Students identify and write equivalent fractions and understand their usage in this elementary math lesson plan.
Grades(s) 4, 5, 6
Subjects(s) Math
Objective
1. The learner will write fractions equivalent to other fractions
2. The learner will identify equivalent fractions
3. The learner will understand the need for equivalent fractions
Materials
measuring cups, chocolate chips, M&M's, six round paper circles the size of a large pizza, markers, 3 x 5 cards (20 per student)
Lesson
Focus: Using measuring cups, ask the students why it might be necessary to use 2/4 instead of 1/2; 2/6 instead of 1/3 Show that 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of M&M's is the same as 1/2 cup by adding the two together.
1. Using round paper cutouts the size of a large pizza, divide one pizza into halves, one pizza into fourths, one pizza into sixths, one pizza into eighths, and the last pizza into twelfths.
2. Show the students that the pizzas are all the same size, but the slices are different sizes.
3. Show equivalent fractions for 1/2, 1/4, 1/3, etc., by putting the pizza slices on top of each other.
4. Discuss why it might be important to cut a pizza into different size slices
5. Show students that the cross products of equivalent fractions are always equal.
6. Show students that they can write equivalent fractions by multiplying the numerator and the denominator of a fraction by the same number.
7. Write seven new fractions on the board and have students write three equivalent fractions for each. Share and check answers by using cross product method.
Assessment
1. Students are each given 20 index cards. The cards are folded in half to resemble dominoes. Students write their own fractions equivalent to fractions 1/4, 1/3, 1/5, 1/6, 1/8, and 1/9 on each half of the index cards. Each student is then paired with another student to play dominoes by matching equivalent fractions.
References
equivalent fractions; cross productsAllison