Math Solutions Lesson from the Classroom
Fraction Bricks
An Activity for Grades 3–5
From Beyond Pizzas & Pies: 10 Essential Strategies for Supporting Fraction Sense, Grades 3–5
Common Core State Standards Content Correlation
3.NF: Develop understanding of fractions as numbers
1. Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a while is partitioned into b equal parts
3.G: Reason with shapes and their attributes.
2. Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole.
Common Core Mathematical Practice Standards
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
• Attend to precision.
Overview
In this activity, students make a slight variation of a traditional fraction kit in which they refer to the whole
as a brick and all fractional pieces in relation to the brick. This activity deepens students’ understanding
of fraction magnitude and fraction equivalence.
Introduce the activity by asking students where they have seen bricks used in or around buildings. Tell
them that sometimes builders need to use whole bricks to cover an area like a patio or walkway, but
sometimes they only need partial bricks. Explain that this activity will help them determine what to call
the partial bricks.
Materials
Brick by Brick recording sheet (see Reproducible 4a), 1 per student
15-by-2-inch strips of construction paper, at least 6 of different colors per student
legal-size envelopes for storing, 1 per student
students’ fraction kits
scissors, 1 pair per student
Activity
1. Pass out six strips of construction paper to each student. Ask the class to choose which color to
use as the brick. Tell students to write Whole Brick on one side of this strip and their name on the
other.
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1
Fraction Bricks, Grades 3–5, continued
2. Have students choose another strip and instruct them to
carefully fold it down the middle so that they will have two
equal-sized parts or sections. Ask students what they
should call these partial bricks and why. Have students
carefully cut this strip on the fold and label each of the
resulting two pieces 1/2 Brick.
Teaching Note
Students may want to call the
half-bricks “small bricks.” Stress
that all of the partial bricks need
to be named in relation to the
original, full-size brick.
3. Repeat Step 2, but before cutting, have students fold their strip again so they now have four
equal-sized sections. Have students cut and label these 1/4 Brick.
Teaching Note
4. Repeat Step 3, this time directing students to fold their strip
one extra time. Then ask students to cut and label these
sections 1/8 Brick.
As students make the smaller,
partial bricks, ask them
questions such as “How many
fourth-bricks are the same size
as one half-brick?” and “How
many half-bricks are the same
as the whole brick?”
5. Next, have students choose another strip and carefully fold it to make three equal sections. You will
need to model this for students, as it is difficult to do it accurately. (If you prefer, have students use a
ruler to measure the length of the whole strip and determine how long each section should be.) Ask
students what these parts should be called. If students are unsure about what to call each of these
sections, draw a table on the board to focus their attention on the relationship between the number
of sections and the fraction name for each section. (See Figure 4–1.)
6. Finally, repeat Step 5, but before students do any cutting, have them further partition each section to
make sixths. Again, ask questions to help your students understand the relationship between thirds
and sixths, between sixths and halves, between all the fractions and the whole, and so forth.
7. Once students have completed making and labeling their bricks, have them investigate the
relationships between the different bricks. Encourage students to refer to the partial bricks using
their whole name (half-bricks and not just halves) to emphasize that they are fractions of a larger
whole. Ask students to find as many different ways to arrange their bricks to cover a given area as
possible. For example, when asked to cover the area of one whole brick, students may suggest two
half-bricks, four fourth-bricks, one half-brick and three sixth-bricks, and so on.
©2014 Scholastic. Permission granted to photocopy for nonprofit use in a classroom or similar place dedicated to face-to-face educational purposes.
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Fraction Bricks, Grades 3–5, continued
8. Pass out the Brick by Brick recording sheet (Reproducible 4a; see Figure 4–2) and have students
record their findings. Discuss and share students’ solutions.
Figure 4–1 Fraction Bricks Chart
Figure 4–2 Brick by Brick (Reproducible 4a)
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Reproducible 4a
Brick by Brick
From Beyond Pizzas and Pies: 10 Essential Strategies for Supporting Fraction Sense by Julie McNamara and Meghan M. Shaughnessy. © 2010 by Math Solutions.
Permission granted to photocopy for nonprofit use in a classroom or similar place dedicated to face-to-face educational instruction.
Name: _________________________________________
Date: _________________
Brick by Brick
The brick company often has partial bricks left over from
jobs and would like help figuring out how to use them. They
know that two half-bricks will be the same size as one whole
brick. In the space below, make a list of all the different ways
to use the partial bricks so they don’t go to waste.
1. Ways to make 1 whole brick:
1 brick + 1 brick
2
2
2. Ways to make
1
2
of a brick:
3. Ways to make
1
4
of a brick:
4. Ways to make
1
3
of a brick:
(continued )
From Beyond Pizzas and Pies: 10 Essential Strategies for Supporting Fraction Sense by Julie McNamara and Meghan M. Shaughnessy. © 2010 by Math Solutions.
Permission granted to photocopy for nonprofit use in a classroom or similar place dedicated to face-to-face educational instruction.
5. Ways to make
2
3
of a brick:
6. Ways to make
3
4
of a brick:
7. Ways to make
5
8
of a brick:
8. Ways to make 112 bricks:
9. Ways to make 2 bricks: