Equal Splitting Lesson Plan: Slice Fractions Game

Grade Levels: 3-5, K-3

In this lesson plan which is adaptable for grades 2-5, students use BrainPOP resources (including an online game) to explore equal parts, equal splitting, fractions, equivalent fractions, and other math concepts.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Grade: 02

CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.3

Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds, four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.

Grade: 02

CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.A.4

Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length difference in terms of a standard length unit.

Grade: 03

CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.2

Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole. For example, partition a shape into 4 parts with equal area, and describe the area of each part as 1/4 of the area of the shape.

Grade: 03

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.1

Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.

Grade: 03

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3a

Understand two fractions as equivalent (equal) if they are the same size, or the same point on a number line.

Grade: 03

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3b

Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3. Explain why the fractions are equivalent, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.

Grade: 03

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3c

Express whole numbers as fractions, and recognize fractions that are equivalent to whole numbers. Examples: Express 3 in the form 3 = 3/1; recognize that 6/1 = 6; locate 4/4 and 1 at the same point of a number line diagram.

Grade: 03

CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3d

Compare two fractions with the same numerator or the same denominator by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.

Grade: 04

CCSS.Math.Content.4.NF.A.1

Explain why a fraction a/b is equivalent to a fraction (n × a)/(n × b) by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size. Use this principle to recognize and generate equivalent fractions.

Grade: 05

CCSS.Math.Content.5.NF.A.2

Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the same whole, including cases of unlike denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem. Use benchmark fractions and number sense of fractions to estimate mentally and assess the reasonableness of answers. For example, recognize an incorrect result 2/5 + 1/2 = 3/7, by observing that 3/7 < 1/2.

Grade: 05

CCSS.Math.Content.5.NF.B.3

Interpret a fraction as division of the numerator by the denominator (a/b = a ÷ b). Solve word problems involving division of whole numbers leading to answers in the form of fractions or mixed numbers, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem. For example, interpret 3/4 as the result of dividing 3 by 4, noting that 3/4 multiplied by 4 equals 3, and that when 3 wholes are shared equally among 4 people each person has a share of size 3/4. If 9 people want to share a 50-pound sack of rice equally by weight, how many pounds of rice should each person get? Between what two whole numbers does your answer lie?

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.C.6c

Find and position integers and other rational numbers on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational numbers on a coordinate plane.

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.1

Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities. For example, “The ratio of wings to beaks in the bird house at the zoo was 2:1, because for every 2 wings there was 1 beak.” “For every vote candidate A received, candidate C received nearly three votes.”

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.2

Understand the concept of a unit rate a/b associated with a ratio a:b with b ≠ 0, and use rate language in the context of a ratio relationship. For example, “This recipe has a ratio of 3 cups of flour to 4 cups of sugar, so there is 3/4 cup of flour for each cup of sugar.” “We paid $75 for 15 hamburgers, which is a rate of $5 per hamburger.”1

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3

Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations.

Students will:

Describe fractions as equal parts of a whole
Explain the meaning of the denominator and numerator

Materials:

Computers with internet access for BrainPOP

Preparation:

The goal of the Slice Fractions Game is for kids to discover important concepts behind fractions in a fun way to prepare them for the more formal learning that follows.

In this lesson plan, students will gradually learn concepts such as even splitting, fraction comparison, etc. through induction during game play, as each puzzle requires them to discover these concepts in order to solve them. You can then use game levels as a reference point to develop the concept further, introducing and formally explaining terms like “equivalent fractions.”

Lesson Procedure:

Play the BrainPOP Jr. Basic Parts of a Whole video for the class.
Display the Hard Quiz and take it together as a class. Use each question as a springboard for discussion in order to determine students' prior knowledge and get them excited to learn more.
Tell students they will have the opportunity to explore equal groupings and splitting groups into squares through an online game called Slice Fractions. Explain they will be popping balloons, slicing ice, and solving fraction mysteries to guide a woolly mammoth across rough terrain, and challenge students to collect as many crazy hats for the mammoth as possible.
Allow students to explore the game independently or with a partner for approximately 10-15 minutes.
Once the majority of the class has finished the first five levels (which reinforce splitting group concepts), have students pause in their game play to discuss strategies. How did they avoid dropping too much ice? How has order of operations been important when dropping blocks onto the right spot? What connections did they make between the lava and equal splitting?
Allow students to continue playing the game for another 10-15 minutes to explore the slicing shapes levels.
Ask students to share (with a partner or the whole class) their strategies for finding the required number of ways to slice the lava blocks.
Over the course of the next several days, provide time for students to explore later levels of the game. Use BrainPOP Jr. videos and features from the Fractions Unit to introduce key vocabulary terms and help students develop formal explanations for the concepts they have explored during game play.

Filed as: 3-5, BrainPOP, CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.3, CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.A.4, CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.2, CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.1, CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3a, CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3b, CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3c, CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.3d

Equal Splitting Lesson Plan: Slice Fractions Game

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:

Materials:

Preparation:

Lesson Procedure:

Related: