Fractions in Action

Third Grade Math

by Melody Johnson March 9, 2016

Have your "whole" group get a "piece" of fun in this sweet and tasty math game!

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to write fractions in mathematical notation and words.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Class set of the Numerator and Denominator: fraction

Basic Fraction Terms worksheets vinculum
Dry erase boards (one per group) numerator
Dry erase markers (one per student) denominator
Single serving packs of multi-colored candies
(one per student)
Paper plates (one per student)
Interactive whiteboard, projector, or poster
paper with a marker
Colorful tape to create boxes on dry erase
boards (optional)
Class set of the Fractions worksheet

Attachments

Assessments and Worksheets (DOCX)

Color Fractions (PDF)
Numerator and Denominator: Basic Fraction Terms (PDF)

Introduction (5 minutes)

Begin the lesson with an introduction to fractions. Ask your students if they have ever had to share
something, such as splitting an apple in half with a friend or a family member.
Explain that today the class will learn about fractions by exploring the different parts of a fraction and
using key vocabulary.
EL

Beginning

Have students share their ideas in their home language (L1).

Allow learners to draw images to express their experiences with sharing with others.

Intermediate

Encourage students to talk with a partner about instances in which they have shared before they are
asked to share with the whole group.
Provide a sentence stem, such as "I had to share when ____"

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)

Arrange the class into small groups.

Give each group a dry erase board and a dry erase marker.
Explain to students that a fraction is a “part of a whole." In other words, it is a part of something bigger.
Show students on the interactive whiteboard, projector, or poster paper one rectangle with seven equal
parts.
Ask each student to get a dry erase board and marker to draw a rectangle divided into seven equal parts.
Ask students to also draw a line beside the square they drew.
Explain to students that the line they drew is called a vinculum, which separates the top number from
the bottom number.
Remind them that there are two parts to a fraction. Tell them that the numerator is the top number, and
the denominator is the bottom number.
Tell your students that the numerator tells how many pieces were used from the whole, while the
denominator tells how many pieces in total is in the whole.
Show the first example from the Color the Fractions worksheet.
Ask your students to look at the first example. Have them color four of their rectangles on their dry erase
boards.
Explain to students that they just colored in part of a whole.
EL

Beginning

Put students into groups with supportive peers or those with the same L1.
Have students utilize reference materials in their L1 to support their understanding of new vocabulary
words.

Intermediate

Allow learners to use bilingual reference materials to support them in learning new terminology.
Ask students to work through additional problems on the worksheet and share their process with the
group using key terms.

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Give students in each group their packs of candy with a paper plate. Ask them to open their packs over
the plate.
Have them count each candy piece that comes in their individual packs. Instruct them to use their total
number of pieces as their denominator because that is the whole.
Instruct students to focus on one specific color of candy (e.g., red pieces) and count how many they have.
Tell them to move all of those pieces of candy to the top of their plate. Explain that this number of red
pieces is the numerator because it is how many equal parts out of the whole.
Have them add that number as the numerator and then read the fraction they have written on the plate.
Repeat this process with different colored candy pieces to give students practice creating different
fractions. Then, prompt discussion by asking the questions:
Which color candy did you have the most have?
How does that fraction look compared to the others?
What do you notice about the denominators in all of these fractions?
What do you notice about the numerators?
EL

Beginning

Allow learners to count aloud in their L1.

Give students a labeled piece of paper so they know where to put the denominator and numerator.

Intermediate

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

 Have learners repeat the instructions to the rest of the group.
Allow students to work with a partner to determine where the numbers go in the fraction.

Independent working time (10 minutes)

Distribute a copy of the Numerator and Denominator: Basic Fraction Terms workseet to the class and
instruct them to create fractions by recording the numerator and denominator in the correct spot.
EL

Beginning

Invite students to work in a small, teacher-led group. Ask prompting questions to get them to explain
their thinking and understanding of the key terms.

Intermediate

Instruct students to check their work with a partner after they have completed it independently. Make
sure they explain their thinking as they go over their answers together.

Related books and/or media

Find interactive books for each child’s level.

Differentiation

Enrichment:

Have your students create fractions for each other to shade in. Instruct them to draw shapes with equal
fractions inside and write a fraction next to it. Invite them to switch with a partner and shade the
fractions in correctly. Alternatively, have them fill out the rest of the Color Fractions worksheet.

Support:

Have students who are struggling work in a small group to complete the task with the student visual
support sheet. Peers can help the student recall the parts of a fraction with the visual support sheet.

Assessment (10 minutes)

Divide the class into groups of four students. Tell them that they are responsible for explaining two
examples on the Numerator and Denominator: Basic Fraction Terms worksheet to their group.
Circulate and observe student conversation, listening specifically for correct explanations of fractions and
what they show.
EL

Beginning

Put students in a small group with supportive peers or those with the same L1.
Reduce the number of problems they need to explain in the small group.

Intermediate

Provide sentence stems for student explanation, such as "I know this is the numerator/denominator
because ____." and "This visual shows ____."

Review and closing (5 minutes)

Have a student write any fraction on the board.

Ask for a volunteer to identify the numerator and denominator in this fraction, and then create a
matching visual that represents the fraction.

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

 Call on another student to explain how they know the fractions show the same thing, and encourage
them to make any corrections to their peer's work, if necessary.
EL

Beginning

Provide students with labels that have the words numerator and denominator on them. Allow them to
place the labels in the correct spot on the fraction.

Intermediate

Have students complete this task with a partner or in a small group with supportive peers.
Provide a sentence stem for students to use in their explanation, such as "I know this visual shows that
fraction because ____."

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

 Fractions
Name Date

Color the shape to show the fraction.

1. 2. 3.

4 2 3
= = =
7 8 7

4. 5. 6.

5 4 1
= = =
8 4 3

7. 8. 9.
2 2 1
= = =
5 3 5

10. 1 1. 12.
1 5 3
= = =
2 6 4

13. 14. 15.

3 3 6
= = =
6 8 6

Copyright © 2013 Education.com LLC All Rights Reserved More worksheets at www.education.com/worksheets
 Fraction Terms
A fraction has a numerator and a denominator.
The numerator is the top number above the bar.
The denominator is the bottom number below the bar.

numerator The number that shows the parts being counted.

denominator The number that shows the total parts as a whole.

numerator numerator

denominator denominator

numerator numerator

denominator denominator

numerator numerator

denominator denominator

numerator numerator

denominator denominator

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