Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 4

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Solve word problems using addition and subtraction (with 4-digit numbers).
• Use strategies like breaking down numbers and rounding.
• Check answers using the inverse operation.
• Write a number sentence for a word problem.
• Write a clear concluding sentence for your answer.

Lesson summary

This week, we continue our journey with whole numbers by focusing on how we use addition and subtraction to solve real-life problems. In South Africa, we use these skills every single day without even thinking about it! When you go to the spaza shop, you need to add up the cost of your items and calculate your change. When your family plans a trip from Johannesburg to Durban, you need to understand the distance and how far you have left to go. Knowing how to solve these problems confidently is a superpower that helps you manage money, understand the world, and make smart decisions.

Lesson notes

A. Becoming a Word Problem Detective Word problems are just maths questions hidden inside a story. To solve them, we need to follow a few simple steps: Read Carefully: Read the entire problem at least twice to understand the story.

Find the Clues: Look for numbers and 'clue words'.

Addition Clue Words: altogether, sum, total, more than, combined, increase, plus.* Subtraction Clue Words: how many are left, difference, less than, take away, decrease, minus, how many more.* Write a Number Sentence: Use the numbers and clues to write an equation. For example, `125 + 45 = ?` or `500 - 150 = ?`.

Choose Your Strategy & Calculate: Pick the best method to find the answer.

Check Your Answer: Use the opposite operation to make sure you are correct.

Write the Answer Sentence: Write your final answer in a full sentence so everyone understands what you found. --- B. Calculation Strategies While the column method is excellent, sometimes other strategies are faster, especially for mental maths.

Strategy 1: Breaking Down Numbers (Decomposition) This involves breaking numbers into their place values (Thousands, Hundreds, Tens, Units) to make them easier to work with.