| Full lesson | Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle} |
| Which subject | Mathematics |
| What topic | adding and subtracting decimals |
| What length (min) | 30 |
| What age group | Year or Grade 6 |
| Class size | 20 |
| What curriculum | |
| Include full script | |
| Check previous homework | |
| Ask some students to presents their homework | |
| Add a physical break | |
| Add group activities | |
| Include homework | |
| Show correct answers | |
| Prepare slide templates | |
| Number of slides | 5 |
| Create fill-in cards for students | |
| Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments |
Adding and Subtracting Decimals
Grade 6 (Ages 11-12)
Mathematics
20 students
30 minutes
This lesson corresponds to the standards for student understanding of decimal operations as outlined in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.NS.B.3).
| Step Number | Step Title | Length (minutes) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Decimals | 5 | Briefly review the concept of decimals and their placement. Introduce the importance of adding and subtracting them correctly. |
| 2 | Adding Decimals | 10 | Demonstrate how to align decimal points when adding. Provide examples on the board, and engage students to offer their examples. |
| 3 | Guided Practice: Adding Decimals | 5 | Distribute handouts with practice problems. Guide students through a few problems, checking for understanding. |
| 4 | Subtracting Decimals | 5 | Explain the process for subtracting decimals, emphasizing the need to align decimal points just like in addition. Provide examples. |
| 5 | Guided Practice: Subtracting Decimals | 5 | Have students work on subtraction problems on handouts. Circulate to assist students and assess their understanding. |
| 6 | Homework Assignment | 2 | Assign worksheet for homework. Explain that homework will be checked for completion, but no presentations are required. |
| 7 | Closing | 3 | Summarize the key points of the lesson. Restate why understanding decimal operations is important in real-life applications. |
This structured lesson plan should help guide the teacher in delivering an effective and engaging lesson on adding and subtracting decimals, ensuring students grasp the necessary concepts while adhering to national curriculum standards.
"Good morning class! Today we are going to dive into the world of decimals. Can anyone remind me what a decimal is? That's right! A decimal is a way of expressing numbers that are less than one, using a point to separate the whole number part from the fractional part. It's very important that we learn how to add and subtract decimal numbers accurately because we encounter them in many real-life situations, like shopping or measuring. Are you ready to learn how to do that?"
"Now let's jump right into adding decimals! One key point to remember when adding decimal numbers is to always align the decimal points. This ensures that we are adding the numbers in the correct place values.
Let me show you an example. On the board, I’ll write down 3.25 plus 1.4.
3.25
+ 1.40
_______
Can everyone see how I lined up the decimal points? Good! Now, let's add the numbers column by column, starting from the right. Who can tell me what 5 plus 0 is? Right, it’s 5. And how about 2 plus 4? Exactly, it’s 6. Now for the last column, what is 3 plus 1? Correct, it's 4. So, 3.25 plus 1.4 equals 4.65.
Now, I want you all to think of an example of your own. Who wants to share their example with the class?"
"Great job! Now, I’m going to hand out some practice problems for you to work on. Each of you will get a sheet with a few decimal addition problems. I want you to solve these by aligning the decimal points just like we did together.
I’ll walk around while you work on these, so feel free to raise your hand if you have any questions. Let’s take the next five minutes for this!"
"Alright everyone, let’s shift gears and talk about subtracting decimals. Just like with addition, the process for subtracting decimals is similar. The most important part is still aligning the decimal points.
Let’s look at an example together. I’ll put 5.60 minus 2.3 on the board.
5.60
- 2.30
_______
Can anyone tell me what the first step is? Right, we align the points! Now let’s subtract. What is 0 minus 0? Yes, it’s 0. Next, what about 6 minus 3? Exactly, it’s 3. Lastly, we have 5 minus 2, which is 3. So, 5.60 minus 2.3 equals 3.30.
Does that make sense to everyone? Let’s do a couple more examples together."
"Great! Now that we’ve practiced a bit, I’m going to give you some subtraction problems on the same handouts. Work through them like we practiced. If you find yourself struggling or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask for help.
Let’s take about five minutes for this activity, and I’ll be checking your progress as I walk around."
"Before we finish up, I want to assign a worksheet for homework. This will have more addition and subtraction problems for you to practice. Please remember that I’ll be checking these for completion, but no presentations are required. Make sure to try your best!
You’ll find your homework in your folder."
"To wrap up our lesson today, let’s quickly review what we learned. We practiced adding and subtracting decimals, and we talked about the importance of aligning decimal points to ensure accuracy. This skill is really important as we encounter decimals in our everyday lives, such as when we’re shopping or measuring ingredients.
Does anyone have any last questions before we finish? I’m really proud of how you all paid attention today. Keep practicing, and I’ll see you tomorrow when we check your homework!"
What is a decimal, and why is it important to understand how to add and subtract them?
Solve the following addition problems by aligning the decimal points:
When adding decimals, what should you always do first?
Solve the following subtraction problems:
Explain why it is important to align decimal points when performing addition and subtraction.
Create your own decimals addition problem using two numbers. Solve it and write down the answer.
Create your own decimals subtraction problem using two numbers. Solve it and write down the answer.
Describe a real-life situation where you might need to use your skills for adding or subtracting decimals.
Review your answers to the problems above. Did you remember to align the decimal points each time? What mistakes did you correct, if any?
Reflect on today’s lesson: What was the most challenging part of adding and subtracting decimals for you, and how might you improve next time?