Autumn (1st) Term Year 6 Math Lesson Plan
Date: 4th – 5th September 2025
Week: 1
Strand: Number
Sub-strand: Unit 1.2 Rounding Decimal Numbers
Learning Objectives
• Round numbers with 2 decimal places to the nearest tenth or whole number.
Success Criteria
• Learners round a number with 2 decimal places to the nearest whole number.
• Learners round a number with 2 decimal places to the nearest tenth.
Lesson Duration: 40 minutes
Lesson Starter (5 minutes)
Starter Activity:
- Teacher writes on the board: 4.3, 7.8, 12.6.
- Ask: “Round these numbers to the nearest whole number.”
- Learners answer on mini-whiteboards or orally.
- Teacher reviews quickly and reminds them of rounding rules (if digit is 5 or more,
round up; if less than 5, round down).
👉 This prepares them for rounding numbers with 2 decimal places.
RPK (Relevant Previous Knowledge)
Learners should already know:
• Place value of whole numbers and decimals (tenths, hundredths).
• Rounding whole numbers to the nearest 10, 100, and 1000.
• The rule of “5 or more, round up; 4 or less, round down.”
Main Teaching (30 minutes)
Teaching Pedagogy: I Do – We Do – You Do (gradual release model) with guided
practice and differentiated activities.
Teacher Modelling (Whole Class)
1. Rounding to the nearest whole number:
- Example: 12.46 → Look at tenths digit (4). Since 4 < 5, round down → 12.
- Example: 8.75 → Tenths digit is 7 (≥5), so round up → 9.
2. Rounding to the nearest tenth:
- Example: 6.84 → Look at hundredths digit (4). Since 4 < 5, round down → 6.8.
- Example: 3.97 → Look at hundredths digit (7). Since 7 ≥ 5, round up → 4.0.
(Teacher shows on a number line for visual support.)
Activity 1 (Differentiated Practice – 10 minutes)
- Lower ability: Round 1-decimal numbers to nearest whole number (e.g., 3.6 → 4).
- Medium ability: Round 2-decimal numbers to nearest whole number (e.g., 7.82 → 8).
- Higher ability: Round 2-decimal numbers to nearest tenth and whole number (e.g.,
15.67 → 15.7 & 16).
Activity 2 (Group Work – 10 minutes)
Learners work in pairs with decimal number cards.
Each pair rounds their card number to the nearest tenth and nearest whole number.
They compare answers and explain reasoning to each other.
Activity 3 (Independent Challenge – 10 minutes)
Word Problems:
1. A rope is 12.68 m long. Round it to the nearest metre.
2. A drink costs 3.47 Ghana Cedis. Round it to the nearest tenth.
3. Temperature is 26.94°C. Round to the nearest degree.
Resources
• Place value chart (whole numbers and decimals)
• Decimal number cards
• Number lines (for tenths and hundredths)
• Mini whiteboards & markers
• Worksheets with graded questions
Plenary (5 minutes)
• Quick quiz: Teacher gives 3 decimals (e.g., 4.78, 9.25, 15.96). Learners round them
quickly on whiteboards.
• Exit Question:
- “What digit do you check when rounding to the nearest tenth?”
- “What digit do you check when rounding to the nearest whole number?”
• Learners share answers before leaving.
Assessment for Learning (AfL)
• Observe answers in starter activity.
• Check reasoning during group work.
• Review responses in plenary.
• Collect worksheets for marking.
Visual Model: Number Line for Rounding
A number line helps learners see how decimals round to the nearest whole number or
tenth.
Example: Round 4.36 to the nearest tenth.
→ On a number line between 4.3 and 4.4, 4.36 is closer to 4.4.
So, 4.36 rounds to 4.4.
Example: Round 7.68 to the nearest whole number.
→ On a number line between 7 and 8, 7.68 is closer to 8.
So, 7.68 rounds to 8.
📌 Teacher can draw a number line on the board:
4.3 ----- 4.31 ----- 4.32 ----- ... ----- 4.39 ----- 4.4
Mark 4.36 → show it’s closer to 4.4.
Similarly:
7 ----- 7.1 ----- ... ----- 7.9 ----- 8
Mark 7.68 → show it’s closer to 8.