Lesson Plan
Comparing Fractions Master Plan
Students will be able to compare fractions using strategies such as finding common denominators, using visual models, and comparing to benchmarks (0, 1/2, 1).
Understanding how to compare fractions is a fundamental skill in mathematics, essential for problem-solving, understanding quantities, and preparing for more advanced topics.
Audience
4th-5th Grade
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Interactive lecture, hands-on game, and guided practice.
Materials
Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To Slide Deck, Fraction Card War Game, Whiteboard or projector, and Markers or pens
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Comparing Fractions Master Plan and all linked materials: Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To Slide Deck, Fraction Card War Game, and Card War Solutions Answer Key.
- Prepare the whiteboard or projector for the slide deck presentation.
- Print and cut out fraction cards for the Fraction Card War Game (one set per pair of students).
Step 1
Introduction: The Great Fraction Debate
5 minutes
- Begin by asking students: 'Have you ever had to decide which piece of pizza was bigger? Or which candy bar was longer? Today, we're going to become experts at deciding which fraction is bigger!'
- Introduce the lesson objective using the Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To Slide Deck (Slide 1).
Step 2
Exploring Comparison Strategies
20 minutes
- Use the Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To Slide Deck (Slides 2-7) to introduce different strategies for comparing fractions:
- Visual Models: Show examples using fraction bars or circles.
- Common Denominators: Explain how to find a common denominator and compare numerators.
- Benchmarks (0, 1/2, 1): Demonstrate how to use these benchmarks to quickly compare fractions.
- Facilitate a brief discussion for each strategy, asking students for examples or to explain in their own words.
Step 3
Fraction Card War: Game Time!
25 minutes
- Divide students into pairs.
- Distribute one set of Fraction Card War Game cards to each pair.
- Explain the rules of the game: Each student flips a card, and the student with the larger fraction wins both cards. In case of a tie ('war'), they draw two more cards and the second one determines the winner.
- Circulate around the room, observing student strategies and providing support as needed. Encourage students to explain why their fraction is larger.
Step 4
Wrap-Up and Reflection
10 minutes
- Bring the class back together.
- Discuss challenges and successes from the Fraction Card War Game.
- Ask students to share a new strategy they learned or a strategy they found most helpful.
- Use the Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To Slide Deck (Slide 8) to review key takeaways and answer any remaining questions.
- Assign a quick exit ticket or homework if desired.
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Slide Deck
Fraction Face-Off: Who's Bigger?
Have you ever wondered which piece is larger?
Today, we'll learn to compare fractions!
Welcome students and introduce the day's topic. Make it relatable.
Seeing is Believing: Visual Models
Imagine two pizzas: one cut into 4 slices, one into 8.
Would 1/4 be more or less than 1/8?
Introduce visual models as a concrete way to start comparing. Use examples like pizza or chocolate bars.
Visual Models in Action
Use fraction bars or circles to compare:
- 1/2 vs. 1/3
- 2/4 vs. 3/8
What do you notice?
Explain how to use fraction bars or circles. Draw or show examples.
Making Them Speak the Same Language: Common Denominators
What if fractions don't have the same bottom number?
We can make them! Find a common denominator.
Transition to a more abstract method: common denominators. Explain why this is useful.
Common Denominators: An Example
Compare 1/3 and 2/5.
1. Find the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of 3 and 5.
2. Convert both fractions.
3. Compare the new numerators!
Provide an example and walk through the steps to find a common denominator and compare.
Quick Checks: Using Benchmarks
Sometimes, you can quickly tell which fraction is bigger!
Think about: 0, 1/2, and 1 whole.
Introduce benchmarks as a quick estimation strategy. Emphasize 0, 1/2, and 1 whole.
Benchmarks in Action
Is 7/8 closer to 1/2 or 1?
Is 1/10 closer to 0 or 1/2?
How does this help us compare 1/10 and 7/8?
Give examples of how to use benchmarks for comparison.
You're a Fraction Comparison Master!
Today we learned to compare fractions using:
- Visual Models
- Common Denominators
- Benchmarks
Which strategy do you like best? Why?
Summarize the lesson and prompt students for questions or reflections.
Game
Fraction Card War
Players: 2 per game
Materials: One set of Fraction Cards (provided by teacher), Card War Solutions Answer Key
Objective: To win the most fraction cards by comparing their values.
How to Play:
-
Shuffle and Deal: Shuffle the deck of fraction cards thoroughly and deal them face down evenly between the two players.
-
Ready, Set, Compare!
- Both players simultaneously flip over the top card from their pile.
- Players compare the two fractions. The player with the fraction that has the greater value wins both cards.
- The winning player adds both cards to the bottom of their pile.
-
Strategies to Use:
- Visualizing: Can you picture which fraction is bigger? Think about pizza slices or shaded shapes.
- Common Denominators: Can you find a common bottom number to compare the top numbers?
- Benchmarks: Is your fraction close to 0, 1/2, or 1 whole? Use these to help you decide.
-
"War!"
- If both players flip over cards with equal value (e.g., 1/2 and 2/4), it's a "War!"
- Each player then places one card face down on top of their original card, and then flips a second card face up.
- The player with the greater value on the second face-up card wins all six cards (the original two, the two face-down, and the two new face-up cards).
- If there's another tie, repeat the "War!" process.
-
Winning the Game: The game ends when one player has collected all of the cards, or when the allotted time is up. The player with the most cards at the end of the time wins!
Fraction Cards (Cut out these cards before playing!)
(Teacher: Please print and cut out a set of these cards for each pair of students. Consider laminating for durability.)
| Card 1 | Card 2 | Card 3 | Card 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | 1/4 | 3/4 | 1/3 |
| 2/3 | 1/5 | 4/5 | 1/6 |
| 5/6 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 1/8 |
| 3/8 | 5/8 | 7/8 | 2/4 |
| 4/6 | 2/10 | 5/10 | 3/6 |
| 6/9 | 8/10 | 2/2 | 4/4 |
| 1/1 | 0/1 | 0/5 | 1/7 |
| 6/7 | 2/9 | 7/9 | 3/3 |
Answer Key
Card War Solutions Answer Key
This answer key provides the greater fraction for each possible pairing in the Fraction Card War Game. Students should be encouraged to explain their reasoning using visual models, common denominators, or benchmarks.
Example Comparisons and Reasoning:
-
1/2 vs. 1/4
- Reasoning: If you have half a pizza, it's more than a quarter of a pizza. (Visual Model / Benchmark)
- Greater Fraction: 1/2
-
1/3 vs. 2/5
- Reasoning: To compare, find a common denominator (15). 1/3 = 5/15 and 2/5 = 6/15. Since 6 > 5, 2/5 is greater.
- Greater Fraction: 2/5
-
7/8 vs. 5/6
- Reasoning: Both are close to 1. 7/8 is one-eighth away from 1, and 5/6 is one-sixth away from 1. Since 1/8 is smaller than 1/6, 7/8 is closer to 1 and therefore greater.
- Greater Fraction: 7/8
-
2/4 vs. 1/2
- Reasoning: These fractions are equivalent. 2/4 simplifies to 1/2.
- Outcome: War (Equal Value)
Comprehensive List of Fractions (from smallest to largest for easy comparison):
0/1 (0)
0/5 (0)
1/10
1/8
1/7
1/6
1/5
2/10 (1/5)
1/4
2/9
1/3
3/8
2/5
4/10 (2/5)
5/10 (1/2)
1/2
2/4 (1/2)
3/6 (1/2)
3/5
5/9
2/3
4/6 (2/3)
6/9 (2/3)
7/10
3/4
7/8
8/10 (4/5)
4/5
5/6
6/7
7/7 (1)
8/8 (1)
2/2 (1)
3/3 (1)
4/4 (1)
1/1 (1)
### How to use this list:
When comparing any two fractions from the Fraction Card War Game, locate them in this ordered list. The fraction appearing later in the list has a greater value. If they appear at the same position (e.g., 1/2, 2/4, 3/6), they are equivalent.