Math lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes
Fractions as division: sharing wholes equally
Fractions
CCSS 5.NF.B.3England: Y6 Fractions
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Fractions as division: sharing wholes equally.
- 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: Mixed numbers and improper fractions; Division with remainders
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 (Mixed numbers and improper fractions; Division with remainders). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Write 1 1/3 as an improper fraction. → 4/3 (1 1/3)Prompt: How many pieces of size 1/3 are in 1 whole?
- 21 ÷ 6 = ? remainder 3. What is the missing quotient? → 3Prompt: Which multiple of 6 is just below 21?
- Write 9/2 as a mixed number. (4 1/2 / 1 4/2 / 3 1/2 / 5 1/2) → 4 1/2Prompt: How many whole groups of 2 fit into 9?
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: Fractions as division: sharing wholes equally. 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: Write 1 ÷ 3 as a fraction.
- Step 1: 1 ÷ 3 = 1/3
- Answer: 1/3
- 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.
- Write 6 ÷ 4 as a fraction. → 6/4 (1 2/4)Prompt: The number being shared goes on top.
- Kofi and friends, 5 people in all, share 3 pancakes equally. How much does each person get? → 3/5Prompt: This is 3 ÷ 5.
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.
- 1/4 is the answer to which division? (1 ÷ 4 / 4 − 1 / 1 × 4 / 4 ÷ 1) → 1 ÷ 4Prompt: The fraction bar means 'divided by'.
- Kwame and friends, 5 people in all, share 3 pancakes equally. How much does each person get? → 3/5Prompt: This is 3 ÷ 5.
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: Mixed numbers and improper 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