Unit Fraction Frenzy

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling

• Have your students return to their seats, and give out the materials.
• Hold up an index card.
• Explain that this rectangle represents 1 whole and that it is not broken into any parts yet. Show the unit fraction ½, and explain that the fraction has two important pieces of information: the numerator and the denominator.
• Explain that the denominator indicates how many equal parts to break the whole into.
• Have students take one index card, and direct them to fold the card in half.
• Emphasize that the card is now broken into halves, and label each part as ½.
• Explain that one of these parts is ½ of the whole and that one part is a unit fraction.
• Repeat with 1/3, and ¼. Continue to emphasize that each part must be equal, and the numerator must be 1.

Guided Practice

• Instruct your students to create unit fraction models for 1/5, 1/6, and 1/7.
• Have students check with one another to make sure each part is equal.
• After each unit fraction, have one student share the model he created.
• Have students place all of the models they have created so far in front of them.
• Ask students what they notice about the fractions. For example, how does the size of the parts change as the denominator increases?

Independent working time

• Have students continue to create models for unit fractions of 1/8, 1/10, and 1/12.
• Direct your students to glue the models into their notebooks for future reference.