Lesson 3

Fractions Round Table

Warm-up: What Do You Know About $\frac{1}{8}$? (10 minutes)

CCSS Standards


Addressing

Routines and Access


Instructional Routines


Narrative

The purpose of this What Do You Know About _____ is to invite students to share what they know about and how they can represent the number \(\frac{1}{8}\).

Launch

  • Display the number.
  • “What do you know about \(\frac{1}{8}\)?”
  • 1 minute: quiet think time
Activity
  • Record responses.
  • “How could we represent the number \(\frac{1}{8}\)?”

Student Facing

What do you know about \(\frac{1}{8}\)?

Student Response

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.

Activity Synthesis

  • “What connections do you see between different answers?”

Activity 1: Fractions Round Table (35 minutes)

CCSS Standards


Addressing

Routines and Access


Access for English Learners

  • MLR8

Access for Students with Disabilities

  • Engagement

Narrative

The purpose of this activity for students to think about and discuss statements that address their understanding of important ideas about fractions. Students will consider ideas about how fractions are defined, comparing fractions, and how fractions relate to whole numbers. It is not necessary for each group to discuss all of the statements, but if there are any you’d like to make sure each group discusses, let them know at the start of the activity.

Students construct viable arguments to explain their choices (MP3) and in order to do so they need to use key fraction language, such as whole and equal-size piece, precisely (MP6).

MLR8 Discussion Supports.Synthesis: Provide students with the opportunity to rehearse what they will say with a partner before they share with the whole class.
Advances: Speaking
Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence: Chunk this task into more manageable parts. Check in with students to provide feedback and encouragement after each round.
Supports accessibility for: Organization, Focus

Launch

  • Groups of 4
  • “Take a minute to read the directions for today’s activity. You will be discussing statements about fractions with your group.”
  • 1 minute: quiet think time

Activity

  • Consider walking students through the process and answer any questions.
  • 25–30 minutes: small-group work time

Student Facing

Discuss each statement in 3 rounds with your group.

  • Round 1: Go around the group and state whether you agree, disagree, or are unsure about the statement and justify your choice. You will be free to change your response in the next round.
  • Round 2: Go around the group and state whether you agree, disagree, or are unsure about the statement you or someone else made in the first round. You will be free to change your response in the next round.
  • Round 3: State and circle the word to show whether you agree, disagree, or are unsure about the statement now that discussion has ended.

Repeat the rounds for as many statements as you can.

Student Response

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.

Activity Synthesis

  • “Was there a statement that you changed your mind about during your group's discussion? What was the statement? What made you change your mind?”
  • Consider asking:
    • “What statements do you still have questions about?”

Lesson Synthesis

Lesson Synthesis

“Which statement did your group have the most discussion about and why?” (We discussed the idea that one half is always greater than one third the most because some people agreed and some disagreed.)

Cool-down: Round Table Reflection (5 minutes)

CCSS Standards


Addressing

Cool-Down

For access, consult one of our IM Certified Partners.