Math lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes
Compare decimals to thousandths
Decimals and percentages
CCSS 5.NBT.A.3.BEngland: Y6 Fractions (including decimals)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Compare decimals to thousandths.
- 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: Compare and order decimals; Value of a digit in decimals to thousandths
Leads to: Order decimals with up to three decimal places
Materials: Place value chart with tenths and hundredths, Hundred squares, Number lines, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Compare and order decimals; Value of a digit in decimals to thousandths). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Choose the sign: 3.8 __ 3.22 (< / > / =) → >Prompt: Write both with the same number of decimal places.
- What is the value of the digit 9 in 4.973? → 0.9Prompt: After the decimal point: tenths, hundredths, thousandths.
- Choose the sign: 4.9 __ 4.34 (< / > / =) → >Prompt: Write both with the same number of decimal places.
Hook · 5 min
- Show two prices or race times with decimals and ask which is bigger, then why.
- Share the objective: Compare decimals to thousandths. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Choose the sign: 6.493 __ 5.593
- Step 1: 6.493 > 5.593
- Answer: >
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Choose the sign: 6.581 __ 6.578 (< / > / =) → >Prompt: Line up the decimal points and add zeros so both have three decimal places.
- Jamal says 0.639 > 0.7 because it has more digits. Is Jamal right? (yes / no) → noPrompt: More digits does not mean bigger for decimals.
You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Noah says 4.516 > 4.6 because it has more digits. Is Noah right? (yes / no) → noPrompt: More digits does not mean bigger for decimals.
- Choose the sign: 9.627 __ 9.227 (< / > / =) → >Prompt: Line up the decimal points and add zeros so both have three decimal places.
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: Compare and order 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: Order decimals with up to three decimal places.
- 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-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder