MATHEMATICS UNIT PLANNER Molly McKinnon S00126483

Topic: Decimals

Year Level: 5

Key mathematical understandings

(2-4 understandings only; written as statements believed to be
true about the mathematical idea/topic):

Decimals are centered on the base 10

system

Decimals are numbers that can be

represented on a number line

Decimals can be represented using a triad

relationship; number, collection, and symbol

Term: 3

Week: 3

Date: 11/8/14

2.1 & 2.2

Key AusVELS Focus / Standard (taken directly from AusVELS documents):

Content strand(s):
Number and Algebra
Sub-strand(s):
Fractions and decimals
Level descriptions:
Recognise that the place value system can be extended beyond hundredths (ACMNA104)

Compare, order and represent decimals (ACMNA105)

Proficiency strand(s):
Understanding
Reasoning
Understanding: Comparing and ordering fractions and decimals and representing them in various ways
Reasoning: continuing patterns involving fractions and decimals
Key vocabulary (be specific and include definitions of key words
Key skills to develop and practise (including strategies,
Key equipment / resources:
ways of working mathematically, language goals, etc.) (4-5 key skills
only):

Partitioning using the base ten system

Comparing and ordering decimals
Placing and locating decimals on a number line
Using multiple representations to demonstrate a
decimal number

Possible misconceptions (list of misconceptions related to

the mathematical idea/topic that students might develop):

Longer is larger: the more digits in a decimal

number the larger it is, e.g. 0.567>0.8
Shorter is larger: the less digits in a decimal
number the larger it is, e.g. 2.3>2.67
Whole number place value: e.g. 0.6 is seen as six
rather than its actual value zero and six tenths
Annexing zero: zero is added to the shorter
decimal to then compare it with the longer one
Learning
strategies/ skills

Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Co-operating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating

Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying

Colour in Decimat sheet

Dice for colour in Decimat game
Cards with a range of decimal numbers written on
them
Cards with a range of decimal numbers
represented in words and collections
Materials to represent decimal numbers; MAB
blocks, hundred square, Decipipes, etc.
String with decimal benchmarks attached (0, 0.5,
1, 1.5, 2)
Key probing questions (focus questions that will be used to
develop understanding to be used during the sequence of lessons; 3 5
probing questions):

Can you show me in a different way?

Can you use materials to show me?
How did you work this out? Explain it to me in
your own words.

Listening
Locating information
Making choices
Note taking
Observing
Ordering events
Organising

Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning

appropriate to use with students)

Benchmarking
Tenths
Hundredths
Thousandths
Partitioning

Links to other contexts (if applicable, e.g., inquiry unit focus,

current events, literature, etc.):

Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising

Students are about to begin an inquiry unit on

mathematics in the real world, which will include
how mathematics is used in sport, which decimals
can be related too, e.g. running times.

Seeing patterns
Selecting information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising

Testing
Viewing
Visually representing
Working independently
Working to a timetable

MATHEMATICAL
FOCUS

2.2
(what you want the children
to come to understand as a
result of this lesson short,
succinct statement)

Session 1
Decimal
introduction

TUNING IN
(WHOLE CLASS FOCUS)
(a short, sharp task relating to the
focus of the lesson; sets the scene/
context for what students do in the
independent aspect. e.g., It may be a
problem posed, spider diagram, an
open-ended question, game, or
reading a story)

Four students will be

chosen to play a game of
'celebrity heads'. Four
decimal numbers will be
chosen between 0-1, and
students will have to ask
yes or no questions in
order to work out what
decimal they are. Decimal
numbers will be limited to
hundredths only.
Class discussion asking
students to tell you all they
know about decimals.

Session 2
Base 10
system

Draw a large rectangle on

the board and tell students
it represents a whole.
Partition into ten sections,
asking students what one
of the sections represents.
Partition one of the smaller
sections (tenths) into ten
smaller sections, asking
students what one of the
smaller sections
represents. Repeat again
to partition into
thousandths.
Explain the base 10
system to students.

INVESTIGATIONS
SESSION
(INDEPENDENT LEARNING)
(extended opportunity for students to
work in pairs, small groups or
individually. Time for teacher to probe
childrens thinking or work with a small
group for part of the time and to also
conduct roving conferences)

Students will work

individually creating a
concept map on decimals.
Students are to write all
they know about decimals,
including examples, the
structure of decimals, or
anything else they can
think of.

REFLECTION & MAKING

CONNECTIONS
SESSION
(WHOLE CLASS FOCUS)
(focused teacher questions and
summary to draw out the mathematics
and assist children to make links. NB.
This may occur at particular points
during a lesson. Use of spotlight,
strategy, gallery walk, etc.)

Ask students to share

some of the information
from their individual
concept maps. Create an
overall class concept map
on the board of students
information about
decimals.

2.5

2.5

Introduce Decimat game

(appendix one) to students,
showing them how the
Decimat is partitioned like
the rectangle on the board
from tunning in.
Demonstrate the game to
students.

Students complete a
gallery walk of the Decimat
sheets. The teacher
selects four students with a
range of the Decimat
coloured in. Ask students
what they notice between
the student examples, can
we work out how much of
the Decimat is coloured in,
how would we work that
out.

Students play colour in

Decimat game in pairs.

2.5

ADAPTATIONS
- Enabling prompt
(to allow those experiencing difficulty to
engage in active experiences related to
the initial goal task)
- Extending prompt
(questions that extend students
thinking on the initial task)

Enabling prompts:
Where have you seen
decimals used in
everyday life?
Is the digit in tenths
column larger than the
digit in the hundredths
column?

ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES

2.3
(should relate to objective. Includes
what the teacher will listen for,
observe, note or analyse; what
evidence of learning will be collected
and what criteria will be used to
analyse the evidence)

Students concept maps

will be collected and used
to form mixed ability
groups based on the
amount of information
students were able to
include on their concept
map. The mixed ability
groups will be used in
lesson 3.

Extending prompts:
Do you know how
many tenths are in one
hundredth?
Enabling prompts:
A Decimat without
thousandths could be
used for students
having difficulty.
Extending prompts:
Who has more of their
Decimat coloured in,
you or your partner?
Prove it to me.
Could you show me
using materials how
much of the Decimat is
coloured in?

Observation of students
while playing colour in
Decimat game, looking
for correct shading of the
Decimat according to
what is shown on the
dice, and correct use of
language. Teacher may
need to assist students in
colouring the correct
section of the Decimat.

Session 3
Ordering
decimals
Benchmarks

Session 4
Equivalence

10 decimal number cards

are handed to students,
who then as a class decide
where they would be
placed on the number line
(a long piece of string). The
decimal cards include
equivalent decimals, and
decimals very similar in
value, such as 0.54 and
0.541

Working in mixed ability

groups of four, students are
given a range of decimal
number cards from 0-1.
Working together they
decide where the cards
would be placed in order
on a number line. Decimal
numbers include tenths,
hundredths, and
thousandths.

Groups share their number

lines with the class.
Students are asked to
explain how they decided
where to put the decimals.

2.5

2.5

Half the class are given a

card with a decimal
number on it (0-1), and the
other are given a card with
a corresponding fraction to
the decimal. Students have
to find their partner,
developing the pair for the
next activity.

Working in pairs, students

demonstrate all they know
about the fraction and the
decimal. Students will
become experts on their
fraction and decimal
number, creating a poster
of everything they know,
including ways to represent
the decimal and fraction,
using materials, and what
their fraction and decimal is
called, e.g. zero and twenty
five hundredths.

Students will present their

posters to the class,
sharing all they know about
their fraction and decimal.

Students are given a card

with a word, symbol, or
visual representation of a
decimal number. Students
have to then find the two
other people with the
matching decimal number
based on the information
on the card.

Students will work together

in groups of four to create
a triad poster for their
decimal number,
representing it in words,
the symbol, and its
collection.

Groups will present their

poster to the class,
explaining why they chose
the materials they used,
and what strategies they
used to work out what
decimal number they had
and how they found the
other group members.

2.5

2.5

Enabling prompts:
How many tenths in
this decimal? Is that
more or less tenths
than this one?
Extending prompts:
Provide students with
decimal number cards
with a value over 1.
Prove to me why this
decimal is larger than
this one.
Enabling prompts:
Can you tell me what
your number is? Is it
more or less than half?
How do you know?
Extending prompts:
How could we show
this number using
materials?

Observation of students
strategies and
mathematical arguments
deciding where each
decimal number card
should be placed on the
number line.

Posters created by the

students will be collected,
with the teacher
assessing the amount of
information included, its
relevance, and assessing
students improvement on
the amount of information
they included from lesson
1 now that they have
learnt more about
decimals.

2.5
Session 5
Triad
relationship

Enabling prompts:
What is your card
showing, a word,
symbol or a collection?
Extending prompts:
Can you show me your
decimal in another
way?

Observation of students
strategies working out
their decimal number
card. Observation of
students working together
as a group completing
their poster.