As a middle school math teacher, one of the most essential, but most disliked lessons in math is anything fractions! Students avoid fractions at all costs. Often they don’t understand the parts of a fraction and what they mean. They insist they’re just not good at it. They may see older siblings or adults struggle with fractions and get the impression that fractions are just hard. As teachers, we need to be creative in making fractions understandable and fun.
“Equivalent Fractions Using Number Chips” is one of my students’ favorites. They love to move the colorful chips around their screen as they simplify fractions, change improper fractions to mixed numbers, and change mixed numbers to improper fractions. One of the benefits of number chips is that every chip they will need on a slide is available. If they get stuck, they can use their reasoning skills to look at which numbers are still available, and work backwards to figure out the answer. This feature alone can give many students the boost they need to keep trying.
This lesson includes correctly completed slides for teacher reference. (Just delete those slides before assigning to students.) There is a “Holiday” version for December activities. For upper elementary students and much-needed review for middle school, this is a fun way to practice simplifying fractions. (See also my number chips lesson on dividing fractions, converting fractions to decimals, long division, and fractions to percentages.) Go to my store and see these Number Chips Lessons:
https://ampeduplearning.com/adding-and-subtracting-decimals-with-kellys-number-chips/
https://ampeduplearning.com/percentages-converting-from-fractions-and-decimals-kellys-number-chips/
https://ampeduplearning.com/proportions-solving-with-number-chips/
https://ampeduplearning.com/long-division-w-remainders-kellys-number-chips/
https://ampeduplearning.com/fractions-simplifying-with-kellys-number-chips-moveable-pieces/
https://ampeduplearning.com/fractions-to-decimals-with-kellys-number-chips-digital/
https://ampeduplearning.com/dividing-fractions-using-number-chips/
https://ampeduplearning.com/holidays-find-equivalent-fractions-using-number-chips/
