• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Understand fractions a/b). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

• Cut a pizza or a strip of paper unevenly and ask whether the pieces are really halves or quarters.
• Share the objective: What fraction of the group?. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: In a class of 7 children, 4 walk to school and the rest come by bus. What fraction come by bus?
• Step 1: 7 − 4 = 3
• Step 2: 3/7
• Answer: 3/7
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

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

1. In a class of 8 children, 7 walk to school and the rest come by bus. What fraction come by bus? → 1/8Prompt: First find how many come by bus.
2. In a class of 10 children, 5 walk to school and the rest come by bus. What fraction come by bus? → 5/10Prompt: First find how many come by bus.

• 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.

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

1. In a class of 12 children, 5 walk to school and the rest come by bus. What fraction come by bus? → 7/12Prompt: First find how many come by bus.
2. In a class of 11 children, 7 walk to school and the rest come by bus. What fraction come by bus? → 4/11Prompt: First find how many come by bus.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-3.