Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 45 minutes
Compare and order fractions, decimals and percentages
Decimals and percentages
CCSS 6.RP.A.3.CCCSS 7.NS.A.2.DEngland: KS3 NumberEngland: GCSE Foundation Number
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Compare and order fractions, decimals and percentages.
- 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: Change fractions and decimals into percentages
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
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 (Change fractions and decimals into percentages). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Write 1/4 as a percentage. → 25Prompt: Make an equivalent fraction with denominator 100.
- Write 1.2 as a percentage. → 120Prompt: Percent means “out of 100”.
- Write 3/8 as a percentage. → 37.5Prompt: Divide 3 by 8 to get a decimal.
Hook · 5 min
- Show two prices or race times with decimals and ask which is bigger, then why.
- Share the objective: Compare and order fractions, decimals and percentages. 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: Which is the largest?
- Step 1: 0.6 = 60%, 20% = 20%, 9/20 = 45%, 0.9 = 90%
- Step 2: Largest: 0.9
- Answer: 0.9
- 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.
- Which is the largest? (0.5 / 0.625 / 9/10 / 70%) → 9/10Prompt: Write each one as a percentage.
- In a class vote, 9/20 of students chose a trip to the science museum. Ben says that is more than 43%. Is Ben right? (Yes / No) → YesPrompt: Turn 9/20 into a percentage.
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.
- Which is the largest? (0.5 / 25% / 3/5 / 0.05) → 3/5Prompt: Write each one as a percentage.
- In a class vote, 3/5 of students chose a trip to the science museum. Nia says that is more than 55%. Is Nia right? (Yes / No) → YesPrompt: Turn 3/5 into a percentage.
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: Change fractions and decimals into percentages.
- 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
- 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