Percentages - Order Fractions, Decimals and Percentages - Planning

The Year 6 curriculum for the Spring term includes a comprehensive unit on fractions and percentages, specifically designed to enhance students' abilities in solving problems that involve calculating percentages and using them for comparisons. The unit also aims to bolster students' understanding of the equivalences between simple fractions, decimals, and percentages across various contexts. Key vocabulary such as 'fraction', 'percentage', 'convert', 'equivalent', 'denominator', 'numerator', 'tenths', 'hundredths', and 'decimal' are integral to the learning process. The lesson plan includes activities that encourage students to convert between these forms to compare and order them effectively. For instance, one activity involves using comparison symbols to relate a fraction, a decimal, and a percentage, requiring students to convert each number to make a fair comparison. Another exercise guides them through the process of converting fractions into hundredths and decimals into percentages to systematically order them from smallest to largest.

In addition to class teaching, the lesson plan incorporates independent learning and group work. A real-world problem-solving activity asks students to convert percentages of a cake eaten by different children into fractions, and then to determine who ate the most and least. Further group work includes reasoning exercises, such as comparing test scores expressed as percentages and fractions, and determining which month a child saved the most money by estimating using knowledge of fractions, decimals, and percentages. Key questions prompt students to reflect on the most efficient methods for ordering and comparing numbers, while common misconceptions are addressed to ensure students revert to the original form of the number after making comparisons. The lesson plan is structured to cater to varying levels of fluency, from 'working towards' to 'greater depth', providing a scaffolded approach to mastering the ordering of mixed sets of fractions, decimals, and percentages.