Math lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 60 minutes
Divide unit fractions and whole numbers
Fractions
CCSS 5.NF.B.7England: Y6 Fractions
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Divide unit fractions and whole numbers.
- 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; Division facts
Leads to: Divide fractions by fractions; Divide a fraction by a whole number; How many pieces? Divide a whole number by a unit fraction
Materials: Fraction strips or a fraction wall, Paper strips to fold, Number lines, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Multiply fractions; Division facts). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- 45 ÷ 5 = ? → 9Prompt: Think of the multiplication fact.
- Zoe has 15 metres of ribbon and uses 4/5 of it. How many metres is that? → 12Prompt: "Of" means multiply: 4/5 × 15.
- 50 ÷ 10 = ? → 5Prompt: Think of the multiplication fact.
Hook · 6 min
- Cut a pizza or a strip of paper unevenly and ask whether the pieces are really halves or quarters.
- Share the objective: Divide unit fractions and whole numbers. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: 6 ÷ 1/4 = ?
- Step 1: There are 4 pieces of 1/4 in each whole.
- Step 2: 6 × 4 = 24
- Answer: 24
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- 8 ÷ 1/3 = ? → 24Prompt: How many thirds are in one whole?
- Ines has 8 kg of rice and puts it into bags of 1/5 kg. How many bags does Ines fill? → 40Prompt: How many 1/5 kg bags make 1 kg?
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- 9 ÷ 1/4 = ? → 36Prompt: How many quarters are in one whole?
- Kwame has 7 kg of rice and puts it into bags of 1/5 kg. How many bags does Kwame fill? → 35Prompt: How many 1/5 kg bags make 1 kg?
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
- Move on to: Divide fractions by fractions; Divide a fraction by a whole number; How many pieces? Divide a whole number by a unit fraction.
- 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