Classroom Activities: Equivalent Fractions

These classroom activities are designed to complement the Equivalent Fractions topic on BrainPOP Jr.

Half Life
Explore equivalent fractions for one-half. Have students represent different fractions by drawing pictures or building models. Encourage them to be creative! Then have students share their work with the class and have fellow students name the fraction that is being represented. You can repeat the activity with one-fourth or one-third.

Musical Chairs

Have the class play a game of “Musical Chairs” and go over the fraction of students sitting and standing at the end of each round. For example, if at the end of a round, five students are seated and five are left standing, then five-tenths of the students are standing. What fraction is that equivalent to?

Sandwich Picnic

If possible, go on a picnic together. Invite students to bring whole sandwiches, celery sticks, carrot sticks, etc. Then have some students divide their sandwiches into eighths. Have them put half their sandwich on a different plate. What fraction was put on a different plate? Have the whole class draw pictures, take notes, and write the fraction. You can repeat the activity with students who divide their sandwiches or snacks into sixths and put one-third on a separate plate.