Benton Week 3 Task

Write up a task plan addressing the following. Check with Dr. de Araujo about your task before
finalizing. It should be an open middle type task (there is one solution but many ways to get at it)
or an open ended task (many solutions many ways). You can adapt something from the internet,
it could be an investigation, a number of related problems, or one really good problem. This must
be a challenging yet accessible problem.
Task (as shown to students, include any diagrams if applicable). Students will solve equal
sharing word problems and they will arrange them on a number line.
Original Problems:
2/8: You bought a pepperoni pizza today. The chef cut it into 8 equal slices. If you are sharing
fairly among 4 people, how much of the pizza will each person get?
1/4: You have a pizza to share evenly between you and 3 friends. With a total of 4 people
sharing, how much of the pizza will one person get?
2/4: You are having a sleepover tonight and your mom says that you may invite your best friend.
You all will have pizza for dinner and a big bottle of pepsi to go with it. Your mom then pours an
even amount of the pepsi into 4 cups. What fraction of the big bottle of pepsi is two cups?
*If the student responds in 1/2 or 2/4 try to get them to realize they are equivalent
fractions. Can ask- How many cups make a half? Or- 2 cups can also be called?
7/8: You have a pepperoni pizza that is cut into 8 pieces. All of the pieces are the same size.
Johnny dropped a slice on the floor by accident. How much of the pizza is left?
Extension Problems:
1/3: Your mom has just made a pan pizza for you and your two friends to share. The pizza has
been cut into three equal pieces. What fraction of pizza could you and your friends each eat?
8/8: You and seven of your friends go out for pizza. The waiter accidentally brings 8 pizzas each
cut into 8 equal slices. How many slices can each person get?
*How many slices make a whole pizza?
1/16: Your mom bought a pizza from Papa Johns that is cut into 16 pieces. If the pizza is cut into
16 equal size pieces, what would be the size of one piece of pizza

1 1/2: There are 2 groups of friends at a pizza restaurant. If there are 3 pizzas to share evenly
among 2 groups, how much pizza will each group get?
Task Learning Goals
Students should develop an understanding of fractions as numbers
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.3.D
Compare two fractions with the same numerator or the same denominator
by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only
when the two fractions refer to the same whole
Students should extend their knowledge and understanding of fraction
equivalencies and ordering
CSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.A.2
Compare two fractions with different numerators and different
denominators, e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or
by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2
Learning how to fair share.
Students should understand that a fair share means everyone gets exactly
the same amount, the pieces for each person are the same size in area.
Students will be able to use problem solving skills to solve word problems.
Students will be able to make sense of a problem and persevere in solving
it.
Students have a strategy to to share their thinking and solutions
Student is able to create, display, explain, and justify answer.
Students are able to consider numerators and denominators when determining
which fraction is larger or perhaps equivalent.
Students are able to properly use benchmarks when ordering fractions.
Rationale for Choosing Task
We wanted to get students thinking about comparing fractions.
We wanted to incorporate fair sharing word problems to help increase their
problem solving skills.
Then we wanted them to be able to work together as a team to foster debate and
math discussion among peers.
We wanted to formatively assess the students' fraction comparison skills.
Materials Needed
Word Problem Cards
Paper
Pencils
Masking Tape
Post-It Notes
Laminated pizzas
Dry Erase Markers

Kleenex/ paper towels/ napkins

Procedures (Detailed)
Before students come to the station, we will have 8 masking tape boxes for the
ordering of fractions.
Introduce ourselves and tell students that we will be comparing fractions today
with word problems about pizza
We will complete one word problem as a group while explaining the directions of
the activity. We will do the problem that results in the answer 1/4.
Next, we will give each student a word problem card and assist as needed to
complete the word problem.
How many slices of pizza do we have?
How many people need to eat?
Is there enough slices for each person to get 1 whole slice?
Why is it a problem?
How do you think we should begin solving this problem?
We will push students to draw a diagram. We will provide them with a laminated
pizza so that they can use Dry Erase markers to make slices.
We will instruct each student to write the fraction as a number, therefore, they
will be able to work with the group to put the fractions in order from smallest to
largest
Next, students will work together to put the word problem cards in order in the
masking tape boxes from smallest to largest
If time permits, we will hand out the extra word problem cards as needed for them
to solve and to place in order.
Anticipated Student Solution Strategies
Students may draw pictures to describe their thought process
Students may only compare numerators or only compare denominators when
placing the fractions on the number line
Students may put a fraction such as 8/8 infront of 1 instead of realizing that 8/8 is
equivalent to 1
Students may use benchmarks to compare fractions and then place them on the
number line accordingly
Possible Student Misconceptions
Students may not realize that 8/8 is the same as 1 or (a whole)
Students may not realize that 2/8 is equivalent to 1/4
Furthermore, students may have trouble understanding that 2/4 and 4/8 are
equivalent. And that they are both 1/2
Extension Problem(s)
Cards with various fractions and students will compare by saying which one is
larger versus the smaller fraction

 These word problems will include problems with different denominators

that challenge their knowledge of number sense.
For example, it is easier to compare fractions like 1/4 and 3/8
because 8 is a common denominator for both fractions, but it
would be harder to compare 1/4, 3/8, and 2/5 because a common
denominator is more challenging to find.