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Fraction Fun: Multiply!

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Lesson Plan

Fraction Fun: Multiply!

Students will learn to multiply fractions by whole numbers and other fractions, understanding the concept visually and through practice problems.

Multiplying fractions is a fundamental skill that helps us understand parts of a whole more deeply and is used in everyday life, from cooking to sharing snacks. Mastering it now will make future math topics much easier!

Audience

4th Grade

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Conceptual understanding and procedural fluency.

Materials

Presentation: Fraction Fun: Multiply! Slides, Worksheet: Fraction Multiplication Practice, and Answer Key: Fraction Multiplication Answer Key

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What is Fraction Multiplication?

3 minutes

  • Begin with a quick warm-up question: "If you have 1/2 of a pizza and you eat 1/2 of that, how much of the original pizza did you eat?"
    - Introduce the concept using Fraction Fun: Multiply! Slides (Slide 1-2).
    - Explain that multiplying fractions is finding a 'part of a part.'

Step 2

Visualizing Multiplication

5 minutes

  • Use Fraction Fun: Multiply! Slides (Slide 3-5) to demonstrate multiplying fractions using visual models (e.g., area models).
    - Show examples of multiplying a fraction by a whole number and a fraction by another fraction.
    - Guide students through an example, asking questions to check for understanding.

Step 3

Practice Problems

5 minutes

Step 4

Wrap Up and Quick Check

2 minutes

  • Ask students to share one thing they learned about multiplying fractions.
    - Use a quick show of hands or thumbs up/down to gauge understanding of the main concept.
    - Assign any unfinished problems from the Fraction Multiplication Practice as homework, if desired.
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Slide Deck

Fraction Fun: Multiply!

Let's discover how to multiply fractions and explore what it means to find a 'part of a part'!

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask the warm-up question to activate prior knowledge and set the stage for understanding 'part of a part.'

What Does "Multiply Fractions" Mean?

Imagine you have 1/2 of a pizza. If you eat 1/2 of that amount, how much of the original pizza did you eat?

Multiplying fractions helps us find a "part of a part"!

Introduce the idea that multiplying fractions means finding a 'part of a part'. Use the pizza example as a relatable scenario.

Multiplying a Whole Number by a Fraction

Example: 3 x 1/4

Think: 3 groups of 1/4

Visual Model: [Illustrate with 3 circles, each divided into 4 parts, with 1 part shaded in each. Then combine the shaded parts to show 3/4.]

Answer: 3/4

Explain how to multiply a whole number by a fraction using a visual model. Emphasize that the whole number represents the number of groups of the fraction.

Multiplying a Fraction by a Fraction (Part 1)

Example: 1/2 x 1/4

Think: 1/2 of 1/4

Visual Model: [Draw a rectangle. Divide it vertically into 4 parts and shade 1/4. Then divide it horizontally into 2 parts and shade 1/2 of the entire rectangle. The overlapping shaded area is the answer.]

Explain how to multiply a fraction by a fraction using an area model. Show how the overlapping shaded areas represent the product.

Multiplying a Fraction by a Fraction (Part 2)

Let's look at 1/2 x 1/4 again.

Step 1: Multiply the numerators (top numbers).
1 x 1 = 1

Step 2: Multiply the denominators (bottom numbers).
2 x 4 = 8

Answer: 1/8

It's like finding the area of the overlapping parts in our visual model!

Guide students through the numerical steps after showing the visual model for the fraction by fraction example. Emphasize multiplying numerators and denominators.

Your Turn to Try!

Solve: 2/3 x 1/2

Take a moment to think or draw a model.

[Pause for student work]

Answer: 2/6, which simplifies to 1/3!

Provide a quick practice problem for students to try on their own or with a partner before moving to the worksheet.

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Worksheet

Fraction Multiplication Practice

Name: _________________________

Instructions: Solve the following fraction multiplication problems. Show your work or draw a visual model to help you find the answer.

Part 1: Whole Number by a Fraction

  1. 3 x 1/5 =










  2. 2 x 3/4 =










  3. 4 x 1/3 =










Part 2: Fraction by a Fraction

  1. 1/2 x 1/3 =










  2. 1/4 x 2/3 =










  3. 3/5 x 1/2 =










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Answer Key

Fraction Multiplication Answer Key

Part 1: Whole Number by a Fraction

  1. 3 x 1/5

    • Thought Process: This means 3 groups of 1/5. If you add 1/5 three times (1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5), you get 3/5.
    • Answer: 3/5



  2. 2 x 3/4

    • Thought Process: This means 2 groups of 3/4. If you add 3/4 two times (3/4 + 3/4), you get 6/4. This is an improper fraction, which can be converted to a mixed number.
    • Answer: 6/4 or 1 and 2/4, which simplifies to 1 and 1/2.



  3. 4 x 1/3

    • Thought Process: This means 4 groups of 1/3. Adding 1/3 four times (1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3) gives you 4/3. This is an improper fraction.
    • Answer: 4/3 or 1 and 1/3.



Part 2: Fraction by a Fraction

  1. 1/2 x 1/3

    • Thought Process: To multiply fractions, you multiply the numerators (top numbers) together and the denominators (bottom numbers) together.
      • Numerators: 1 x 1 = 1
      • Denominators: 2 x 3 = 6
    • Answer: 1/6



  2. 1/4 x 2/3

    • Thought Process: Multiply the numerators and then the denominators.
      • Numerators: 1 x 2 = 2
      • Denominators: 4 x 3 = 12
    • Answer: 2/12, which simplifies to 1/6.



  3. 3/5 x 1/2

    • Thought Process: Multiply the numerators and then the denominators.
      • Numerators: 3 x 1 = 3
      • Denominators: 5 x 2 = 10
    • Answer: 3/10



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