lenny

Why Do We Need Fractions Anyway?

Lesson Plan

Fraction Foundations Blueprint

Students will be able to define fractions, identify their parts (numerator and denominator), and connect fractions to real-world examples by the end of this lesson.

Understanding fractions is a fundamental math skill that is used in everyday life, from cooking to sharing. This lesson will help students build a strong foundation and overcome any apprehension they might have about fractions.

Audience

4th Grade Class

Time

60 minutes

Approach

Through engaging visuals, interactive activities, and hands-on practice.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Markers or pens, Real-World Fraction Explorer, Pizza Party Fraction Share, Fraction Action Practice, and My Fraction Moment Exit Ticket

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's a Fair Share?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "Imagine you have a delicious cookie, and you want to share it equally with a friend. How would you do it?"
    - Discuss their ideas, leading to the concept of dividing things into equal parts.

Step 2

Introduction to Fractions with Slide Deck

15 minutes

  • Present the Real-World Fraction Explorer slide deck.
    - Go through each slide, explaining what fractions are, their parts (numerator and denominator), and showing real-world examples like pizza and baking.
    - Encourage student participation by asking questions and pausing for discussion.

Step 3

Activity: Pizza Party Fraction Share

20 minutes

  • Introduce the Pizza Party Fraction Share activity.
    - Divide students into small groups.
    - Provide each group with materials (e.g., paper plates, markers, pretend pizza slices).
    - Instruct them to create different fractions with their 'pizza' and share with their group members, verbally identifying the fractions they create.

Step 4

Worksheet: Fraction Action Practice

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Fraction Action Practice worksheet.
    - Have students work independently to complete the exercises, applying what they've learned about identifying and representing fractions.
    - Circulate the room to provide support and answer questions.

Step 5

Cool-Down: My Fraction Moment Exit Ticket

5 minutes

  • Hand out the My Fraction Moment Exit Ticket.
    - Ask students to complete the exit ticket to reflect on their learning and identify one real-world scenario where they might use fractions.
    - Collect the exit tickets to assess understanding.
lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

What are Fractions?

Fractions help us describe parts of a whole!

Imagine cutting a pizza into slices. Each slice is a fraction of the whole pizza!

Welcome students to the world of fractions! Start by asking them what they think a fraction is. Use their ideas to segue into the definition.

Numerator & Denominator

Fractions have two important parts:

  • Numerator: The top number. It tells us how many parts we have or are looking at.
  • Denominator: The bottom number. It tells us how many total equal parts there are in the whole.

Explain the two main parts of a fraction: the numerator and the denominator. Use a simple example like a pizza cut into 4 slices, with 1 slice being eaten.

Example: Pizza Fractions!

If you have a pizza cut into 8 equal slices, and you eat 3 slices:

  • The numerator is 3 (the parts you ate).
  • The denominator is 8 (the total equal parts).

So, you ate 3/8 of the pizza!

Show an example of a fraction with a visual. A pizza is a great way to illustrate this. Emphasize that the parts must be equal.

Baking with Fractions

When you bake, recipes often use fractions!

  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

These are fractions of a whole cup or a whole teaspoon. Without fractions, baking would be tricky!

Introduce another real-world example, like baking, to show how fractions are used in different contexts. This helps solidify the concept.

Where Else Do You See Fractions?

Think about your everyday life. Where else have you seen or used fractions?

  • Sharing toys?
  • Splitting candy?
  • Looking at time on a clock?

Engage students with a question to check for understanding. Ask them to think about how fractions are used in their own lives.

lenny

Activity

Pizza Party Fraction Share!

Objective: To visually represent and identify fractions using pizza models.

Materials:

  • Paper plates (representing whole pizzas)
  • Markers or crayons
  • Scissors
  • (Optional) Pretend pizza toppings or colored paper to represent toppings

Instructions:

  1. Get Your Pizza! Each group will get one paper plate. This is your whole pizza.

  2. Divide It Up! Work with your group to divide your pizza into equal parts. You can choose to divide it into 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 equal slices. Use your marker to draw the lines, and then carefully cut along the lines to make your slices.

  3. Name That Fraction! Once your pizza is cut, take out a few slices. How many slices did you take out? How many slices were there in total?

    • Write down the fraction that represents the slices you took out.
    • Write down the fraction that represents the slices remaining.

  4. Share and Explain! Trade slices with another group. Can you identify the fraction of pizza they have? Can you explain what the numerator and denominator mean for their pizza?

  5. Challenge Round! Can you make a pizza where one person eats 1/4 and another eats 2/4? What fraction of the pizza is left?













My Group's Fractions:

  • Total slices in our pizza:


  • Fraction of slices we took out:


  • Fraction of slices remaining:


Fractions from another group:

  • Fraction they showed:


  • What does the numerator mean?


  • What does the denominator mean?


lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Fraction Action Practice

Name: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Part 1: Identify the Fraction

Look at each shape. Write the fraction that represents the shaded part.

  1. Circle divided into 4 parts, 1 shaded
    Fraction:


  2. Rectangle divided into 3 parts, 2 shaded
    Fraction:


  3. Square divided into 2 parts, 1 shaded
    Fraction:


  4. Circle divided into 8 parts, 5 shaded
    Fraction:


Part 2: Draw the Fraction

Draw a picture to represent each fraction. Shade the correct number of parts.

  1. 1/2











  2. 3/4











  3. 2/3











  4. 5/6











Part 3: Numerator and Denominator

For each fraction, identify the numerator and the denominator.

  1. 3/5

    • Numerator:


    • Denominator:


  2. 1/8

    • Numerator:


    • Denominator:


  3. 4/4

    • Numerator:


    • Denominator:


lenny
lenny

Cool Down

My Fraction Moment Exit Ticket

Name: ________________________

Date: ________________________

  1. What is one new thing you learned about fractions today?





  2. Can you think of one real-world situation where you might use fractions outside of school (e.g., at home, in a game, with friends)? Describe it!










  3. On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident do you feel about identifying fractions now? (Circle one)

    • 1 (Not confident)
    • 2 (A little confident)
    • 3 (Somewhat confident)
    • 4 (Confident)
    • 5 (Very confident)
lenny
lenny