Math lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes
Add four-digit numbers in columns
Addition and subtraction
CCSS 4.NBT.B.4England: Y4 Addition and subtraction
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Add four-digit numbers in columns.
- 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: Add three-digit numbers with regrouping; Value of a digit in four-digit numbers
Leads to: Add numbers with more than four digits
Materials: Base-ten blocks, Number lines, Hundred square, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Add three-digit numbers with regrouping; Value of a digit in four-digit numbers). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- 503 + 238 = ? → 741Prompt: Add the ones first.
- In 7284, which place is the digit 2 in? (ones / tens / hundreds / thousands) → hundredsPrompt: Name the places from the right: ones, tens, hundreds, thousands.
- Leo's school collected 482 cans for recycling in March and 317 in April. How many cans is that altogether? → 799Prompt: Altogether means add.
Hook · 3 min
- Give a real shopping total or a score difference and ask for a quick estimate first.
- Share the objective: Add four-digit numbers in columns. 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: 3946 + 2982 = ?
- Step 1: ones: 6 + 2 = 8
- Step 2: tens: 4 + 8 = 12, carry 1
- Step 3: hundreds: 9 + 9 + 1 = 19, carry 1
- Step 4: thousands: 3 + 2 + 1 = 6
- Step 5: 3946 + 2982 = 6928
- Answer: 6928
- 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.
- 2836 + 3602 = ? → 6438Prompt: Line up the digits by place value.
- Zoe's family drove 1213 km on holiday last year and 1721 km this year. What is the total distance? → 2934Prompt: Add the two distances.
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.
- Yuki's family drove 3271 km on holiday last year and 2755 km this year. What is the total distance? → 6026Prompt: Add the two distances.
- 5556 + 3952 = ? → 9508Prompt: Line up the digits by place value.
Watch out for
- Subtracting the smaller digit from the bigger one in every column (52 − 17 = 45).
- Forgetting to add the regrouped (carried) ten.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Add three-digit numbers with regrouping.
- Use concrete materials: base-ten blocks.
- 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: Add numbers with more than four digits.
- 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-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder