Math lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes
Order fractions with different denominators
Fractions
CCSS 4.NF.A.2England: Y5 Fractions
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Order fractions with different denominators.
- 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: Compare fractions; Find the missing number in equivalent fractions
Leads to: Compare and order fractions greater than 1
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 (Compare fractions; Find the missing number in equivalent fractions). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- 1/6 = ?/42 → 7Prompt: What was 6 multiplied by to get 42?
- 5/6 = ?/54 → 45Prompt: What was 6 multiplied by to get 54?
- 1/8 = ?/72 → 9Prompt: What was 8 multiplied by to get 72?
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: Order fractions with different denominators. 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.
- Example: Three friends drank from same-sized bottles: Chloe drank 1/3, Daniel drank 1/4, Felix drank 5/12. Who drank the most?
- Step 1: 1/3 = 4/12, 1/4 = 3/12, 5/12 = 5/12
- Step 2: Felix
- Answer: Felix
- 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.
- Three friends drank from same-sized bottles: Hiro drank 1/2, Chloe drank 3/5, Grace drank 7/10. Who drank the most? (Hiro / Chloe / Grace) → GracePrompt: Find a common denominator.
- Three friends drank from same-sized bottles: Hana drank 1/3, Priya drank 1/4, Aisha drank 5/12. Who drank the most? (Hana / Priya / Aisha) → AishaPrompt: Find a common denominator.
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.
- Three friends drank from same-sized bottles: Zoe drank 3/4, Mateo drank 5/6, Ana drank 2/3. Who drank the most? (Zoe / Mateo / Ana) → MateoPrompt: Find a common denominator.
- Three friends drank from same-sized bottles: Luis drank 3/4, Fatima drank 5/6, Aisha drank 2/3. Who drank the most? (Luis / Fatima / Aisha) → FatimaPrompt: Find a common denominator.
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: Compare 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
- Move on to: Compare and order fractions greater than 1.
- 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-4.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder