Comparing Fractions

1. Teaching Objective (s)
The student will compare and order fractions.

2. Instructional Activities:
Teacher will divide students into small groups . Students will use fraction bars so that they
will have a concrete model for comparison. Students will then use them to find out which is
larger:

The teacher will ask questions on comparing and ordering fractions . Questions that may be asked:
What is the same about the two fractions ?
What is different about the two fractions ?

Students will use activity sheet 1 as a pictorial model to identify fractions and order them.

3. Materials and Resources

1. Reys, Robert E., & Suydam, Marilyn N., & Lindquist, Mary Montgomery (1995). Helping
Children Learn Mathematics (4^th Ed.). Needham Heights: Simon & Schuster.
2. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2005) Mathematics Assessment a Practical
Handbook.
3. Mississippi Department of Education, Mathematics Instructional Intervention Supplement
4. Fraction Bar Sheet
5. Activity Sheet 1
6. Activity Sheet 2
7. Activity Sheet 3
8. Colors
9. Ruler

4. Assessment

Students will work on activity sheet 3, comparing fractions . Students may use fraction bar sheet to
assist them.

Activity Sheet 1

is ______ parts of the whole.

Which is larger, ?

is ______ parts of the whole.

Which is larger, ?

is ______ parts of the whole.

Which is larger, ?

Fraction Bars

One

Halves

Thirds

Fourths

Fifths

Sixths

Eighths

Students will use a symbolic representative to order fractions using activity sheet 2.

Students will use the rectangle that is partitioned on activity sheet 2 into twenty-first so that 2/3 is
14 of 21 parts or and is 15 of the 21 parts or . So 21 is the common denominator for
comparing the fractions and . Students may use different colors for problems.

Activity Sheet 2

Activity Sheet 3

Comparing Fractions
Compare the fractions using the Fraction Bar, then write in between the fractions <, >, or = for
each pair of fractions.