Courseversity

Lesson

Mean

Primary EducationGrade 6MathematicsCV-PRI-G06-MATH-DAT-U01-L0735–45 min

You will learn

  • Calculate the mean.
  • Use the fair-share idea.
  • Find a missing value.
  • Compare means.

Version 0.1 · published for early use · expert review pending Standards alignment: pending verification. Not yet reviewed against the Courseversity scorecard.

Student lesson

Words to know

mean
Total ÷ count.
fair share
Equal distribution.
total
Sum of values.
average
Typical value.

1. Discover: sharing equally

Five pupils have 3, 5, 5, 7 and 10 stickers. If they share them equally, how many does each get?

2. Understand: mean

  • Total 3 + 5 + 5 + 7 + 10 = 30; 30 ÷ 5 = 6.
  • Mean of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 is 40 ÷ 5 = 8.
  • Four numbers have mean 7 and three are 5, 6, 8. Total 28, so the fourth is 28 − 19 = 9.
  • The mean can be a decimal.
Remember: Mean = total ÷ number of values.

3. Explore: mean

You need paper.

  1. Add values.
  2. Count values.
  3. Divide.
  4. Check by multiplying.
Think about it: what did you notice?

6.

4. Practise

Guided practice

Question 1. Mean of 3, 5, 5, 7, 10?

6.

Question 2. Mean of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12?

8.

Question 3. Missing value?

9.

Independent practice

  1. Mean of 2, 4, 6
  2. Mean of 10, 20
  3. Mean of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
  4. Four numbers mean 7 total
  5. Fourth number if three are 5, 6, 8

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

5. Apply: everyday mathematics

Five pupils with 3, 5, 5, 7 and 10 stickers share equally. How many each?

Show a sample answer

6.

6. Common mistake

Mistake: Dividing by the wrong count.
Fix: Count the values.

7. Check and master

Answer all questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. Mean of 2, 4, 6:

2. Mean of 10, 20:

3. Mean of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12:

4. Four numbers with mean 7 total:

5. Fourth number if three are 5, 6, 8:

Challenge. Mean of 3, 5, 5, 7, 10:

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

8. Key takeaways

  • Mean = total ÷ count.
  • Fair share.
  • Missing value from total.

9. Next lesson

Next lesson: Median. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Printable worksheet

  1. Mean of 2, 4, 6
  2. Mean of 10, 20
  3. Mean of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
  4. Total for 4 numbers, mean 7
  5. Missing number

Homework

Find the mean of five test scores.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
Mean of 2, 4, 6 4 2
Mean of 10, 20 15 2
Mean of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 8 2
Total for 4 numbers, mean 7 28 2
Missing number 9 2
Total 10

Practice answers: Worksheet: 1 4; 2 15; 3 8; 4 28; 5 9.

Quiz answers: 1 A, 2 B, 3 C, 4 A, 5 B, challenge C.

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Calculate the mean Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Use the fair-share idea Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Find a missing value Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Compare means Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Proposed Courseversity thresholds for this page: Bronze = at least 3 of 5 core questions correct; Silver = all 5; Gold = all 5 plus the challenge. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Dividing by the wrong count. Count the values.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects first, then pictures.
  3. Show a simpler example: Equal sharing.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: calculate the mean; use the fair-share idea; find a missing value; compare means.

Prerequisite knowledge. Lesson 5.

Materials. Counters (stones, seeds or bottle tops), paper, pencils, board or chalkboard. Low-resource options: use stones, seeds, sticks, bottle tops or drawings in the sand or on the board instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Gather the counters and draw the example pictures on the board before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 35–45 minutes.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Start with the Discover situation and let learners suggest ideas before you teach.

Explanation (10 min). Teach the Understand section with real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words.

Guided activity (10 min). You need paper. Learners follow the Explore steps in pairs.

Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the independent practice and the worksheet.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Teacher explanation notes. Use the concrete, pictorial, abstract order: real objects first, then pictures, then symbols and words. Return to real objects whenever a learner needs support.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use real objects and work with a partner; say each step aloud together. Extension. Ask learners to make up their own example and explain it to a partner.

Formative assessment. Listen to learner explanations, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Dividing by the wrong count. Count the values.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz and worksheet on this page. The 10-mark scheme and all answers are in the answer key above. Re-check every answer and the marking scheme before publication.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Equal sharing. Enrichment. Invite learners to find or create three more examples at home or in the classroom and explain them. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which concepts learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

Alignment is pending verification and no external endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points named in the Courseversity standard: Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Specific standard codes will be added once checked against the official documents.

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