Multiplying and Dividing Fractions Lesson Plan: Numbers & Operations– Fractions

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

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Multiplying and Dividing Fractions, and supports the standard of using the four operations to solve word problems, including problems involving simple fractions. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display a recipe, like this one for pecan cake:

Ask students: 

• How would you adjust this recipe to feed a larger group of people? A smaller group?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

• Read the description on the Multiplying and Dividing Fractions topic page.
• Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
• Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Eating and Drinking” or “Plus/Minus.” 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 Multiplying and Dividing 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 multiplying and dividing 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 cooking show explaining how to multiply fractions to make 5 batches of cookies that each need ¾ cups flour. 
• Make-a-Map: Sequence the process to solve for how many miles an athlete ran in 4 hours if she runs ⅔ of a mile per hour. 
• Creative Coding: Code a math problem that involves dividing a fraction, and challenge a classmate to solve.

More to Explore 

Satisfraction: Complete complex fractions puzzles in this interactive game

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of operations with fractions with these topics: Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Fractions.

Teacher Support Resources:

• Pause Point Overview: Video tutorial showing how Pause Points actively engage students to stop, think, and express ideas. 
• Learning Activities Modifications: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.
• Learning Activities Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.