Lesson 11
Make Sense of Decimal Addition
Lesson Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to add decimals in a way that makes sense to them.
Lesson Narrative
The purpose of this lesson is for students to extend their understanding of adding multi-digit whole numbers to evaluate sums with decimals. Students find sums in a way that makes sense to them. The activities in the lesson are designed to encourage students to think about composing new units. This allows them to build on their work with equivalent decimal values in the previous section as well as their whole number work in previous grades.
- Engagement
Activity 2: Target Numbers: Add Tenths or Hundredths
Learning Goals
Teacher Facing
- Add decimals to the hundredths in a way that makes sense to them.
Student Facing
- Let’s add decimals.
Required Materials
Materials to Gather
Materials to Copy
- Target Numbers Stage 8 Recording Sheet
Required Preparation
- Create a large chart titled “Decimal Addition” to display during the lesson synthesis.
Activity 1:
- Each group of 2 needs a piece of chart paper and colored pencils, markers, or crayons.
Activity 2:
- Each group of 2 needs 1 number cube.
Lesson Timeline
| Warm-up | 10 min |
| Activity 1 | 15 min |
| Activity 2 | 20 min |
| Lesson Synthesis | 10 min |
| Cool-down | 5 min |
Teacher Reflection Questions
How did the student work that you selected impact the direction of the discussion? What student work might you pick next time if you taught the lesson again?
Suggested Centers
- Tic Tac Round (3–5), Stage 3: Decimals (Addressing)
- Greatest of Them All (1–5), Stage 4: Decimals (Addressing)
- Jump the Line (2–5), Stage 2: Add and Subtract Tenths and Hundredths (Supporting)
Print Formatted Materials
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| Student Task Statements | docx | |
| Lesson Cover Page | docx | |
| Cool Down | Log In | |
| Teacher Guide | Log In | |
| Teacher Presentation Materials | docx | |
| Blackline Masters | zip |