The purpose of this activity is to support students understanding that unit fractions are created through equal partitioning.
Use unit fraction strips to build up a number line of unit fractions in a predictive way.
Draw, and have students draw, a number line with ends labelled 0 and 1. Alternatively, you might provide students with a number line.
Have students use one part of their previously created fraction strips to predict and then confirm the location of their unit fractions on the number line.
Where do you think the fraction 1/2 will go on the number line? (It will be halfway between 0 and 1)
Where do you think the fraction 1/4 will go on the number line? (It will be halfway between 0 and 1/2)
Where do you think the fraction 1/3 will go on the number line? (Greater than 1/4 but less than 1/2)
Where do you think the fraction 1/5 will go on the number line? (Smaller than 1/4).
You might introduce te reo Māori kupu related to fractions, such as haurua (halves), hautoru (thirds), hauwhā (quarters), and haurima (fifths). Ensure you make links between relevant vocabulary, symbols, and the relative size of different fraction strips as you work.
Next steps
Printed from https://meaningfulmaths.nt.edu.au/mmws/nz/resource/more-unit-fractions at 9:02pm on the 26th February 2024