Short-Term Planning Grid for Mathematics
Year 3
Comparing and ordering numbers; Counting; Fractions
Y3 Block 4
Planning grid
Days 1 - 2
Block 4
OVERVIEW – WHAT CHILDREN WILL LEARN
Objectives you will cover, partially or fully
Develop the understanding of fractions, building on Year 2 where children used 1/2, 1/3,
1/ , 2/ and 3/ , helping children to write these as numbers by the end of this term. Make
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sure that these numbers are seen around the classroom as labels and number lines,
that both you and the children use fraction vocabulary and that you frequently count in
fraction steps. Compare amounts using these fractions and order the numbers in
practical situations.
1) Compare and order numbers up to 1000
2) Count up and down in tenths; recognise that tenths arise from dividing an
object into 10 equal parts and in dividing one-digit numbers or quantities by 10
4) Recognise and use fractions as numbers: unit fractions and non-unit
fractions with small denominators
Oral/ Mental Objective
and Activity
Objectives/Success
criteria
Introduction/
demonstration/
modelling
Activities set
Differentiation / Use of
other adults
Learning review
opportunities
Resources
[email protected]
Fraction cards to make 1: halves and quarters; thirds and sixths; fifths and tenths (could be printed on A3 thin card, with one colour for 1/2 and 1/4, another for 1/3 and 1/6
and so on)
Fraction labels
Fraction number lines
Fraction wall
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Activity idea
Fraction cards
Counting
There are three sets of fraction cards, one with halves and quarters, one with thirds and
Count with all the children, but also expect children to
sixths and one with fifths and tenths. In each case the ‘1’ should be exactly the same size.
count as part of an activity in small groups. This image
Print the sheets onto card and cut the pieces accurately. It may be best to use a different
(using the fraction cards) shows counting as 1/3, 2/3, 3/3,
4/ , 5/ , 6/ , or 1/ , 2/ , 1, 11/ , 12/ , 2. You can use other
colour of card for each type of sheet. At first just use one type of card. Allow free play with
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these in mixed ability groups, then ask children to draw, photograph and/or explain what they
images as well, but make sure that the ‘1’ really is 1.
have found out. The key elements of understanding that you are expecting are that 2
Don’t for instance, use 3 multilink as 1 (it’s 3, not 1),
quarters are the same as 1 half, two sixths are the same as one third, two tenths are the
saying that each multilink is 1/3, as children will see each multilink is actually 1.
same as one fifth and that you can put different types of fractions together to make 1, such as Children count in steps of 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1/10, recording their count in a variety of ways which always
two quarters and five tenths. Children need to experiment with and see this for themselves.
include images and sometimes include numerals as well.
Fraction number lines
Use the number lines in steps of 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and 1/5 for counting activities. Get children to begin to make their own fraction number lines, including those showing numbers between 8 and 9, or 21 and
24, for instance, and not just between 0 and 1.
More ideas
In general always say ‘one’, rather than ‘a whole’. When we count we don’t say a half, a whole, a whole and a half, two wholes! A whole simply means one, and children need to say ‘one’ in order to
understand this.
Children will need to be secure with the concept of a unit fraction, such as 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5 and so on. They will also need practical activities to explore making fractions from playdough, which helps
them show that they are trying to make each seventh, for instance, the same size.
Explore ‘Fraction number lines’, either as a sheet or as separate strips. Ask children ‘What is the same and what is different about the number lines?’ Ask children to fold the number lines to show
halves, quarters or thirds.
Look for and deal with these misconceptions:
The third block along is called ‘3/7’, the fifth is called ‘5/7’ and so on, no matter how many are coloured.
Counting 1/7, 2/7, 3/7, 4/7, 5/7, 6/7, 1, 11/7, 21/7, 31/7, etc..... Can children see where they have gone wrong?
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Y3 Block 4
Planning grid
Days 3 - 4
OVERVIEW – WHAT CHILDREN WILL LEARN
Objectives you will cover, partially or fully
Now focus on halves and quarters in a measuring context. Find ½
or ¼ of weights, lengths, capacities, money or time. Some children
will be interested in 1/100 as a fraction, and this can be related to
money or length.
2) Count up and down in tenths; recognise that tenths arise from dividing an object into 10 equal
parts and in dividing one-digit numbers or quantities by 10
3) Recognise, find and write fractions of a discrete set of objects: unit fractions and non-unit fractions
with small denominators
Oral/ Mental Objective
and Activity
Objectives/Success
criteria
Introduction/
demonstration/
modelling
Activities set
Differentiation / Use of
other adults
Learning review
opportunities
Resources
[email protected]
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Activity ideas
Outside (or in hall)
Cut long strips of till roll, 1, 2 or 3 metres each.
Children use metre sticks to measure them,
then fold them in half or in quarters, and finally
measure and record what ½ or ¼ of these
lengths are. Can they also fold to make 1/3?
Keep pouring!
Fill an unmarked jug or bottle with 1l of coloured water. Provide 2 containers to pour it
into. Can children find ½ l? What if the containers are different shapes? Is it still
possible? Can they use a jug with a scale to check the results? Now challenge them
to find ¼ l or another fraction.
If it’s not possible to use water, try using sand or rice instead.
Games
Find out about games that have half-time. Children make a
list or table showing the name of the game, a printed or
drawn picture of it, the time taken in each half, and the time
for the whole game (as twice each half, not including the
break).
More ideas
Work practically to find a half or a quarter of a set of weights. How can you check you are right?
Share coins into 2 equal groups, understanding that each group has half the amount, first using only one value of coin but moving to sharing 5 x10p coins, for instance.
Understand the meaning of ½ and ¼ in the context of time, and link this to folding a paper clock into quarters.
What calculation would you do to find 1/4 of 12 litres?
One half of 32p is 16p. What is one quarter of 32p?
This line is 6 cm long. Use a ruler to divide it into quarters. Find 1/4 of 6 cm.
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