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Adding & Subtracting Decimals

Fifth graders learn to add and subtract decimals accurately — the key is lining up the decimal points so each place lines up — a skill they’ll use for money and measurement every day.

Grade 5Decimals50 minutes1 class periodGradual ReleaseExplicit teaching4 StandardsCommon Core
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Line up decimal points.
  • ✓Add decimals.
  • ✓Subtract decimals.
  • ✓Solve money and measurement problems.
Essential Question

You buy something for $3.40 and something for $2.15 — how much in all? Adding decimals has one golden rule that makes it easy!

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Model · Interactive Tool

Add or Subtract

Project each item and have students solve. The tool shows the golden rule: line up the decimal points first!

🔢 Add and subtract the decimalsTry it
Add or subtract each pair of decimals.
The Lesson · Gradual Release (I Do · We Do · You Do)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Launch — Money Math

5 min

$3.40 plus $2.15 — how do we add the decimals?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose a money problem.
  • Ask how to add them.
  • Set the goal: decimal addition.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Read the problem.
  • Wonder how.
  • Predict the rule.
2

I Do — Line Up the Points

10 min

Teacher models.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Line up the decimal points.
  • Add a zero to fill places.
  • Add or subtract.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Line them up.
  • Fill places.
  • Add/subtract.
3

We Do — Solve Together

13 min

Class uses Add or Subtract.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Line up the points.
  • Add or subtract.
  • Check the answer.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Line them up.
  • Solve.
  • Check it.
4

You Do — On Your Own

12 min

Students compute.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Add and subtract decimals.
  • Solve money problems.
  • Check by estimating.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compute them.
  • Solve money.
  • Estimate to check.
5

Close — Close

5 min

One problem.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Give a decimal problem.
  • Solve it.
  • Hand out the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Solve it.
  • Show the steps.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

CCSS
5.NBT.7

Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredths.

CCSS
5.NBT.7

Relate decimal operations to a written method.

CCSS
5.NBT.3

Read, write, and compare decimals.

SMP
MP.6

Attend to precision by lining up decimal points.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Show lined-up problems.
  • Sentence frame: “Line up the ___ points.”
  • Use grid paper.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Provide lined-up problems.
  • Add zeros to fill places.
  • Use grid paper.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add several decimals.
  • Solve multi-step money problems.
  • Estimate before solving.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 💵Play money
  • 💻Add or Subtract
  • 📐Grid paper
  • 🧮Calculators
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

decimala number with a decimal pointdecimal pointseparates whole and partsline upalign the decimal pointssumthe answer to additiondifferencethe answer to subtractionplace valuewhat a digit is worthestimatea smart guess to checkregroupto carry or borrow
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is 5.2 + 1.35?
6.55.
QUESTION 2
What is the golden rule for adding decimals?
Line up the decimal points so each place lines up.
QUESTION 3
What is 4.5 − 1.8?
2.7.

Going deeper? Multi-step money.

Have students solve multi-step money problems — like buying items and finding change — by adding and subtracting decimals. A printable decimals sheet is in the Math library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Adding & Subtracting DecimalsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Adding & Subtracting DecimalsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Adding & Subtracting DecimalsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: decimal, decimal point, difference, estimate, line up, place value, regroup, sum
  1. the answer to addition
  2. a number with a decimal point
  3. align the decimal points
  4. the answer to subtraction
  5. a smart guess to check
  6. to carry or borrow
  7. what a digit is worth
  8. separates whole and parts

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is 5.2 + 1.35?
  2. What is the golden rule for adding decimals?
  3. What is 4.5 − 1.8?
Answer key — Part A: 1) sum · 2) decimal · 3) line up · 4) difference · 5) estimate · 6) regroup · 7) place value · 8) decimal point
Part B: 1) 6.55. 2) Line up the decimal points so each place lines up. 3) 2.7.