Math lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes
Calculate with squares and cubes
Number sense
CCSS 6.EE.A.1England: Y6 Number – multiplication and division
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Calculate with squares and cubes.
- 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: Cube numbers and the ³ sign
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Place value chart, Base-ten blocks or a number line, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Cube numbers and the ³ sign). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What is 4³? → 64Prompt: 4³ means 4 × 4 × 4.
- Which of these is a cube number? (123 / 250 / 75 / 125) → 125Prompt: Cube numbers: 1, 8, 27, …
- What is 5³? → 125Prompt: 5³ means 5 × 5 × 5.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Calculate with squares and cubes. 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: 2² + 5³ = ?
- Step 1: 2² = 4
- Step 2: 5³ = 125
- Step 3: 4 + 125 = 129
- Answer: 129
- 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.
- 5³ − 9² = ? → 44Prompt: Work out each power first.
- A square patio has an area of 121 m². How long is each side? → 11Prompt: The area of a square is side × side.
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.
- A square patio has an area of 81 m². How long is each side? → 9Prompt: The area of a square is side × side.
- 5³ − 5² = ? → 100Prompt: Work out each power first.
Watch out for
- Reading 1,045 as one thousand four hundred five: point to each place and say its value.
- Thinking a longer number is always bigger, even with decimals (0.45 vs 0.5).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Cube numbers and the ³ sign.
- Use concrete materials: place value chart.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- 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