Decimal day
This is a level 4 number activity from the Figure It Out series. It is focused on ordering decimals to 2 decimal places. A PDF of the student activity is included.
About this resource
Figure It Out is a series of 80 books published between 1999 and 2009 to support teaching and learning in New Zealand classrooms.
This resource provides the teachers’ notes and answers for one activity from the Figure It Out series. A printable PDF of the student activity can be downloaded from the materials that come with this resource.
Specific learning outcomes:
- Order decimals to 2 decimal places.
Decimal day
Achievement objectives
NA4-6: Know the relative size and place value structure of positive and negative integers and decimals to three places.
Required materials
- Figure It Out, Level 3, Number, Book 1, "Decimal day", page 15
- a set of numeral cards for each player (see Decimal day numerals 0-1)
- a decimal point card for each player (or counter)
- 2 or more classmates
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Decimal day activity (.pdf)
- Decimal day numerals 0-1 (.pdf)
Activity
This activity focuses on ordering decimals to two places. Students could model the height of each player using two metre rulers on the floor.
K, R, S, J, and M are the initial letters of the players.
Introduce question 2 carefully. Students may have difficulty fully understanding the question. They need to be clear who is in the original team and who the new players are. Read it through with the students. Highlight the team changes by asking:
- Who are the two new players?
- Who must have been left out if Aroha is now the shortest?
Game
This game is short and simple but very effective for challenging students’ understanding of the digits involved in decimal numbers.
Have the winning students justify their result by talking about the place value of their digits. Vary the rules to create more learning opportunities. For example, you could ask students to
- Make the largest decimal with a two-digit whole number in it. Make the smallest decimal with a one-digit whole number in it. Make the biggest number you can that is smaller than 7 but larger than 3.9.
1.
Centre: Minnie (tallest)
Guards: Joe and Stretch (second and third tallest)
Forwards: Ruth and Kevin (shortest)
2.
a. Joe and Stretch
b. Joe is a guard, and Stretch is a forward.
c. Ruth and Kevin
Game
A game using decimals.
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