Place Value to 20 — Year 1 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: Mathematics — Number: place value (within 20), Year 1
Overview
Pupils develop their understanding of place value for numbers up to 20, learning to represent, partition, and order these numbers. They explore the structure of teen numbers as 'ten and some more', connecting this to concrete representations using objects and ten frames.
Learning Objectives
- Count reliably to 20 and back.
- Represent numbers to 20 using objects, ten frames, and numerals.
- Understand that teen numbers are made of one ten and some ones.
- Order and compare numbers to 20 using the language of more and fewer.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Count together to 20 using a number line. Then count back from 20. Show a ten frame with 14 objects: 'How many? How do you know?' Establish that we can see the ten and the four extra.
Use Dienes blocks or counters: build numbers 11–20 as one full ten frame plus extra ones. Establish the structure: 14 = 10 + 4. Write the numeral and the partition. Compare: 'Which is more, 14 or 17? How do you know?'
Pupils build numbers on double ten frames using counters, write the numeral, and write the partition. Sequence: 'show me 13... show me 18... which is more?'
Pupils complete a number representation activity: draw counters on a ten frame, write the numeral, write the partition (e.g. 16 = 10 + ☐). Then order five numbers from smallest to largest.
Show a ten frame with some counters. Ask: 'What number is this? How many more to make 20?' Pupils show answers on whiteboards.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils sometimes write teen numbers back to front (e.g. '41' for fourteen) — the spoken form 'four-teen' suggests the 4 first; use Dienes and ten frames to show the ten is always first.
- Thinking that 'teens' start at 10 — reinforce that 10, 11, and 12 exist before the '-teen' pattern begins at 13.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Secure counting to 10 and knowledge of number bonds to 10.
- Ability to read and write numerals 0–10.
- Experience using ten frames with numbers to 10.
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