Lesson 6

The purpose of this lesson is for students to locate fractions on the number line and compare their size to \(\frac{1}{2}\) and to 1.

In this lesson, students continue to identify fractions on the number line by reasoning about known distances or intervals. They also consider the size of fractions in relation to \(\frac{1}{2}\) and 1, by examining the position and distance of fractions from these benchmarks on the number line. 
 
Although students consider the distance between a point on the number line and either \(\frac{1}{2}\) or 1, finding differences of two fractions is not the focus of this lesson. (That mathematical work will take place in a future unit.) What is important is for students to reason about the relative sizes of fractions using number lines, their knowledge of equivalent fractions and familiar benchmarks, and the meaning of numerator and denominator. Activity 2 is optional and allows an opportunity for students to use the relationships between numerator and denominator in a fraction and between different denominators without requiring them to use the number line.

• Create a set of fraction cards from the blackline master for each group.

What question asked today seemed to promote students reasoning about benchmarks to compare fractions?