Adding Fractions Lesson

Plan: The Drop Zone

Game
In this lesson plan, students will use the game Drop
Zone to explore abundance of strategies when it comes
to adding fractions.

Students Will:
1. Learn how to add fractions more effectively.
2. Use the game Drop Zone to add different fraction
amounts to an existing fraction to make it equal to
1.

Essential Question:
Students should learn how to apply this new knowledge
of adding fractions to their lives.

Content Area Standards:

For the third-fifth grade Idaho Mathematics Standard
they will complete:
1. Understand addition and subtraction of fractions as
joining and separating parts referring to the same
whole.
2. Decompose a fraction into a sum of fractions with
the same denominator in more than one way,
recording each decomposition by an equation.

Materials:
1. Computers or other devices with Internet access.
 2. Paper or mini whiteboards if the students would like
to write the problems out.

Preparation:
This lesson plan should be spread out over multiple class
periods.
Play the Drop Zone game yourself to become familiar
with how game play works. The objective is to be the
first player to make one whole. To play, load one or more
bars into the launcher, aim at a target, and click Drop.
If you use one bar to make a sum of 1, you earn the
token under the target. If you can use two bars, you earn
two of this token. If you use three bars, you will earn
three of this token. If the token you have earned is a wild
card, you can choose just one type of token. If you do
not like any of your moves, you can click Replace Bars
to get three randomly chosen bars. This will end your
turn.

You and your opponent alternate turns. New tokens will

also be randomly chosen to replace tokens that were
earned. The winner is the player who first earns four
different tokens or five of one kind of token.

Lesson Procedure:
1. Invite students to experiment with adding fractions
in a hands-on way using fraction strips (also known
as fraction bars.) Guide students to understand that
each fraction strip is divided into equal sections.
The total number of sections represents the
denominator. The number of shaded sections
represents the numerator. Have them look at the
unshaded parts of target fractions to see what they
need to make a sum of 1.
2. Encourage students to work with a partner to
 develop a game around adding fractions. The
game's object should be to make sums of 1 and to
prevent their opponent from making sums of 1.
Students may create their own game boards and
use fraction strips, cards, etc. to design their
games.
3. Have students switch partners and work on creating
sums of 1 with another partner.
4. Introduce the Drop Zone game to students.
Explain that the object of the game is the same as
the game students designed. Give students 10-15
minutes to play the game with their partners.
5. Debrief on the game play. How are the student-
created games the same or different from the Drop
Zone game? Allow students to talk about additional
game strategies they'd like to incorporate into their
own fraction games.
6. Give students time to adapt their games as needed, and
then hold a fractions game day in class! Allow students
to rotate in partnerships through several different games
(both student-created and the online Drop Zone game)
to practice the key concepts.
7. Afterward, have students reflect orally or in writing.
Which games were most useful in helping the class learn
about adding fractions? Which game play strategies
helped them to create one whole? How could their
games be adapted to practice subtracting fractions?

Assessment:
After playing the game multiple times with multiple
partners, the students should be tested on adding
subtraction with fractions.

Extension Activity:
After the students complete this game for a couple of
times, have them try out the other math games listen on
Gameup. Challenge them to create their own version of
a math game.

*This lesson plan is from BrainPOP. It has been modified

to fit the requirements for this project.