Learning Activity- Fractions

Learning Activity Summary

Topic: Fractions

Grade Level: 4

Mathematics Curriculum Strand: Number Sense and Numeracy Fractions

Content and Process Expectations: You can find in the Guide to Effective Instructions in Mathematics- Number Sense and Numeration Grades 4-6 Volume 5- Fractions. You can also find it in Chapter 11 of the course textbook ‘Making Math Meaningful.’

Source of Activity: www.eworkshop.on.ca

Approach

At a camp, campers stayed in 3 cabins. In cabin A there were 4 campers, in cabin B there were 5 campers and in cabin C, there were 8 campers. One day the campers were treated to pizza in the following way:

Cabin A- 3 pizzas, Cabin B- 4 pizzas, Cabin C- 7 pizzas

Pose the Question: Did some campers get more pizza than others, or did all the campers receive the same amount of pizza?
Clarify that:

·       all the pizzas are the same size;

·       the pizzas can be cut into any number of equal pieces.

Ask students to think about how they might solve the problem. Have students share their thoughts with a partner, and then invite a few students to share their ideas with the whole class. Provide an opportunity for students to ask questions about the problem or about possible approaches to finding a solution.

Pose questions that help students think about what they found out:

·       What strategy did you use to figure out the amount of pizza the campers in each cabin

·       How much pizza did each camper in each of the cabins receive?

·       Which campers received the most pizza? How do you know?

·       Which campers received the least pizza? How do you know?

Tools 

 You can use: Area model, fraction number lines or fraction bars

Assessment – things you need to check with the students

·       how well they understand the problem and whether they are applying an appropriate strategy;

·       whether they are dividing the pizzas into appropriate fractional parts (e.g., dividing a pizza into fourths for 4 campers);

·       how well they are relating division to fractions (e.g., 3 divided by 4 is 3/4);

·       how well they are comparing fractional parts (e.g. a fifth is larger than an eighth);

·       how well they are comparing fractions (three fourths is less than seven eighths).