Lesson 14

Area Situations

Lesson Purpose

The purpose of this lesson is for students to apply their understanding of multiplying a whole number by a fraction to solve mathematical and real-world problems.

Lesson Narrative

In previous lessons, students used a range of skills to solve problems involving the multiplication of a whole number by a fraction. They represented situations with diagrams and expressions, and they solved problems using a variety of strategies.

In this lesson, students use their conceptual understanding to build procedural fluency with multiplication of whole numbers by fractions. Students also apply these skills to solve problems in an Info Gap activity. Students use what they know about interpreting multiplication as area to ask questions of their peers about the missing information in the problems and explain their reasoning for needing that information.

As in the previous lessons, students will encounter problems with fractions greater than 1. Students are encouraged to rewrite fractions greater than 1 as whole numbers when possible. They are not required to rewrite fractions greater than 1 as mixed numbers.

  • Representation

Learning Goals

Teacher Facing

  • Solve problems involving the multiplication of a whole number by a fraction, including fractions greater than 1.

Student Facing

  • Let’s apply what we’ve learned about fraction multiplication.

Required Materials

Materials to Copy

  • Info Gap: Area

Required Preparation

Activity 1:

Create a set of cards from the blackline master for each group of 2.

CCSS Standards

Addressing

Lesson Timeline

Warm-up 10 min
Activity 1 20 min
Activity 2 15 min
Lesson Synthesis 10 min
Cool-down 5 min

Teacher Reflection Questions

If you were to teach this lesson over again, what activity would you redo? How would your proposed changes support student learning?

Suggested Centers

  • Rectangle Rumble (3–5), Stage 4: Whole Number and Fraction Factors (Addressing)
  • Rectangle Rumble (3–5), Stage 3: Factors 1–10 (Supporting)

Print Formatted Materials

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Additional Resources

Google Slides

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PowerPoint Slides

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