Paint Job Too (Large Group)
Purpose: Extend part-whole knowledge of fractions
Description: Students identify and describe the part of a skyscraper that is painted with equal parts language and fraction language.
What To Say and Do
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1
Select a building to introduce the activity. Say, “Here is a building that has part of it painted, we are going to determine what part of the whole building has been painted.”
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2
Ask, “How many equal parts out of the whole building have been painted? What fraction of the building does that represent?”
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3
After students have had time to think independently, provide time for them to share with a partner. Facilitate a group discussion, encouraging students to use the building to model their reasoning.
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4
Select a new building and facilitate the activity in the same manner.
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5
Provide each student with a Paint Job Recording Sheet. Using one building on the recording sheet, ask students to shade or paint a specified fraction of the building. (e.g., “Paint one-third of the building.”).
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6
Facilitate a group discussion for students to explain and model how they solved the task.
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7
Use a new building on the recording sheet, asking students to show and represent various fractions (e.g., two-fifths or three-fourths).
Variations
Once students have identified the fraction of the building that is painted, ask them to identify the fraction of the building that is not painted.
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