Math lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes
Name unit fractions in pictures and words
Fractions
CCSS 3.NF.A.1England: Y3 Fractions
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Name unit fractions in pictures and words.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Equal parts: halves, thirds, quarters
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Fraction strips or a fraction wall, Paper strips to fold, Number lines, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Equal parts: halves, thirds, quarters). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
Hook · 3 min
- Cut a pizza or a strip of paper unevenly and ask whether the pieces are really halves or quarters.
- Share the objective: Name unit fractions in pictures and words. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which fraction is one sixth?
- Step 1: 1/6
- Answer: 1/6
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Which fraction is one sixth? (1/5 / 6/1 / 6/6 / 1/6) → 1/6Prompt: A unit fraction has 1 on top.
- Which fraction is one eighth? (8/8 / 1/9 / 1/7 / 1/8) → 1/8Prompt: A unit fraction has 1 on top.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Which fraction is one fifth? (1/5 / 5/1 / 5/5 / 1/6) → 1/5Prompt: A unit fraction has 1 on top.
- Which fraction is one quarter? (1/5 / 1/4 / 4/1 / 1/3) → 1/4Prompt: A unit fraction has 1 on top.
Watch out for
- Thinking a bigger denominator means a bigger fraction (1/8 > 1/4).
- Adding the denominators when adding fractions (1/2 + 1/3 = 2/5).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Equal parts: halves, thirds, quarters.
- Use concrete materials: fraction strips or a fraction wall.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder