For Educators

Operations with Decimal Numbers

This activity is designed for students in fifth grade, as well as any students working on strategies for completing operations with decimal numbers. In this review activity, students will create a poster highlighting their favorite strategies for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimal numbers. Students are also provided the opportunity to show how they can employ those strategies to solve a variety of problems involving operations with decimal numbers. Allowing students the opportunity to create their own strategy poster will not only help them take ownership of their learning as mathematicians but will also bring some creativity and fun to your math lesson!

Common Core State Standards

Mathematical Practices:

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1	Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP6	Attend to precision.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP7	Look for and make use of structure.

5th Grade

CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.A.1 – Recognize that in a multi-digit number, a digit in one place represents 10 times as much as it represents in the place to its right and 1/10 of what it represents in the place to its left.

CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.B.7 – Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredths, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction; relate the strategy to a written method and explain the reasoning used.

Downloads

Long Distance Cricket Spitting

Objectives:

Students will be able to use what they know about place value to determine strategies for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals.

Materials:

• Building Blocks of Math: Moving Beyond Foundations series, specifically Decimals

• Large construction paper (or other paper for student posters)

• Independent assignment – Long Distance Cricket Spitting

• Pencils

• Optional: Scratch Paper

Differentiation Considerations:

Consider pulling a small group of students who need some support to complete the independent assignment. It may be best to start on the second page, working with the multiplication and division problems with the students and then sending them to complete the first page on addition and subtraction independently.

Procedures:

1. Students can work independently or in groups of up to three members to create a one-page poster detailing steps for solving decimal problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

2. Model how to set up your poster by subdividing it into four sections and labeling them as follows:

a. Add Decimals

b. Subtract Decimals

c. Multiply Decimals

d. Divide Decimals
3. Explain to students that they can use bullet points, complete sentences, and pictures on their poster, but each box must contain:

a. Steps explaining how to solve that type of problem (strategies)

b. An example problem and solution

c. Any other information that might be beneficial to remember
4. After students have completed their posters, they may use them to help them complete the independent assignment, Long Distance Cricket Spitting.