Lesson 4

The purpose of this warm-up is to revisit the idea from grade 3 that tape diagrams and number lines are related, which will be useful later in the lesson, when students transition from using fraction strips to using the number line to represent fractions and reason about their size. 

While students may notice and wonder many things about these representations, the connections between the tape diagram and number line (the number and size of the parts in relation to 1) are important to note.

• Groups of 2
• Display the image.
• “What do you notice? What do you wonder?”
• 1 minute: quiet think time

• “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
• 1 minute: partner discussion
• Share and record responses.

• “How are these representations alike? How are they different?”
• “Some tick marks on the number line are not labeled. What labels do you think would be appropriate for them?” (\(\frac{1}{4}\), \(\frac{2}{4}\), \(\frac{3}{4}\), or \(\frac{1}{4}\), \(\frac{1}{2}\), \(\frac{3}{4}\), or \(\frac{3}{12}\), \(\frac{6}{12}\), \(\frac{9}{12}\))

This activity serves two main goals: to revisit the idea of equivalence from grade 3, and to represent non-unit fractions with denominator 10 and 12. Students use diagrams of fraction strips, which allow them to see and reason about fractions that are the same size. In the next activity, students will apply a similar process of partitioning to represent these fractional parts on number lines.

• Groups of 2
• Give each student a straightedge.
• “Here is a diagram of fraction strips you saw before, with two new rows added.”
• “How can we show tenths and twelfths in the two rows? Think quietly for a minute.”
• 1 minute: quiet think time

• “Work on the first two questions on your own. Afterward, discuss your responses with your partner.”
• “Use a straightedge when drawing your diagram.”
• 5–6 minutes: independent work time
• 2–3 minutes: partner discussion
• Monitor for students who found the size of tenths and twelfths as noted in student responses. 
• Pause for a brief discussion. Select students who used different strategies to find tenths and twelfths to share.
• After each person shares, ask if others in the class did it the same way or if they had anything to add to the explanation.
• “Look at your completed diagram. What can you say about the relationship between \(\frac{1}{5}\) and \(\frac{1}{10}\)?” (There are two \(\frac{1}{10}\)s in every \(\frac{1}{5}\). One fifth is twice one tenth. One fifth is the same size as 2 tenths.)
• “What can you say about the relationship between \(\frac{1}{6}\) and \(\frac{1}{12}\)?” (There are two \(\frac{1}{12}\)s in every \(\frac{1}{6}\). One sixth is twice one twelfth. One sixth is the same size as 2 twelfths.)
• “Take 2 minutes to answer the last question.”
• 2 minutes: independent or group work time

• Invite students to share their response to the last question and how they found equivalent fractions.
• Highlight the idea that two fractions that are the same size are equivalent, even if they have different numbers for the numerators and denominators.
• If needed, “How many fractions that are equivalent to \(\frac{3}{3}\) do you see on the diagram?” (Every strip on the diagram shows a fraction equivalent to \(\frac{3}{3}\).)

The purpose of this activity is to remind students of their work in grade 3 using number lines as a way to reason about fractions. Students see that they can partition number lines in a similar way as they partitioned fraction strips and diagrams.

The activity gives students another opportunity to notice the relationship between two fractions whose denominator is a multiple or a factor of each other, and then use this relationship to locate fractions on a number line. In doing so, students practice looking for and making use of structure (MP7).

The work prepares students to use number lines to think about equivalent fractions in the next lesson.

• Groups of 2

MLR5 Co-craft Questions

• “Keep your books closed.”
• Display only the four number lines without revealing the question(s).
• “Write a list of mathematical questions that could be asked about this situation.”
• 2 minutes: independent work time
• 2–3 minutes: partner discussion
• Invite several students to share one question with the class. Record responses.
• “What do these questions have in common? How are they different?”
• Reveal the task (students open books), and invite additional connections.
   

• “Take 5 minutes to complete the first two questions.” 
• 5 minutes: independent work time
• “Discuss your work with a partner. Make sure you and your partner agree on the labels for the number lines and can explain how you know before moving on to the last question.”
• 2 minutes: partner discussion
• Monitor for students who use the tick marks for \(\frac{1}{3}\), \(\frac{1}{4}\), and \(\frac{1}{5}\) on the given number lines to locate \(\frac{1}{6}\), \(\frac{1}{8}\), and \(\frac{1}{10}\).

Students may place the labels between the tick marks on the number line, rather than at or below the tick marks. Clarify that the numbers on a number line represent distance from 0. Consider asking: “If we start from 0 and move halfway toward 1, where should we put the ‘\(\frac{1}{2}\)’ to mark the halfway point? Why?”

• See lesson synthesis.