Lesson 5

Multiply a Unit Fraction by a Non-unit Fraction

Lesson Purpose

The purpose of this lesson is for students to use diagrams and expressions to calculate the product of a unit fraction and a non-unit fraction.

Lesson Narrative

While the previous lesson used a context to help visualize fractions and their product, in this lesson the fractions are more complex and there is no context so students can focus on how the diagrams and expressions relate to the value of the product. In this lesson students also begin to work with side lengths that are fractions greater than 1. Students also practice estimating areas of rectangles where the side lengths are not shown. 

  • Action and Expression
  • MLR8

Learning Goals

Teacher Facing

  • Find the product of a unit fraction and a non-unit fraction.

Student Facing

  • Let’s multiply a unit fraction and a non-unit fraction.

Required Preparation

CCSS Standards

Addressing

Lesson Timeline

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

Teacher Reflection Questions

How did the work of the previous lessons lay the foundation for students to be successful in Activity 1 of this lesson?

Suggested Centers

  • Rolling for Fractions (3–5), Stage 4: Multiply Fractions (Addressing)
  • How Close? (1–5), Stage 7: Multiply Fractions and Whole Numbers to 5 (Supporting)

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Additional Resources

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