Show an example of a fraction wall and explain that making a fraction wall will help to find equivalent fractions.
Working in small groups, students:
- cut a sheet of A3 or A4 paper longways into several strips
- establish that the length of the strip equals one whole
- fold each strip into a specified number of equal parts (e.g. 2, 4 and 8) keeping one strip whole
- label each of the parts with the unit fraction e.g. for the strip folded into four parts label each part as one-quarter (1/4).
The strips are placed together so the size of the fractions can be compared.
Students record pairs of equivalent fractions, writing each pair onto a separate card.
Students look for similarities and sort the cards into groups. They describe any patterns they notice.
For example, in all the equivalent fractions for \(\frac{1}{2}\) the denominator is multiplied by the same number as the numerator.
Share the findings as a class and create a display of the fractions walls and equivalence cards.
Alternatively, each group could be invited to plan the set of fractions they want to represent.
