Decimal Numbers

Using the Key Concepts to Think About Decimal Numbers......

We have been inquiring into our base 10 number system and there has been a lot of wonderings happening related to decimal numbers on our class wonder wall (post it note wonderings the children are encouraged to add to when they want). 

From listening into groups and pair number discussions I have been able to determine that whilst the majority of us have a pretty good basic understanding of decimal numbers, there is a significant handful that show that decimals is a concept they still only just beginning to grasp.

In situations like this, the PYP key concepts can be a really useful learning tool. They can help assist those learners in foundation levels of understanding to develop more solid conceptual understandings whilst at the same time deepening the understandings of those learners who already have good understandings.

I explained how we can see that decimal numbers appear on our class wonder wall a lot and so we should try to address some of them.

I asked, 'To think about decimal numbers which key concepts do we think would be the most useful?'

We decided upon:

° Form
° Connection
° Causation

We then used the think-pair-share routine to help us deepen our understandings.


This is what we came up with as we shared together:

Whilst sharing, the children were encouraged to share with us examples of ideas they had when the need arose.  Lots of turn-and-talks took place to help build stronger understandings and communication skills as we thought about ideas.


Doing think-pair-share routines like this is a very useful formative assessment tool and it greatly helps all learners regardless of where they are at conceptually to expand and deepen their understandings.

This also helps develop our sense of being a community of mathematicians sharing theories, wonderings and understandings.

From this, I felt more confident in us moving forward with using decimal numbers and in helping each learner feel more confident in inquiring into the other wonderings we have created.