Introduction to Ratio and Proportion
A comprehensive lesson introducing Year 6 pupils to ratio and proportion. The lesson focuses on understanding the relationship between quantities and using multiplicative reasoning to solve real-world problems.
Learning objectives
- Understand and use ratio notation (e.g., 2:3) to compare quantities.
- Solve problems involving the relative sizes of two quantities where appropriate factors and multiples are used.
- Solve problems involving unequal sharing and grouping using knowledge of fractions and multiples.
- Use bar models to represent and solve ratio and proportion problems.
Lesson plan (60 minutes)
Introduction · 10 min
Starter: Recall multiplication and division facts. Introduce the concept of 'for every x, there are y'.
Teaching · 15 min
Direct Instruction: Use the explainer script to define ratio and show how to use bar models.
Guided Practice · 10 min
Guided Practice: Work through the provided example together on whiteboards.
Independent Practice · 15 min
Independent Work: Students complete differentiated worksheets (Support, Core, or Stretch).
Assessment · 10 min
Plenary: 8-question multiple-choice quiz and reflection on objectives.
Key vocabulary
- Ratio
- A way to compare two or more quantities, showing how many times one value contains another.
- Proportion
- Two variables where the ratio of one to the other is constant.
- Simplify
- To divide a ratio by a common factor to its smallest whole numbers.
- ScaleFactor
- The relationship between a distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground.
- Bar Model
- A visual representation using rectangular bars to solve problems.
Core worksheet (first questions)
- Simplify the ratio 6:10.
- A bag of 28 beads has red and white beads in the ratio 3:4. How many are red?
- The ratio of boys to girls in a club is 2:3. If there are 10 boys, how many girls are there?
- A recipe for 4 people uses 200g of flour. How much flour is needed for 7 people?
Quiz (sample)
1. In a bag, there are 3 red marbles and 2 blue marbles. What is the ratio of red to blue?
- A. 2:3
- B. 3:2
- C. 3:5
- D. 2:5
2. Simplify the ratio 5:15.
- A. 1:2
- B. 3:1
- C. 1:3
- D. 2:6
3. The ratio of boys to girls is 2:3. If there are 15 girls, how many boys are there?
- A. 8
- B. 10
- C. 12
- D. 15
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Support and Stretch worksheets, every answer and model answer, the teaching explainer and common misconceptions, editable and ready to print as PDF or Word.
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