Alejandro Reynoso

October 4, 2016

Single Subject Lesson Plan Template

Subject: Use equivalent fractions as a strategy to add and subtract fractions.
Standards

Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers) by
replacing given fractions with equivalent fractions in such a way as to produce an
equivalent sum or difference of fractions with like denominators.
Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the
same whole, including cases of unlike denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction
models or equations to represent the problem.

Purpose/Rationale
Students will be able to compare and combine fractions even when they have different
denominators.
Students will be able to apply these techniques to real-world problems involving
fractional amounts.
Background Knowledge
Visualize Fractions using manipulatives (images, diagrams)
Addition and subtraction of whole numbers
Multiplication of whole numbers

*Instructional Objectives:
Assessment (formal/informal):
Students will be able to find a common
Informal assessment of in-class work.
denominator if given two different fractions
without errors.
Students will be able to add or subtract two Informal assessment of in-class work.
fractions with different denominators
without errors.
Students will be able to add or subtract two Informal assessment of in-class work.
fractions in the context of a word problem.

*Language Objectives:

Assessment (formal/informal) HOW

you will assess: WHAT you will be
looking for:

Alejandro Reynoso

October 4, 2016

Students will exclusively use the

Oral assessment of class (e.g. what is this
technical vocabulary (numerator,
part of the fraction called, what does
denominator, common denominator, etc.) numerator mean).
in the context of fractions.
Students will be able to translate
fractions into visuals (and vice versa)
and explain what the visuals mean.

Informal assessment of think-pair-share

activity.

Materials and Safety Precautions (if applicable)

Blank Paper
Writing utensils
Mini white boards
Projector and Computer
Class set of erasable markers with the eraser on the pen cap
Accommodations for special needs, advanced and English language learners (What
specific accommodations, scaffolds or strategies will you use to help the identified
students? How will instruction be differentiated to meet the needs of all students,
including advanced learners? This should be different for each lesson and tailored to the
content and learning activities planned.)

Procedures
PRE-ACTIVITY: A warm up activity to help students access prior knowledge before
transitioning into new topic.
Model a pizza, a box, and a circle on the whiteboard with shaded regions on the 3 figures
and have the students interpret the shaded parts in fractions. Have students access prior
knowledge to explain what each number on the fraction represents (Such as denominator,
numerator, divides and out-of)

Introduce adding fractions with like denominator. Write , 3/7, 2/9 on the board. (2 min
total)
Share with your partner, what is the top part called? (numerator). Now Im going to ask
you what you think that top part is called (student answer).
Share with your partner, what is the bottom part called? (denominator). Now Im going
to ask you what you think that top part is called (student answer).
Show 5/2 + 3/2, + 4/3, and 8/9 + 11/9 on the board. Pass out white boards and
markers.

Alejandro Reynoso

October 4, 2016

OK class, work with your partner to try and add these together. (4 min)
Draw and color in circles on page to represent fractions. [Model how to draw and color
a circle].
White boards, markers provided.

Ok, Im going to ask one of the pairs to tell me what [5/2+3/2], [ + 4/3] is.
Call on pair for both of these.
Did anyone get a different answer? Who thinks theyre wrong (they might be wrong)
Discuss.

Ok, now get with your elbow partner and erase your white board. You are going to try
these problems on those circles. [+], [+]
Try these problems together. You can color in the circles to help you visualize how to
solve these.
Lets see what answers you had. Im going to call on each of the pairs and ask what
answer you got. If you got the same answer you can pass, but if you got a different
answer you should tell us - you might be right! When I point to your pair, say pass or
say one answer you got. Ready? Go!
Go through each of the pairs this way. Write everyones answer up on the board.
Ok, lets try and think about this. [Project giant circles onto screen]
First problem was +. Lets try and represent this.
How much of the circle should I color in for ? Somebody tell me. [When get right
answer, color it in]
How much of the circle should I color in for 1/4? Somebody tell me. [When get right
answer, color it in]
So how much a circle do we have all together? Lets look at the answers you all
suggested and see what we think matches. [Discussion will vary depending on answers
provided.
What if we take the circle and the circle and stick them together? How much of a
circle do we have? [Discuss answer and refine with students until they get ]

Good! Our goal is we are trying to figure out how to add fractions with different
denominators.
Im going to ask somebody what the denominator is again. Think about that. Now Im
calling on you!
So weve seen how we can add fractions with pictures. Now take a look at the
numerators and at the denominators, and think silently about how the numbers are all
related. Im going to give you 30 seconds each to talk to your elbow partner about how
you think theyre connected. Left will talk first. Ready, go!
30 seconds in, say: Ok, finish up and now right will talk.

Alejandro Reynoso

October 4, 2016

So now the pairs are going to come together and talk to your pods. You have 38 seconds.
After this, I will be calling on each group to ask what ideas you have. Ready, go!
Call on each group to ask what ideas they had. Write these up on the board, with lots of
positive affirmation.

So lets take a look at the first example. We had and , and we got . Notice that 2
goes into 4. If I break my circle into 4 parts, how many parts do I need to cover half the
circle [show quartered circle on screen]?
Good! 2 parts! That means that 2/4 equals . Show me on your thumbs, how well do
you understand that?
Thumbs happen.
Ok, lets try that with the second fraction. [+]. Does 5 go into 3 evenly? [No]. Does 3
go into 5? [Some students will say yes]. Ok, so youre right, 3 is in 5, but does it go in
evenly? [No.]
So what do we do? We can multiply!
3*5 = 15. We can rewrite each of these fractions in terms of 15. If we multiply the
denominator by a number, multiply the numerator too!
With your elbow partner, solve that problem. You have 2 minutes.
Lets go over that. [Take responses. Ask how each group got their answer, see how
worked out. Varies depending on their answers].