Unit 11 Lesson 5: Comparing Fractions

Big Idea: ​Understand why we need to find a common denominator to compare fractions.

Student objective: ​Students will be able to find common denominators and use them to compare
fractions.

Launch:​ Soooo last night I went shopping and ran into a problem. My friend and I were
shopping for ingredients to make cookies and fudge for a bake sale we are doing at Loras. We
ran into a problem and we ended up going home without ingredients! The cookie recipe calls for
⅔ can of sweetened condensed milk.
- If we use ⅔ of a can for cookies how much will we have left for the fudge
Okay… so the fudge recipe calls for ¾ of a can of sweetened condensed milk. Will we have
enough evaporated milk if we buy 1 can?

Can you guys help us with our problem? Good! Because I typed it up and made a copy for
everyone. I was hoping you would help me so I wasn’t wasting paper. Here is what I need you to
do...
1. Hand out different colored pens
2. Get in groups
3. Each student must write on the paper!
4. IT IS OKAY IF YOU DON’T GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS!
5. If they do get done with what I want them to do they can work on Homework.

**Look for various ways to compare fractions**

- smaller common denominator
- larger common denominator
- benchmarks (less than ½, more than ½, less than 1, more than 1)
- pictures
- use a calculator to convert fractions to decimals and then comparing

Explore:
Individual Goal​: Each student will write on the Ms. Meeks Problem Worksheet

Group Goal: ​Students work in pairs to determine the relationship between fractions
Key Questions:
o Eliciting: What are you thinking here? What did you do first? Can you show me?
Why did you use this method?
o Probing: What do we need to know? What are we trying to find? What is our first
step?
o Extending questions:
▪ Can you think of what we have done in class that is similar to this?
▪ Can you write a number sentence comparing the two numbers?

Assessment: Correct comparisons on worksheet

Summarize:

- After students are finished with their problems we will come together as a class and
discuss.
- I want you to look at the strategies on the board? Think about what each student did.
- Who can explain the first example?
- Who can explain the second example?
- Who can explain the third example?
There are many methods to comparing fractions. We can:
- find a smaller common denominator
- find a larger common denominator
- use benchmarks (less than ½, more than ½, less than 1, more than 1)
- use pictures
- use a calculator to convert fractions to decimals and then comparing
Now…
1. Explain homework and go through 1 of each as an example.
2. Please work on homework. When you finish you can work on ST

Evaluation: ​Homework: Student Guide pg 366- 1, 2A, 2B, 2C

Accommodations:
● Enrichment: Students will work with partners. More complex problems
● Remediation: Smaller numbers

Ms.Meeks Problem Worksheet

Fudge Cookies
⅔ bag semisweet chocolate chips 7/9 bag semisweet chocolate chips
¾ can sweetened condensed milk ⅔ can sweetened condensed milk
¼ stick of butter 9/4 stick of butter
½ bag chopped m&m’s ⅜ bag chopped m&m’s

1. If we buy one can of sweetened condensed milk, will we have enough to make the fudge
AND cookies?
2. Which recipe requires MORE sweetened condensed milk?
3. If we buy one bag of semisweet chocolate chips, will we have enough chocolate chips
to make the fudge ​AND​ cookies?
4. Which recipe requires MORE chocolate chips?
5. Butter?
6. M&M’s?