What Fraction of the Whole? (Small Group)
Purpose: Refine part-whole knowledge of fractions
Description: Students describe the fractional part of a strip that is shaded.
What To Say and Do
-
1
Select a fraction strip and present each student with a strip. Ask, “Without touching the strip, can you figure out what fraction of the whole is shaded?”
-
2
Ask, “If I allow you to touch the strip, is there a way you could find the fraction of the whole strip that is shaded?”
-
3
Allow time for students to work with the fraction strip to determine how many parts are shaded out of the total number of parts of the whole. Consider the following prompts to engage students with their fraction strip:
- How could you use the marked parts of the strip to help you find the number of equal parts that make up the whole?
- How could folding the paper help you determine the equal parts of the whole?
- Here’s a pencil if you would like to mark off the additional parts of the whole. How did you determine how big to make the parts?
- Using your fingers, could you determine the additional parts of the whole?
-
4
Have students declare their answer. Ask, “What fraction of the whole is the shaded part? How do you know?”
-
5
Continue the lesson using a variety of strips that are unshaded or unmarked for students to show a fractional part.
Variations
Use fraction strips made of heavy cardstock or laminated to encourage students to find a strategy other than folding the strip.
© 2022 US Math Recovery Council®. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for individual use only to support student learning. No other part of this product may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the written permission of the US Math Recovery Council®.