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Ministry of Education New Zealand

What your child will learn in maths#

Your child will learn to: 

  • solve different types of maths problems, including word problems and using tables, graphs, and diagrams
  • connect their knowledge of whole numbers to fractions and decimals
  • use their maths skills to understand angles, perimeter, area, and explore patterns, shapes, and data. 

Good maths skills and a positive attitude towards maths are important for your child's future. They help with problem-solving and creative thinking. When talking to your child about maths, encourage them to use the maths vocabulary they learn in class.

Numbers#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • find and connect numbers when you’re travelling – distances on maps in relation to time to get there walking, by car or by public transport
  • count forwards and backwards (starting with numbers like 998, 999, 1,000, 1,001 and 1,002 – then back again)
  • cut sandwiches into halves, quarters and eights and compare the pieces (for example, 3/4 is the same as 6/8).

Your child is learning to:

  • compare numbers up to 10,000 and add and subtract 2 and 3-digit numbers
  • use rounding and words like ‘about’, ‘more or less’, and ‘close to’ to estimate and check their answers
  • the 4- and 6-time tables
  • practise multiplication and division, like 23 x 5 or 44 ÷ 4, using methods such as the ‘family of facts’ (4 x 5 = 20, 20 ÷ 4 = 5)
  • start learning about decimals and connect fractions to decimal numbers, for example, 3/10 is the same as 0.3
  • add numbers with 1 decimal place, such as 1.3 + 0.2 = 1.5
  • add simple fractions and find fractions of whole amounts – for example, "if you eat 1/5 of 40 strawberries, how many did you eat?"
  • make amounts of money using dollars and cents, calculate amounts, and work out change using whole-dollar amounts.
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • addend
  • convert
  • decimal
  • decimal place
  • decimal point
  • improper fraction
  • mixed number
  • rename
  • scale
  • tenth.

Algebra#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • build block towers or make bead bracelets that use increasingly complicated patterns
  • create an obstacle course at home or a playground – for example, "hop to the swing, crawl to the slide, walk backwards to the monkey bars"
  • see patterns in the numbers in their times tables.

Your child is learning to:

  • solve problems with missing numbers – for example, 5 × __ = 20 or __ ÷ 3 = 6
  • use words, tables, and diagrams to describe patterns and make predictions about what comes next
  • create a sequence of instructions, such as drawing a shape or move through a maze, using digital tools or on paper.
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • conjecture  
  • relationship. 

Measurement#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • co-operate at the supermarket and choose items to weigh – how many apples or bananas weigh a kilo?
  • look for the best buy between different brands of the same items – for example, blocks of cheese
  • check the amount of sugar or salt per serving
  • tell the time.

Your child is learning to:

  • use metres and centimetres for length, kilograms and grams for weight, and litres for capacity
  • tell time in hours and minutes
  • understand how different units relate, like knowing there are 100 centimetres in a metre
  • measure the edges of shapes and think about area and volume using squares and cubes
  • look for angles around them, learn about turning and degrees, and find angles inside shapes
  • read an analogue clock to the nearest 5 minutes and use phrases like ‘minutes past’ and ‘minutes to’ the hour.
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • angle
  • benchmark
  • degree
  • kilogram
  • minutes past, minutes to.

Geometry#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • look for shapes and numbers in newspapers, magazines, junk mail and art, like carvings and sculptures
  • make origami, or fold and cut paper snowflakes and talk about the designs you have made
  • make a treasure hunt – draw a map or write several clues to give directions to a hidden treasure.

Your child is learning to: 

  • identify shapes with straight sides and check if they have line symmetry (both halves match when folded) or rotational symmetry (looks the same when turned)
  • find the 2D shapes that make up 3D shapes, for example, a triangular prism has 2 triangles and 3 rectangles
  • practise flipping (reflecting), turning (rotating), and sliding (translating) shapes
  • use maps and give directions using grid references (letters and numbers on a map) and describe pathways, including using half and quarter turns and measuring distances.
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • grid reference
  • rotational symmetry.

Statistics#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • measure your child's height monthly and plot the measurements on a simple line graph to visualise growth over time.

Your child is learning to carry out a statistical investigation by:

  • coming up with a question they can answer by collecting and counting information, like "how many skips can we do in 30 seconds?"
  • gathering the information and show it using bar charts and dot plots
  • explaining what their graphs show, comparing their findings to their predictions, and relating it to what they already know
  • checking if their graphs make sense and clearly show the information.
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • analysis
  • assertion
  • investigative question
  • conclusion.

Probability#

Ideas to help at home

With your child, you could:

  • roll dice and track which numbers appear most often, introducing the concept of probability
  • talk about events that are 'likely to happen', 'not likely to happen' or 'equally likely to happen', like the weather
  • play card games such as ‘Happy Families’ and talk about how likely it is that we will get the card we want.

Your child is learning to take part in a probability investigation by:

  • coming up with a question to explore, like "what is the chance of flipping heads on a coin?"
  • looking at situations with equally likely outcomes, such as rolling a dice or flipping a coin, and make predictions before testing
  • performing experiments and recording their results using tallies, bar charts, or dot plots
  • discussing their findings after the experiments and comparing their results with others.
Words your child will be learning

Words include:

  • chance-based investigation
  • equally likely outcome
  • probability experiment.

Resource#

pdf thumbnailMaths at home - Year 4 NZ Curriculum
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