Title of Book:
Author:
Publisher/Date:
ISBN:
Working With Fractions
David A. Adler
Holiday House New York, 2007
978-0-8234-2010-0
Grade Levels for Recommended Use: 5 th Grade
5.2 Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning. The student uses fractions in problem solving situations. The student is expected to:
(A) generate a fraction equivalent to a given fraction such as 1/2 and 3/6 or 4/12 and 1/3;
(B) generate a mixed number equivalent to a given improper fraction or generate an improper fraction equivalent to a given mixed number;
(C) compare two fractional quantities in problem solving situations using a variety of methods, including common denominators
Brief Summary:
This is a short book on visualization and working with fractions. The author uses squares, rectangles, and pies to demonstrate the notion of fractions such as how to adding and subtracting fractions. Also, the book deals with the notion of denominator with some accent on the greatest denominator.
Materials:

Rulers

Scissors

Copy Paper

Activity: Experiments In Fractions
Source for experiments:
Buckeye, Donald A. (1972).
Experiments In Fractions. (Experiments 1-2, 6-9). Troy, Michigan:
Midwest Publications Company, Inc.
Preparation Steps:
Experiment NO. 1: Folding paper into fourths Activity
Apparatus: copy paper
Discuss and explain how experiment no. 1 and experiment no. 2 will deal with fractions as being a part of a whole. Scaffold students through experiment no. 1.
Make printed copies for each student or have these images projected for the students to visualize.
Ask students to fold two sheets of paper in three different ways as shown above. Secondly, ask students to answer these questions.
1. What is each part called?

2. Will the fourths in the first sheet fit exactly on each other? (Try it by cutting one part.)
3. Will the fourths in the second sheet fit exactly on each other? (Try it by cutting one part.)
4. Will the fourths in the third sheet fit exactly on each other? (Try it by cutting one part.)
Assess the students understanding of fractions using the folded and cut out sheets of paper activity.
Experiment NO. 2: Guided practice for students to further understand fractions Activity.
Apparatus: copy paper
Have students work together to answer the questions in experiment no. 2 in groups of two or three.
1) Folding sheets of paper into halves , then fourths and eighths .

2) How many fourths are there in ?
3) One-fourth is what part of ?
4) How many eighths equal ?
5) How many eighths equal ?
6) One-eighth is part of ?
7) What other fractions have the same value as ?
8) What other fractions have the same value as ?
9) If two fractions with the same denominators are being compared, how can you tell which one is larger?
10) If two fractions with the same numerators are being compared, how can you tell which one is larger?
11) If two fractions have different numerators and different denominators, how can you tell which one is larger?
12) The denominator of a fraction tells how many equal parts one whole is divided into. The numerator of a fraction tells how many of those parts we are interested in. For the fraction we are interested in three equal parts of a whole that is divided into eight equal parts. Can you describe in this way?
Preparation Steps
Experiment NO. 6: Fractions in Inches Activity

Apparatus: Ruler
Handout one ruler per student and begin discussing and explaining how experiment no. 6 expresses how an inch also has fractional parts.
Scaffold students through experiment no. 6.
Make printed copies for each student or have these images projected for the students to visualize.
Lastly, have the each group of students answer these questions.
1) How many half inches are there in one inch?
2) How many fourths of an inch are there in one inch?
3) How many eighths of an inch are there in one inch?
4) How many eighths of an inch are there in inch?, inch?, inch?
Experiment NO. 7: Guided Practice using less than (<) and greater than (>) symbols
Activity
Apparatus: Ruler

Discuss, describe and inform the students how less than (<) values are the smaller numbers and greater than (>) values are the larger numbers.
Have students work together to answer the questions in experiment no. 7 in groups of two or three to assess the students understanding when using less than (<) and greater than (>) statements using an inch on a 12-ruler.
Write less than (<) or greater than (>) after each statement.
1) Is inch more or less than inch?
2) Is inch more or less than inch?
3) Is inch more or less than inch?
4) Is inch more or less than inch?
5) Is inch more or less than inch?
6) Is inch more or less than inch?
7) Is inch more or less than inch?
References:
Adler, David A. (2007). Working With Fractions.
Holiday House New York.
Buckeye, Donald A. (1972).
Experiments In Fractions. (Experiments 1-2, 6-7). Troy, Michigan:
Midwest Publications Company, Inc.
Adapted by Laura Delgado, 2013