Skills Covered

How to Use This Pack

Eight lesson plans, one for each lesson of a 3rd grade unit on fractions as numbers, in teaching order, after an overview page that lays the unit out day by day: a pre-check, the eight lessons, a review and the unit test. Each plan fits on one page. It gives the goal, what to get ready, the words to use, the lesson in five steps with the words to say, questions to ask, common mistakes and what to do about them, and the Animal Math worksheets, maker, tool and quiz for the lesson.

In the Classroom

Print the unit, or just the day's page, and teach from it. Each lesson takes about 45 minutes: a 5 minute warm up, 10 minutes of teaching, 10 minutes together, 15 minutes of practice and an exit ticket at the end. Paper strips folded into equal parts carry most lessons, with pattern blocks for parts of a hexagon. The exit tickets and the unit test are separate packs, made for these lessons. Lessons 9.4, 9.7 and 9.8 (fractions of a set and sharing, fractions greater than 1, and sums of unit fractions) are taught in 3rd grade in some states, such as Texas and Virginia; skip them if yours teaches them in another grade.

At Home

Teaching at home? Use the warm up and the "Try it together" step as a short lesson with paper strips, a sandwich or a pizza, and the "Words to use" as the way to talk about it. The mistakes to watch for are the ones most children make.

Tips for Success

• Read the "Watch for" box before the lesson: it is what to listen for while students work
• Cut every paper strip from one length, so the wholes always match
• Ask "Are the parts equal?" before naming any fraction
• Sort the exit tickets into got it, almost and not yet to plan the next day
• Use the help and challenge ideas for small groups during practice