Session 1 - Describe Fractions and Place Fractions on a Number Line

Describe Fractions and Place Fractions on a Number Line - Grade 3

Step 1

Get Prepared (15 - 20 minutes):

Gather materials and review the lesson.
1. You will need copies of the following handouts. Make copies or turn on computers.
2. Identifying Fractions & Answers
3. Picture Fraction Cards
4. Fractions on a Number Line & Answers
5. Fraction Sort & Answers
6. Write the Missing Fraction
Have this Progress Monitoring chart ready for note-taking on observations.

Step 2

Think: Pre-Lesson Knowledge Check! (10 minutes)

Pre-Lesson Knowledge Check Task: I dentifying Fractions & Answers and Picture Fraction Cards

Pre-lesson Knowledge Check Task:

Identifying Fractions & Answers and Picture Fraction Cards

Directions for Giving the Task:

Explain the knowledge check by modeling one card for the students.
Hold up one fraction card. (NOTE: Not the picture fraction card.) With the first card, model that you’re looking for correct mathematical vocabulary and explanation.
Example: For the ⅙ fraction card: “This fraction shows one-sixth or one out of six. The one represents the numerator and shows that only one part is shaded. The six represents the denominator and shows that the whole is split into six equal parts.”
Show the cards one at a time. Working in pairs, have students think quietly about their answer, then share out loud with their partner. (Think-Pair-Share) Partners should work together to resolve any disagreements in their answers.
Then, hand out a pre-lesson knowledge check for each student to complete independently.

Focus: MP 2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively, MP 7: Look for and make use of the structure

Decorative question mark:

Why are students doing this/what are they getting out of it?

Repetition with the visual fraction cards will show understanding that a fraction is the quantity formed by a part when the whole is partitioned into equal parts.

Directions for Scoring & Understanding Student Responses

While students are doing the pre-knowledge check, you will want to be listening. Use the suggestions below to help decide if they “got it” or are still struggling with this skill. Identifying Fractions & Answers

Sample Thinking Prompts:

Common Problems	Question to Pose to Student
Student doesn’t know how to begin.	Ask student to draw their own circle and shade in a particular amount (e.g., ¼), then compare to the activity. If the fraction in the activity is also a fraction card, have students match up the fraction card with the correct representation and compare it to the drawings in the activity.
Student switches the numerator and denominator. (example: student says “eight thirds for ⅜”)	How many parts are shaded? How many total equal parts divide the whole? We say parts out of the total, so 3 out of 8.
Student is overwhelmed by the number of choices.	Ask if there are any that they can eliminate right away and have them cross out or cover up any that don’t work.
Student does not realize that parts must be equal.	(eg: ⅜) You correctly shaded 3 of the 8 parts, but what do you notice about the 8 parts?

Please Note

The next piece of the lesson looks at answers that students give to this problem. It includes correct and incorrect answers. This problem will be addressed in more depth in the next section. The intention is not to grade this activity but to use it to gauge what knowledge the student brings with them to the lesson.

If students were unable to grasp the skills in the Pre-Lesson Knowledge Check or provided incorrect answers, they should review the skills needed before this lesson. See the section above, “Progression of Skills” for ideas and resources. For example, if a student can complete this activity with little to no help and with ease, they are ready for this toolkit lesson.

Note: If this activity takes a long time, this is a good breaking point.