ILC 3rd Grade Mathematics: Unit 5 Fractions as Numbers

This is unit 5 of 8 units. The sequence of units is available in the Read Me First Materials in each unit. 

• Section A: Introduction to Fractions 
  In this section, students will use diagrams and fraction strips to learn about fractions. In second grade, they learned about halves, thirds, and fourths. Now, they partition one whole into six or eight parts, describe each part as “a sixth” and “an eighth,” and write the notation ⅙ and 1/8 . Students will learn that the notation 1/b means one whole is partitioned into b parts and each part has size 1/b. Students will see that composing unit fractions create non-unit fractions (fractions with numerators greater than one). 
• Section B: Fractions on the Number Line 
  In this section, students will locate fractions on the number line. Students will learn that, just like whole numbers, fractions can be represented as distances from zero on the number line and that certain fractions are in the same location as whole numbers on the number line. 
• Section C: Equivalent Fractions 
  In this section, students will learn that equivalent fractions are fractions that are the same size. They will use fraction strips and diagrams to show and find equivalent fractions. 
• Section D: Fraction Comparisons 
  In this section, students will compare fractions. Students will learn that comparisons are only valid if the fractions being compared refer to the same whole. Students will first compare fractions with the same denominator. Then, students will compare fractions with the same numerator.