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Benchmark Percents Lesson Plan - 6th Grade Math

Overview

In this lesson, we’ll introduce the concept of benchmark percents to 6th graders with double number lines to find a variety of benchmark percents for a given value. Students will start the lesson with a review on double number lines and how to use them which will help students to move into the benchmark activity.

Percents
6.RP.A.3.C
Step-by-step help

ByteLearn gives students targeted feedback and hints based on their specific mistakes

Preview step-by-step-help

Objective

Students will be able to find benchmark percentages from a number.

Materials

• Teacher Slideshow
• Deciles and Quartiles Number lines
• Partner Activity Worksheet Each student will need one however students may work together.
• Online Practice

How to Teach Benchmark Percents

Warm up

Start the class with a quick warm-up activity on reviewing double number lines. You can present this slide on the screen and ask students to come up and fill in the missing boxes - each student gets to fill in one. They have to explain their rationale as they fill in a box.

Working with deciles

Explain to students that they will be using a double number line to find benchmark percentages. The next two slides works with deciles. Ask students to work in pairs to fill the missing boxes. These number lines can be found in the Deciles and Quartiles Number lines document.

Ask students to share their strategy for filling in the missing boxes. Asking for 100% and 0% helps to reinforce these ideas which we might assume that students know. Finding 10% by dividing the whole by 10 makes it a lot easier to find other percentages that are multiples of 10. In slide 4, we ask for 20% - ask them why might we find 20% instead of 10%.

Build on this number line. Ask students to write down their answer for 5% of 140. Follow that with 105% of 140. Make sure to call students to the board to locate 5% and 105% on the number line. Follow that with 170% of 140. This will help students to get comfortable with percents beyond 100%.

Working with quartiles

Work through the next few slides with students on 10% and 25% benchmarks. Remind students that they should always fill in the values for 0% and 100% of the given number first.

It is fascinating to see the different ways in which students arrive at the answers for this number line. Some might choose to go to 25%, then 50% and then 75% while some might want to start with 50% first. There are at least three different ways in which students find 75%

• 3\cdot 25% = 75%
• 100% - 25% = 75%
• 25% + 50% = 75%

Partner activity

Let students know that they can use double number lines to find benchmark percents with word problems as well. Provide students with the Partner Activity Worksheet and allow students to work together. This worksheet introduces word problems and how to go about solving them. This worksheet also uses both 10% and 25% intervals for students to practice with.

Go over the answers as a class and discuss. You can use the last two slides to go over the worksheet. You may choose a group to create the second double number line on the board.

Benchmark Percents Practice

After students have completed their lesson, it’s time for some independent practice! ByteLearn gives you access to tons of benchmark percent activities. Check out the online practice and assign to your students for classwork and/or homework!

Benchmark Percents Practice
Problem 1 of 4

View this practice