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Roman numerals – Year 5 maths lesson

Lesson 7 of 39 in the Year 5 maths course

UK version. UK school years, UK spelling and pounds (£). · US Math Department

A complete 45-minute lesson for Year 5 (ages 9–10) that runs on this page – at school or at home. Every answer is marked straight away, with a worked explanation.

Time
45 minutes + 20 min homework
Year
Year 5 (ages 9–10)
You need
Paper, a pencil and this page
Marked
Instantly, with explanations

For parents: how to use this lesson

You don't need to know this topic yourself. The lesson explains each step on screen, one tidy step at a time. Every answer is marked straight away with a worked explanation, so you never have to mark anything.

  1. Read what your child will learn and the big ideas together.
  2. Press Start the lesson below and sit with your child for the teaching and the worked examples (about 19 minutes).
  3. Let them do the practice on their own. They choose Getting started, On track or Challenge – start on On track and move up after a few right in a row.
  4. Finish with the exit ticket and the talk question: “Why did the Romans not need a symbol for zero?”
  5. Later that day or the next day: the homework (20 minutes), then a practice test.

Watch out for

  • Writing 4 as IIII. Use one smaller letter before a bigger one: IV.
  • Reading IX as 11. Smaller before bigger means take away: 10 − 1 = 9.

Tip for home: Spot Roman numerals on clocks or in the year a film was made.

What your child will learn

We are learning to read and write Roman numerals.

Success looks like

  • I know the values of the letters.
  • I can read Roman numerals.
  • I can write numbers as Roman numerals.

Key words

numeral
a symbol for a number
Roman numerals
the letters the Romans used for numbers
add
when a smaller letter comes after
subtract
when a smaller letter comes before

What to have ready

  • Paper and a pencil
  • This page on a computer, tablet or phone
  • For the hands-on part: Look for Roman numerals on clocks, buildings or film credits, and make your own Roman number cards.

The big ideas (for the adult)

Roman numerals use letters: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1,000.

Letters are usually written from biggest to smallest and added: XVI = 10 + 5 + 1 = 16.

A smaller letter before a bigger one is taken away: IV = 4, IX = 9, XL = 40, XC = 90.

The lesson, step by step

45 minutes in 5 parts
PartTimeHow it is checked
Starter: quick recall5 minMarked by Classfern
Teaching input10 minNot assessed, self-checked
Worked examples and guided practice9 minNot assessed, marked by Classfern
Independent practice15 minMarked by Classfern
Plenary and exit ticket6 minMarked by Classfern, self-checked

Starter, "your turn", practice and exit ticket are marked by Classfern. Worked examples and teaching are not assessed. The hands-on task and the reflection are self-assessed. Explanations in talk are judged by the parent and not recorded.

The lesson

It runs here on the page. No sign-up and no names – progress is kept only in this browser.

Homework and practice at home

20 minutes: 10 practice questions, 3 multiple-choice questions and 2 to remember from earlier work, then a short reflection. New questions every time, all marked instantly.

More practice

All Year 5 maths lessons and tests · Maths Department

More Year 5 maths lessons

Curriculum

National Curriculum for England, Year 5: “read Roman numerals to 1,000 (M) and recognise years written in Roman numerals”

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Our lessons and questions are our own. They are not written or endorsed by any government department, testing agency or exam board.