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Chrissie Marakis
Unit Overview
Unit title:
Decimal Fractions
Content maths area:
Decimal Fractions
Grade/year level:
Grade 5 / Level 5
Learning Focus (ideas extrapolated from AusVELS):
Number and Algebra, Fractions and Decimals, Understanding and reasoning
Rationale:
Understanding decimal notation is an important part of basic numeracy as the real world uses metric units for many everyday purposes. They are
used for scientific purpose as well so understanding the system is significant to interpret and analyse data for personal use (Moloney, Steinle,
Stacey, 2012).
Assumed prior knowledge of students:
Students have looked at fractions (part-whole construct) and the place value of decimals (tenths, hundredths).
Grouping strategies to support learning:
Mixed ability grouping will be arranged.
Pair and group work.
Overview of assessment:
Introducing decimal fractions begins with place value in order for students to understand the base-ten system. Formative assessment with a
brainstorm will gather knowledge of what students know about the place value of decimals. Summative assessment of activity sheets and open
tasks will be collected. Questioning will be undertaken throughout activities with a checklist. Self assessment of what students have personally
achieved will also be undertaken.
References:
R, Anne. (2010). Decimats: Helping students to make sense of decimal place value: Anne Roche introduces "decimats" and describes how they
can be used to make sense of decimal size and decimal place value.(Report). Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, (2), 4.
Clarke, D. M., Mitchell, A. & Roche, A. (2008). Ten Practical Tips for Making Fractions Come Alive and Make Sense. Mathematics Teaching in
the Middle School, (7), 372-380.
Department of Education and Child Development. (2014). Place value activities from Michael Ymer PD. Retrieved from
www.decd.sa.gov.au/.../Michael%20Ymer/Place_value_activities_fro.doc
Leonard, F., Magone, M., Nesher, P., Peled, I., Omanson, S. & Resnick, L. B. (1989). Conceptual Bases of Arithmetic Errors: The Case of
Decimal Fractions. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, (1), 8-27.
Maths300. (2010). Fractions to Decimals (on a rope!). Retrieved from http://www.maths300.esa.edu.au/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=1130
SMART. (2012). Decimal Fractions. http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=68a8179e-e38a-4100-8ec5-1a91346630ea
Moloney, K. Steinle, V. & Stacey, K. (2012). Students' Understanding of Decimals: An Overview. Retrieved from
https://extranet.education.unimelb.edu.au/DSME/decimals/SLIMversion/backinfo/refs/molostac.shtml.
Year Level: 5
Term: 3
Week: 5-6
Proficiency strand(s):
Understanding
Fluency
Problem Solving Reasoning
Understanding: Comparing, ordering decimal fractions and representing them in a variety of ways
Reasoning: Justify using benchmarking and mathematical fractional language why one decimal is small, larger or equal
to another decimal.
Level descriptions:
Recognise that the place value system can be extended beyond hundredths (ACMNA104)
Ordering decimals
-Locating decimals on a number line
Interactive Whiteboard
Rope
strategies/ skillsLearning
Analysing
Estimating
Checking
Explaining
Classifying
Generalising
Co-operating
Hypothesising
Considering options
Inferring
Designing
Interpreting
MATHEMATICAL
TUNING
IN
FOCUS
(WHOLE CLASS FOCUS)
(a short, sharp task relating to
(what you want the
the focus of the lesson; sets
children to come to
the scene/ context for what
understand as a result
students do in the
of this lesson
independent aspect. e.g., It
short, succinct
may be a problem posed,
statement)
spider diagram, an openended question, game, or
reading a story)
Listening
Performing
Reading
Seeing patterns
Testing
Locating information
Persuading
Recognising bias
Selecting information
Viewing
Making choices
Planning
Reflecting
Self-assessing
Visually representing
Note taking
Predicting
Reporting
Sharing ideas
Working
Observing
Presenting
Responding
Summarising
independently
Ordering events
Providing
feedback
Synthesising
Working to a
INVESTIGATIONS
REFLECTION
& Restating ADAPTATIONS
ASSESSMENT
SESSION
MAKING CONNECTIONS
STRATEGIES
(INDEPENDENT
SESSION
- Enabling prompt
LEARNING)
(WHOLE CLASS FOCUS)
(to allow those experiencing
(should relate to objective.
(extended opportunity for
(focused teacher questions
difficulty to engage in active
Includes what the teacher
students to work in pairs,
and summary to draw out the
experiences related to the
will listen for, observe, note
small groups or individually.
mathematics and assist
initial goal task)
or analyse; what evidence of
Time for teacher to probe
children to make links. NB.
- Extending prompt
learning will be collected
childrens thinking or work
This may occur at particular
(questions that extend
and what criteria will be
with a small group for part of points during a lesson. Use of
students thinking on the
used to analyse the
the time and to also conduct
spotlight, strategy, gallery
initial task)
evidence)
roving conferences)
walk, etc.)
Session 1
Associating
fractional
language to
decimal
representations.
BRAINSTORM
-What do students know
about decimals?
(Decimal point and place
value)
Physical involvement.
Students take part in Place
Value Paths (Department of
Education and Child
Development, 2014).
Refer to Appendix 1
Session 2
Decimals can be
represented as
unit fractions
and percentages,
making sense of
place value.
Decimat activity
Students will work in pairs or
groups of three. They will roll
the dice and use their
knowledge of fractions to
write the unit fraction and the
decimal number and shade the
physical representation
(Roche, 2010)
(Refer to Appendix 3)
Adding the language of
tenths, hundredths,
thousandths will also be
included.
Enabling Proportional
models of MAB blocks to
display the base-ten decimal
system.
In dice game - Roll two dice
and use tenths.
Brainstorm as formative
assessment.
Students write down their
ideas on a sticky note of
what they know about
decimals.
Enabling Exclude
thousandths on Decimat
activity sheet.
Using MAB blocks to show a
physical representation of
hundredths, thousandths.
Extending
How else can we represent
the decimals on the Decimat
activity?
Observation of decimat
sheets. Colour coding
should identify whether the
fraction, decimal is
highlighted.
-Checklist
Session 3
Decimals can be
represented as
unit fractions.
Calculator task.
Ask students to add numbers
together to see place value.
(Leonard, Magone, Nesher,
Peled, Omanson and Resnick,
1989).
Session 4
Ordering
fractions on a
number line
using
benchmarking
and estimation
Session 5
Converting
common
fractions to
decimals.
Ordering
decimals on
number line
using estimation.
(Nonsequential
lesson)
Questioning
Roving
Fractions to decimals on a
rope Task (Maths 300, 2010).
Refer to Appendix 6.
Questioning
Answer sheets