Fractions Lesson Plan: Numbers and Operations: Fractions

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Fractions Lesson Plan. 

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Fractions, and supports the standard of understanding a fraction 𝑎/𝑏 as the quantity formed by 𝑎 parts of size 1/𝑏. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display this image  from the movie (time stamp: 0:55):

Ask students:

  • What do you notice about the way this cake is split up?
  • What might the fraction on each piece represent? 

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read the description on the Fractions topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Language” or “In Practice.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Students take the Fractions Quiz, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about fractions 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 divide a cake into twelfths. In your tutorial, answer this question: How many slices would be left if you gave a third of the cake away? 
  • Make-a-Map: Create a number line partitioned into eighths. Identify 1/8, 4/8, and 8/8.
  • Creative Coding: Code a math problem about equally sharing a pizza, and challenge a classmate to use fractions to solve. 

More to Explore 

Pearl Diver: Navigate a number line while diving amidst sunken ruins. 

Satisfraction: Solve complex fraction puzzles in this interactive game.

Teacher Support Resources:

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    Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, BrainPOP, Fractions, Lesson Ideas, Lesson Plan