Rational and Irrational Numbers Lesson Plan: The Number System

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Rational and Irrational Numbers, and supports identifying numbers as rational or irrational. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display numbers in fraction and decimal form, like the ones below:

¼ = 0.25

⅞ = .875

Ask students:

  • How do you think a decimal relates to a fraction?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign Rational and Irrational Numbers Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about rational and irrational numbers while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a tutorial explaining how to determine if a number is rational.
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map comparing and contrasting rational and irrational numbers.
  • Creative Coding: Code a learning game challenging players to sort numbers as rational or irrational.

More to Explore  

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of the number system with these topics: Decimals, Pi, Converting Fractions to Decimals.

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Related:

    Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, BrainPOP, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.3