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Math lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes

Multiply fractions with an area model

Fractions

CCSS 5.NF.B.4.BEngland: Y6 Fractions

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Multiply fractions with an area model.

  • 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: Multiply fractions

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 · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Multiply fractions). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Zoe has 35 metres of ribbon and uses 2/5 of it. How many metres is that? → 14Prompt: "Of" means multiply: 2/5 × 35.
  2. Kofi has 18 metres of ribbon and uses 1/2 of it. How many metres is that? → 9Prompt: "Of" means multiply: 1/2 × 18.
  3. Ava has 56 metres of ribbon and uses 7/8 of it. How many metres is that? → 49Prompt: "Of" means multiply: 7/8 × 56.

Hook · 5 min

  • Cut a pizza or a strip of paper unevenly and ask whether the pieces are really halves or quarters.
  • Share the objective: Multiply fractions with an area model. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Model one question from the student sheet, thinking aloud.
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

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: Multiply fractions.
  • 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-5.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Multiply fractions with an area model

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    3/5 of a garden is used for vegetables. Mateo plants carrots in 1/2 of the vegetable part. What fraction of the whole garden has carrots?

    Answer(as a fraction)

  2. Question 2

    The grid is 2 rows by 6 columns. 1 row and 5 columns are shaded; the overlap shows 1/2 × 5/6. What is 1/2 × 5/6?

    Answer(as a fraction)

  3. Question 3

    2/3 of a garden is used for vegetables. Isla plants carrots in 1/3 of the vegetable part. What fraction of the whole garden has carrots?

    Answer(as a fraction)

  4. Question 4

    The grid is 5 rows by 6 columns. 4 rows and 3 columns are shaded; the overlap shows 4/5 × 3/6. What is 4/5 × 3/6?

    Answer(as a fraction)

  5. Question 5

    2/3 of a garden is used for vegetables. Diego plants carrots in 2/3 of the vegetable part. What fraction of the whole garden has carrots?

    Answer(as a fraction)

  6. Question 6

    The grid is 3 rows by 4 columns. 1 row and 1 column are shaded; the overlap shows 1/3 × 1/4. What is 1/3 × 1/4?

    Answer(as a fraction)

  7. Question 7

    1/4 of a garden is used for vegetables. Chloe plants carrots in 1/2 of the vegetable part. What fraction of the whole garden has carrots?

    Answer(as a fraction)

  8. Question 8

    The grid is 5 rows by 6 columns. 1 row and 3 columns are shaded; the overlap shows 1/5 × 3/6. What is 1/5 × 3/6?

    Answer(as a fraction)

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Answer key: Multiply fractions with an area model

  1. 1. 3/10

  2. 2. 5/12

  3. 3. 2/9

  4. 4. 12/30

  5. 5. 4/9

  6. 6. 1/12

  7. 7. 1/8

  8. 8. 3/30