Math lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes
Know decimal equivalents of 1/2, 1/4, 3/4 and tenths
Decimals and percentages
CCSS 4.NF.C.6England: Y4 Fractions (including decimals)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Know decimal equivalents of 1/2, 1/4, 3/4 and tenths.
- 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: Tenths and hundredths as decimals
Leads to: Convert fractions to decimals
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 (Tenths and hundredths as decimals). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What is the value of the digit 1 in 1.17? → 0.1Prompt: Name the places: ones . tenths hundredths.
- What is the value of the digit 6 in 6.8? → 6Prompt: Name the places: ones . tenths hundredths.
- What is the value of the digit 5 in 4.15? → 0.05Prompt: Name the places: ones . tenths hundredths.
Hook · 5 min
- Show two prices or race times with decimals and ask which is bigger, then why.
- Share the objective: Know decimal equivalents of 1/2, 1/4, 3/4 and tenths. 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: Write 2/4 as a decimal.
- Step 1: 2/4 = 0.5
- Answer: 0.5
- 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.
- Write 2/4 as a decimal. → 0.5Prompt: Make an equivalent fraction with denominator 10 or 100.
- Which fraction is equal to 0.5? (3/4 / 1/4 / 1/10 / 1/2) → 1/2Prompt: Read 0.5 as tenths or hundredths.
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.
- Ravi says 3/4 = 0.7, because you just write the numbers next to each other. Is that right? Write 3/4 as a decimal. → 0.75Prompt: A quarter is not the same as 0.4.
- Which fraction is equal to 0.25? (1/10 / 1/5 / 1/4 / 1/2) → 1/4Prompt: Read 0.25 as tenths or hundredths.
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: Tenths and hundredths as 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: Convert fractions to decimals.
- 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-4.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder