Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 30 minutes
Percentage of an amount
Decimals and percentages
CCSS 6.RP.A.3.CEngland: Y6 Ratio and proportionEngland: KS3 NumberEngland: GCSE Foundation Ratio
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Percentage of an amount.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Percentages, fractions and decimals; Fractions of an amount
Leads to: Percentage increase and decrease; Pie charts; Find 50%, 25%, 10%, 5% and 1% mentally
Materials: Place value chart with tenths and hundredths, Hundred squares, Number lines, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Percentages, fractions and decimals; Fractions of an amount). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Write 5% as a decimal. → 0.05Prompt: Per cent means out of 100.
- What is 5/6 of 24? → 20Prompt: Find 1/6 first: divide by 6.
- Write 25% as a fraction in simplest form. → 1/4Prompt: Per cent means out of 100.
Hook · 3 min
- Show two prices or race times with decimals and ask which is bigger, then why.
- Share the objective: Percentage of an amount. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: What is 5% of 260?
- Step 1: 5/100 × 260 = 13
- Answer: 13
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- What is 75% of 52? → 39Prompt: Find 10% (or 1%) first, then build up.
- Find 65% of 200. → 130Prompt: 10% of 200 is 20. What are 5% and 1%?
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- What is 40% of 280? → 112Prompt: Find 10% (or 1%) first, then build up.
- Find 35% of 260. → 91Prompt: 10% of 260 is 26. What are 5% and 1%?
Watch out for
- Thinking 0.45 is bigger than 0.5 because 45 is bigger than 5.
- Moving the digits the wrong way when multiplying or dividing by 10.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Percentages, fractions and decimals.
- Use concrete materials: place value chart with tenths and hundredths.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Percentage increase and decrease; Pie charts; Find 50%, 25%, 10%, 5% and 1% mentally.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-6.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder