Grade 3 Planning Map | Fractions Teaching

Amy's Grade 3 Fractions Planning Map

Key planning suggestions: Use the Fractions Learning Pathways (FLP) to support planning. Punctuate instruction (revisit and extend) with two to five lessons per month focusing on fractions concepts in order to develop and solifidy ideas. Embed fractions throughout the curriculum to allow students opportunities to deepen understanding, by reinforcing and extending concepts over time.

Topic	Understanding fractions as numbers	Representing fractional amounts using linear models
Month	September/October	November
Concepts on FLP	Unit Fractions	Unit Fractions Comparing fractions
Tasks (including extensions and revisits)	Assessment: Represent ³⁄₄ as many different ways as you can (Have students use post-its to how their thinking.) Counting Game (Unit D): emphasize fractions are quantities that can be counted (e.g., 1 one-fourth, 2 one-fourths, 3 one-fourths, 4 one-fourths, 5 one-fourths). Walk the Line (Unit A) Living Number Line (Unit A): emphasize benchmark fractions and numbers beyond 1. Pretty Powerful Paper Folding Comp E): folding to compare unit fractions, e.g., ¹⁄₂, ¹⁄₄, ¹⁄₈, and to discover equivalence	Assessment: Create an open number line. Add two whole numbers and two fractions. Revisit Counting Game (Unit D): Play with variations that emphasize the connection between concrete models and counting. Revisit Living Number Line (Unit A) Revisit Pretty Powerful Paper Folding (Comp E)
Opportunities to Connect Across Strands	Number Sense and Numeration compose and decompose numbers (place value, attention to unit) relationships among numbers	Number Sense and Numeration money
Notes to Inform Next Steps	Are students able to count by a range of unit fractions for a variety of purposes? Are students aware of multiple ways to represent fractions (set model, area model, linear, measurement)?	Do students see fractions as representing a quantity? Can students independently place fractions appropriately on the number line?

Topic	Representing fractional amounts using linear and area models	Composing and decomposing using fractions
Month	December	January
Concepts on FLP	Unit Fractions Comparing fractions	Unit Fractions Comparing fractions
Tasks (including extensions and revisits)	Assessment: Provide students with a number line that shows 3 fractions, ask them to choose one and represent it in a different way. Revisit Counting Game (Unit D): Play with variations that emphasize the connection between concrete models and counting. Revisit Living Number Line (Unit A): emphasize different representations beyond the whole (e.g., ⁵⁄₄,⁶⁄₄,⁷⁄₄,⁸⁄₄) and strategies for placing halves and thirds. Chanaging Wholes with Pattern Blocks (Unit F) Revisit Pretty Powerful Paper Folding (Comp E) Desktop Fractions (Unit B)	Brownie Sharing (Unit B) Revisit Unit Fractions Counting Game (Unit D): continue to play with concrete models. Flags (Op A): focus on composing a whole
Opportunities to Connect Across Strands	Measurement time (e.g., counting by fractional components of an hour) Geometry and Spatial Sense lines of symmetry composing a larger shape in a variety of ways	Number Sense and Numeration multiplication: make connections between area models and arrays Data Management and Probability analysing data through graphs
Notes to Inform Next Steps	If students are comfortable with the ongoing activites, they can be done as warm-ups for the whole class and as small group remediation for students who would benefit from more direct instruction.	Students should be showing an understanding that the denominator represents the number of units in the whole and that greater denominators mean smaller units.

Topic	Applications of equi-partitioning	Representing fractions in a variety of ways
Month	February	March
Concepts on FLP	Unit Fractions Comparing fractions	Unit Fractions Comparing fractions
Tasks (including extensions and revisits)	Assessment: I wonder: work in small groups to complete task. Revisit Unit Fractions Counting Game (Unit D) Generating a Fraction Between any Two Numbers (Comp C) I Have, Who Has (Unit F) Revisit Pretty Powerful Paper Folding (Comp E): emphasize folding for unit fractions ¹⁄₃,¹⁄₆,¹⁄₁₂	Assessment: Provide students with a choice of fractions have them choose one and represent it in the 3 different ways Fractions Shape Sets (Unit F) Revisit Flags (Op B): Use new pieces to emphasize thirds, sixths and twelfths. I Have, Who Has (Unit F)
Opportunities to Connect Across Strands	Number Sense and Numeration connections between multiplication and fractions Measurement area, preimeter, capacity, volume, mass Patterning and Algebraic Reasoning growing and shrinking patterns	Geometry and Spatial Sense tiling challenges: parts to cover the whole
Notes to Inform Next Steps	Use "I Wonder" activity to check for misconceptions and gaps in understanding to determine next steps.	By this point in the year, students should be developing a flexibility with discussing and representing fractions. They should recognize several ways to represent fractions, including standard fractional notation.

Topic	Comparing fractions	Review
Month	April	May/June
Concepts on FLP	Comparing fractions
Tasks (including extensions and revisits)	Assessment: Create a set of objectives. Write three fractions that describes your set. Comparing Fractions Tasks (Unit D): Select prompts for minds-on tasks. Recipe Task (Comp A)	Assessment: Revisit "I wonder" task and have students complete task independently. Review and revisit fractions concepts as required based on results of "I Wonder" assessment.
Opportunities to Connect Across Strands	Number Sense and Numeration connections between division and fractions Data Management and Probability name probability of events as fractions
Notes to Inform Next Steps

Based on research of Dr. Cathy Bruce, Trent University and Ontario Ministry of Education