Lesson plan
Linking Line Plots and Fractions
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to create a line plot that includes fractions of a unit to help them solve problems.
The adjustment to the whole group lesson is a modification to differentiate for children who are English learners.
Introduction
(5 minutes)
- Introduce the lesson with a fraction match game. Distribute one card per student and have each student illustrate what their fraction represents on the rectangle provided.
- Have the students mingle around the room and find a partner or group with an equivalent fraction. (If there will be duplicate cards, tell the students that only one type of fraction can be in each group.)
- Once students have returned to their seats, tell the students that they will be learning how to use fractional parts on a line plot to solve problems. Different fractions will be combined to find the answers to the problems.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling
(10 minutes)- Remind the students that a line plot is used to represent data, using vertical X's to represent data.
- Tell the students that fractional parts can be counted and combined using a line plot.
- Demonstrate the process of creating a line plot on the whiteboard. Begin with a line plot that shows the quantity of 1 and includes the following fractional parts: ¼, ½, and ¾.
- Display the teacher modeling problem on the board or write the following problem on the board.
- A group of students went on a field trip to the strawberry farm. Shelly picked ½ pound of strawberries. Jose and Mike picked ¾ pound of strawberries each. Four other classmates picked ¼ pound of strawberries. How many pounds of strawberries did the students pick in all?
- Show the students how to use the data to create a line plot and then add the fractions together to find the total.
Guided Practice
(10 minutes)- Divide students into groups of three or four students each.
- Distribute one prepared poster board strip per group, a set of "X" manipulatives, and the word problem about the butcher at the grocery store.Tell the students that they will need to create a line plot that represents their information and then find the solution to the problem.
- Ask the students to work in groups to solve the problem by creating a line plot and then adding the fractions on the chart to find the answer. Circulate around the room as students are working to offer support and correct misconceptions.
- Have groups members move to a different group's line plot and evaluate the chart. Tell students to check the line plot and the answer to the word problem, and allow groups to confer with each other for a few minutes to review their answer again.
Independent working time
(15 minutes)- Distribute the Donut Data worksheet and explain the directions. Check their understanding of how to complete the worksheet by allowing students to restate the directions.
- Instruct students to use the data to answer questions and also construct their own line plots as directed.
- Circulate around the room as students are working to offer support and correct misconceptions.
Differentiation
Support:
- If students have difficulty understanding the concept of equivalent fractions, use fraction bars or other fraction manipulatives. Have students use these manipulatives alongside their computation.
- Have the students complete the Fraction Addition #2 worksheet.
Enrichment:
- Using the worksheet "Peachy Line Plots," have the students create their own problems with line plots and fractions.
Technology Integration
- Use an interactive whiteboard to create the line plots designated in the teacher modeling and closing sections.
- Have the students use Google drawing or another program to create their own line plots and problems.
Assessment
(10 minutes)- Distribute the Looking at Line Plots worksheet and ask student to complete it by determining if a problem was solved correctly.
- Discuss student responses as a whole class and clarify any misconceptions.
Review and closing
(10 minutes)- Draw a line on the whiteboard that can be used to create a line plot.
- Distribute fractions among students and ask students to participate in making a class line plot by drawing an "X" that matches where their fraction is located on the line plot.
- Ask students to use individual whiteboards and individual whiteboard markers to find the total.
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