. The focus is on dividing the known amount by the numerator to find the value of each part and then multiplying by the denominator to discover the value of the entire bar.

The lesson progresses with further practice in calculating unknown whole amounts using bar modelling. Students are invited to present their calculations to the class, explaining their reasoning and the steps they took to find the value of the whole. Group work follows, where students tackle reasoning problems from teaching slides, share their answers, and discuss strategies to address any misconceptions. Key questions prompt students to think about the number of equal parts, the value of each part, and the overall value of the whole, encouraging estimation and pattern recognition. The plenary session involves a self-reflection activity, where students consider what they have learned, the skills they have used, and what they found challenging. Differentiated activities cater to varying levels of understanding, from working towards expected fluency to achieving greater depth, with challenges that include finding the whole when given a part and solving reasoning problems with a variety of denominators such as fifths, quarters, sevenths, and eighths.