Parts and Percentages - Lesson 3: Scaling Down Ratios

Equip your Year 6 class with the skills to tackle tricky ratio and proportion problems! Throughout the five lessons included in this complete scheme of work, children will learn how to calculate ratio and solve a variety of proportions problems using straightforward mathematical models and algorithms.

Each lesson plan pack includes a variety of resources to help children solve problems involving the relative sizes of two quantities where the missing values can be found by using integer multiplication and division facts. They'll learn how to scale ratios up and down using a simple 'ratio robot' model to help them.

That's not all that's covered in these extensive KS2 lessons, though: your class will also build on their understanding of percentages as they solve problems involving the calculation of percentages and the use of percentages for comparison. The included slides show, in simple steps, how to find percentages of amounts and increase or decrease them, too.

Explain how ratios can be used to answer questions and solve word problems involving the relative size of two quantities.

In this, the first of five 'Parts and Percentages' lessons for Year 6, children are presented with some straightforward ratio word problems which can easily be drawn or visualised to better understand them. The included slide show includes several real-life examples of ratios to help pupils understand what's happening when calculating ratios and proportions. Teaching children about this strand of KS2 Maths can be tricky, but this lesson's presentation makes things easier with clear explanations and various models for answering simple ratio questions.

After the main teaching input, there's a choice of differentiated learning activities, with ratio worksheets and problem-solving activities included. Both provide ample opportunities for children to apply what they've learnt as they tackle some similar ratio word problems.

Identify and use efficient methods for visualising and solving ratio scaling problems, including using a simple mathematical model: the Ratio Robot!

In this, the second of five lessons in 'Parts and Percentages', children are challenged to consider which of their methods for working out ratio problems—and those shown on the included slides—are more efficient than others. After that, use the included teaching input to explain how to use an efficient four-sector 'Ratio Robot' model for scaling up or down.

During either of this lesson planning pack's two included activities children will be able to practise the ratio scaling problem-solving skills they've just learnt, either individually with the differentiated worksheets, or as part of a group working to solve a single ratio problem together.

Teach your class how to scale down using halving, written division methods and a 'ratio robot' mathematical model to solve ratio scaling problems involving scaling down.

The included slides with this, the third of five lessons in 'Parts and Percentages', give children plenty of opportunities to consider how ratios given in a variety of contexts and problems may be scaled down. They show a four-sector 'ratio robot': a mathematical model that helps solve ratio problems in a variety of contexts. Through the straightforward explanations shown, your class will be reminded of mental and written methods for division which they can choose and use to solve a variety of ratio scaling questions.

Take a look at how pie charts represent percentages, then teach your class how to use an algorithm to find percentages of amounts.

In this, the fourth of five lessons in 'Parts and Percentages' for Year 6, children will take a look at pie charts and what they represent, including how the value of sectors of pie charts can be estimated at a glance. They'll learn how to quickly draw estimated pie charts as a way of visualising sets of given percentages, too.

After that, teach your pupils how to use a simple algorithm to find percentages of amounts, then challenge them to put what they've learnt into practice during either of the included activities. In these, children will either practise finding he values of percentages presented in tables on the included percentages worksheets or play a 'Storm the Tower!' game where the aim is to guess which percentage of pairs of amounts is greater.

Teach children how to solve percentage increase and decrease problems such as working out the price of sale items.

In this, the fifth and final lesson in 'Parts and Percentages' for Year 6, children will apply what they have learnt already about finding percentages of amounts as they attempt to answer a variety of percentage questions. With the included slides, you'll teach them how to calculate percentage increase and decrease using multiplication, division, subtraction and addition.

After the teaching input, there's a choice of two activities included where children can put what they've learnt into practice, either by solving some tricky problems on the differentiated percentage increase and decrease worksheets, or by working in groups to prepare price tickets for a shop's discount sale!