Overview

A 60-minute Halloween-themed maths session designed for a Year 4 tuition student, incorporating engaging activities that meet the National Curriculum for England. Each activity creatively uses Halloween props and scenarios to teach and reinforce key Year 4 mathematical concepts, including multiplication & division, decimals, factors, reasoning, and place value.

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National Curriculum Links

• Number – Multiplication and Division (Y4)

  • Recall multiplication and division facts for multiplication tables up to 12 × 12
  • Use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally
  • Solve problems involving multiplication and division, including using factors and multiples

• Number – Decimals (Y4)

  • Recognise and write decimal equivalents of any number of tenths or hundredths
  • Round decimals with one decimal place to the nearest whole number

• Number – Addition and Subtraction (Y4)

  • Solve addition and subtraction two-step problems in context, deciding which operations and methods to use

• Mathematical Reasoning

  • Explain and demonstrate understanding of reasoning and problem-solving strategies

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, the student will be able to:

1. Use multiplication and division facts to solve problems (Wicked Witch Way).
2. Understand and use decimal notation in money contexts (Potion Shop).
3. Apply reasoning skills to identify true or false statements (Pick a Pumpkin).
4. Solve place value and rounding problems in a fun Halloween context (Spooky House).

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Lesson Structure

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Briefly introduce the Halloween theme and explain the four activity stations: Wicked Witch Way, Potion Shop, Pick a Pumpkin, and Spooky House.
• Discuss today’s learning goals: multiplication/division, decimals, reasoning, and place value.

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Activity 1: Wicked Witch Way (15 minutes)

Learning Focus: Multiplication and division facts, reasoning with factors.
Resources: Witch hats numbered 1-5, hoops, scoring chart.

Instructions:

• Student throws hoops over hats numbered from 1 to 5. Each hat shows a numerical value (1 to 5).
• Instead of simply adding scores, the student multiplies the numbers hit by the number of successful hoop throws. For example, if the student lands on hats 2, 4, and 3 (three throws), the score is (2 + 4 + 3) × 3 = 9 × 3 = 27.
• Challenge the student to find alternative ways to combine scores, e.g., multiply all numbers hit, or find factors and multiples within their score totals.

Curriculum Link:

• Use multiplication facts up to 12 × 12.
• Apply knowledge of factors and multiples to solve problems.

Assessment:

• Ask the student to explain how they calculated their score using multiplication or factors.
• Discuss which scoring method produced the highest total and why.

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Activity 2: Potion Shop (15 minutes)

Learning Focus: Understanding decimals and money – recognise and use decimals as fractions.
Resources: Printable “potion price list” with prices like £1.50, £2.25, £3.75, plus “coins” or counters representing pennies and pounds.

Instructions:

• The student plays the role of a shopkeeper selling potions for the prices given.
• They calculate the total cost of a combination of potions, write the sum as a decimal, and work out change from a given amount of money.
• Introduce rounding: ask the student to round potion prices to the nearest whole number or nearest 10p.

Curriculum Link:

• Recognise and use decimal equivalents of tenths and hundredths.
• Round decimals with one decimal place to the nearest whole number.
• Solve money problems using decimals.

Assessment:

• Present “purchase problems” asking for total cost and change.
• Review the student’s rounding explanations.

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Activity 3: Pick a Pumpkin (15 minutes)

Learning Focus: Reasoning with true/false statements related to number facts.

Variant 1 (True/False pumpkins):

• Use the “True” and “False” pumpkins.
• The student draws cards with Year 4 relevant statements (e.g., “Multiplying any number by 1 leaves it unchanged”, “0 is a factor of all numbers”) and places them on the correct pumpkin.

Variant 2 (Numbered pumpkins 1-20):

• The student picks a numbered pumpkin (1-20), then explains whether it is a prime number.
• Alternatively, assign a challenge: find all multiples of that number between 1 and 100.

Curriculum Link:

• Recognise prime numbers and factors.
• Reason mathematically by justifying statements asked.

Assessment:

• Ask student to explain why some statements are true/false.
• Evaluate reasoning behind identifying prime numbers or multiples.

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Activity 4: Spooky House (10 minutes)

Learning Focus: Place value, rounding, and problem solving.

Instructions:

• The "spooky house" has four “rooms,” each containing a digit from a 4-digit number. The student “moves” between rooms to form numbers.
• Given a 4-digit number, the student rounds to the nearest 10, 100, or 1000.
• The student then changes digits to create the largest/smallest possible number, explaining their choices.
• Extension: create a Halloween “code” using place value clues (e.g., 3 thousands, 4 hundreds, 2 tens, 1 one).

Curriculum Link:

• Recognise place value of each digit in a 4-digit number.
• Round numbers to any degree of accuracy.

Assessment:

• Check understanding through reasoning about place value.
• Ask the student to justify their rounding and digit arrangement.

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Plenary (5 minutes)

• Recap learning objectives with the student.
• Discuss favourite activities and what was most challenging.
• Ask the student to explain one new thing they learned today and how it connects with the National Curriculum objectives.

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Materials Summary

Activity	Resources Needed	Curriculum Focus
Wicked Witch Way	Numbered witch hats (1-5), hoops	Multiplication, factors
Potion Shop	Potion price list, play money (coins)	Decimals, money calculations
Pick a Pumpkin	Numbered pumpkins or True/False pumpkins	Prime numbers, reasoning
Spooky House	“Spooky house” digits chart or cards	Place value, rounding, problem solving

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Differentiation and Extension

• For challenge, increase number range in Wicked Witch Way to 1-10 for multiplication practice.
• Potion Shop: Include subtraction of money and introduction of simple percentages for discounts.
• Pick a Pumpkin: Introduce reasoning with divisibility rules.
• Spooky House: Create multi-step problems involving addition or subtraction of 4-digit numbers.

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This lesson plan transforms core Year 4 mathematics into a rich, engaging Halloween experience while fully aligning with the National Curriculum. It encourages deep thinking, problem-solving, and application within a fun, memorable context.