Fraction Families

Explicit instruction/Teacher modeling

• Show the students the definition for fractions on the board, then draw examples of each fraction:

  Two pieces that make up a whole are called halves, or 1/2s.
  Three pieces that make up a whole are called thirds, or 1/3s.
  Four pieces that make up a whole are called fourths, or 1/4s.

Guided practice/Interactive modeling

• Hold up two halves of construction paper. Ask students to take out a sheet of paper. Ask for one student as a volunteer.
• Tell your class that if that student was holding one of the halves and you were holding up a half of the same color, the two of you would be in the same fraction family. Explain that together you would be called two halves.
• Point out that each of you are called one half and point to 1/2 on the board.
• Explain that your family name would be Red Halves, or whatever color your construction paper is.

Independent working time

• Tell students that they will be given a piece of a whole and they must find their family.
• When students find their family, they are to write down their names and their family name.
• Students also need to write that they are called two halves, three thirds, or four fourths. They must also write it in number form.
• Once they have written down their names, they are to have a seat and raise up their paper.

• Enrichment: Advanced students can be challenged to make new families of various colors. They must make sure that their pieces are of equal size. They can also be challenged to create circle pies and label the fraction pieces of those.
• Support: Struggling students can be given halves. You can also write the fraction names on the back of their pieces.

• Students will correctly identify their fraction family and name themselves.

• Ask students where they see fractions in the real world.
• Ask them if there were 5, 6, or 10 people in their fraction family what would they be called?