Math lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 60 minutes
Roman numerals to M and years
Number sense
England: Y5 Number and place value
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Roman numerals to M and years.
- 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: Roman numerals I to C
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 · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Roman numerals I to C). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What number is XCVII? → 97Prompt: I is 1, V is 5, X is 10, L is 50 and C is 100.
- Write 69 in Roman numerals. → LXIXPrompt: Write the tens first, then the ones.
- What number is III? → 3Prompt: I is 1, V is 5, X is 10, L is 50 and C is 100.
Hook · 6 min
- Show a number in the news or a price tag and ask what each digit is worth.
- Share the objective: Roman numerals to M and years. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: What number is DCCXIII?
- Step 1: DCC = 700
- Step 2: X = 10
- Step 3: III = 3
- Step 4: 713
- Answer: 713
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- What number is DXXI? → 521Prompt: C is 100, D is 500 and M is 1000.
- A building has the year MMXXIII carved on it. What year is that? → 2023Prompt: Start with the thousands: M = 1000.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Write 488 in Roman numerals. → CDLXXXVIIIPrompt: Write the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- A building has the year MCMXIV carved on it. What year is that? → 1914Prompt: Start with the thousands: M = 1000.
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: Roman numerals I to C.
- 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-4.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder