Understanding Percentages

Lesson Overview

Year Level: Year 6
Curriculum Area: Mathematics
Western Australian Curriculum Reference:

• ACMNA131: Recognise that percentages are fractional representations and express fractions, decimals, and percentages in equivalent forms.

Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 10 students

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:
✔ Understand that percentages represent parts per hundred.
✔ Convert fractions and decimals into percentages.
✔ Recognise the significance of percentages in real-world contexts.

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Materials Required

📝 Whiteboard and markers
📒 Student workbooks
🔢 Percentage flip cards (pre-made with decimals, fractions, and percentages)
🎲 Percentage dice (with numbers like 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%)
🖥 Interactive presentation (if available)

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up Activity (10 mins) – Quick Fire Percentage Challenge

• Write the following on the board: ½, 0.75, 10/100, 3/5, 0.2
• Ask students: "What do these have in common?"
• Discuss how fractions and decimals can be expressed as percentages.
• Call out numbers (e.g., 50%) and have students quickly write down their equivalent fraction and decimal.

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2. Key Concept Exploration (15 mins) – The Power of Percentages

• Define percentage: "Percent means 'per hundred' — it’s a way of expressing part of a whole."
• Show visual representations (100-grid squares shaded for different percentages).
• Link to real-life examples:
  • Discounts in shops (20% off sales)
  • Test scores (getting 85% in a maths test)
  • Sport statistics (% of shots made in basketball)

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3. Guided Practice (15 mins) – Fraction & Decimal Conversion Relay

• Split students into pairs.
• Each pair is given a set of fraction/decimal/percentage cards.
• Their task: Match all three forms together correctly. Example:
  • ½ → 0.5 → 50%
  • ¼ → 0.25 → 25%
• When done, students explain one of their matches to the class.

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4. Independent Task (10 mins) – Everyday Percentages Hunt

• Give students a worksheet listing everyday percentage use (e.g., "Find the percentage of sugar in a cereal box label").
• Students work independently to find objects in the classroom (food packaging, textbooks, posters) that display percentages.
• Discuss findings as a group.

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5. Wrap-Up Activity (10 mins) – Percentage Dice Game

• Students roll percentage dice (with numbers like 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%).
• They must:
  • Represent it as a fraction and a decimal
  • Give a real-life example (e.g., "50% off a $40 jacket means I save $20").
• Classmates check and validate answers.

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Assessment & Reflection

👀 Observation – How confidently do students match fractions, decimals, and percentages?
📝 Student discussion – Can they explain percentage use in real life?
✅ Quickfire Q&A – Ask students:

1. Why is 0.25 the same as 25%?
2. What percent of a pizza is left if you eat ¾ of it?

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Differentiation Strategies

🌟 Support: Provide a fractions/decimals/percentages reference sheet for students needing extra help.
🚀 Extension: Challenge students to convert complex fractions into percentages (e.g., 3/8 = ?%).

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Teacher Reflection After Lesson

• Did students grasp the core concept of percentages?
• Where did they struggle – fraction conversion, decimal conversion, or real-world applications?
• How can I adjust the next lesson to reinforce understanding?

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Next Lesson Preview

📌 Lesson 4 – "Calculating Percentage Discounts & Increases"
Focus: Applying percentages to financial literacy – discounts, GST and interest rates.

Final Thought

By making percentages relatable, we help students appreciate their significance beyond the classroom! 🚀