Equivalent Fractions
Background Information & Activities

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Before beginning this topic, we highly recommending reviewing the Basic Parts of a Whole and the More Fractions movie. This movie will explore different examples of equivalent fractions, , including some equivalent fractions for one-half, one-fourth, and one-third. We highly recommend pausing the movie as you watch to allow children to draw pictures, work with fraction bars, or use manipulatives to model the fractions in the movie.

Review the parts of the fraction, including the numerator and denominator. Remind children that equivalent fractions have the same value, but use different numbers in the numerator and denominator. If possible, present a sandwich divided into four equal parts. Then take two of the parts away. Explain that two out of four parts, or two-fourths were taken away. Help children understand that two-fourths of the sandwich is the same as one-half. You may even want to cut another sandwich in half to compare. Do the same with other fractions, such as three-sixths, four-eights, or five-tenths. Then challenge children to come up with another equivalent fraction for one-half.

Explore equivalent fractions for one-fourth. Fold a piece of paper into eighths. Then color two of the sections blue or another color. What fraction of the paper is blue? Help children write the fraction two-eighths. Help them see that two-eighths is equal to one-fourth. Take another piece of paper and divide it into quarters and color one section. Put the two papers together to show how the sections are the same size. Repeat the activity with other fractions, such as three-twelfths.

Now explore equivalent fractions for one-third. Draw a rectangle divided into sixths and color two parts blue or another color. What fraction of the rectangle is blue? Help children write the fraction two-sixths. Then draw a rectangle that is the same size, but divided into thirds. Color one-third. Have children compare the shapes and see that the colored sections are the same size. Repeat the activity with other fractions, such as two-sixths or four-twelfths.

Help children explore other equivalent fractions. It may prove helpful for them to draw pictures so they can understand visually how one-fourth is equivalent to three-twelfths or how one-half is equivalent to six-twelfths. Equivalent fractions can be confusing at first, but with practice they become easier. Help children employ different strategies to make sense of equivalent fractions.

See more lesson plans and resources: BrainPOP Educators.

Equivalent Fractions Teacher Activities

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Half Life

Explore equivalent fractions for one-half. Have students represent different fractions by drawing pictures or building models. Encourage them to be creative! Then have students share their work with the class and have fellow students name the fraction that is being represented. You can repeat the activity with one-fourth or one-third.

Musical Chairs

Have the class play a game of "Musical Chairs" and go over the fraction of students sitting and standing at the end of each round. For example, if at the end of a round, five students are seated and five are left standing, then five-tenths of the students are standing. What fraction is that equivalent to?

Sandwich Picnic

If possible, go on a picnic together. Invite students to bring whole sandwiches, celery sticks, carrot sticks, etc. Then have some students divide their sandwiches into eighths. Have them put half their sandwich on a different plate. What fraction was put on a different plate? Have the whole class draw pictures, take notes, and write the fraction. You can repeat the activity with students who divide their sandwiches or snacks into sixths and put one-third on a separate plate.

Equivalent Fractions Family Activities

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Paper Pie

Together with your child, draw pies, cakes, or pizzas on paper plates. Then divide and cut the pies into fourths, sixths, eighths, tenths, twelfths, and so on. Present a plate to your child and have him or her take away slices of the pie to represent a certain fraction. For example, you might start with a plate divided into eighths and tell your child to take one-fourth of the slices. What equivalent fraction represents one-fourth of the pie? Then have your child instruct you to take a fraction of the pie. Be sure to make a "mistake" so your child can correct you.

Fraction Memory

Write pairs of equivalent fractions on separate index cards. Then have your child draw pictures to represent the fractions. Together, play a game of memory and match up the fractions with pictures of fractions: turn all the cards face side down and take turns flipping them over to find matches. You could also have your child draw more fractional amounts and play a game of memory to find equivalent fractions. Do the pictures of ¼ and 4/8 match? Talk with your child about how he or she can tell.