Equivalent Fractions: Are They

Equal?
Third Grade Math

by Caitlin Hardeman March 16, 2018

If you can see it, you can achieve it! Use this lesson to teach your students how to use visuals to determine if
two fractions are equivalent.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to determine if two fractions are equivalent using visuals.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Teacher copy of the Matching Equivalent equivalent

Fractions worksheet
Exercise: Equivalent Fractions 1
Class set of the Fraction Practice: Equivalent
Fractions worksheet
Color by Fractions worksheet (optional)
Computers/devices with internet access
Whiteboards and whiteboard markers (one per
student)
Fraction tiles
Projector

Attachments

Fraction Practice: Equivalent Fractions (PDF)

Matching Equivalent Fractions (PDF)
Fraction Practice: Equivalent Fractions (PDF)

Introduction (5 minutes)

Write the following question on the board: Are 1/4 and 2/8 equal?
Ask students to think about how they would explain whether the answer is yes or no.
Give students time to sketch and work out the problem on their whiteboards, then allow them to share
ideas with a partner.
Call on partners to share their answer and thought process with the class. Encourage students to show
their sketches in order to prove their answers.
Confirm that the two fractions are equal, and share that the lesson will focus on determining if two
fractions are equivalent using shapes. Point out how the visuals helped demonstrate that the fractions
were equal.
EL

Beginning

Allow learners to use their home language (L1) to explain their thinking.
Provide a picture to accompany each of the fractions.

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Intermediate

Explain what equal means by providing a student-friendly definition and examples.

Allow students to utilize reference materials in their L1.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)

Explain to students that these two fractions, 1/4 and 2/8, are equal, which means they are equivalent.
Draw a visual to show a shape divided into four equal parts. Shade one part. Draw another visual to show
a shape divided into eight equal parts. Shade two parts. Point out that the two visuals show an equal, or
equivalent fraction. The shaded areas are equivalent.
Use fraction tiles to model the above problem.
Model thinking through the following problem: Are 4/6 and 2/3 equivalent? Draw the visuals of each
fraction to confirm that these fractions are equivalent.
Repeat the think-aloud process with the visual drawings and fraction tiles with two more examples:
Are 3/5 and 2/4 equivalent?
Are 1/4 and 1/2 equivalent?
Display a copy of Matching Equivalent Fractions to model finding equivalent fractions by looking at the
shapes alone. Write the fraction next to each shape so that students see the connection between the
visual and numerical representations of the fractions.
EL

Beginning

Give students a copy of the worksheet to follow along with during the teacher modeling.
Provide a word bank of key terms students can reference throughout the lesson.

Intermediate

Ask students to turn and talk to a partner about how they know two fractions are equivalent.

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Use the Equivalent Fractions 1 Exercise to have students practice determining equivalent fractions.
Have students take out their whiteboards and whiteboard markers while the exercise is displayed on the
projector.
Instruct students to respond on their whiteboards, writing down the original fraction shown with the
example shape, as well as the equivalent fraction they chose. (Note: The answer choices on the exercise
are not lettered in a multiple choice fashion, so be sure to guide students to an understanding that the
first option would be A, the second option would be B, etc.)
Take the time after each question to offer praise, correction, and explanation.
EL

Beginning

Invite students to discuss their thought processes in a small, teacher-led group. Provide prompting and
sentence stems to support their explanations.

Intermediate

Allow students to work with a partner. Have them discuss the steps they take to determine if the fractions
are equivalent. Provide a word bank for students to use in their discussions.
Provide a sentence stem for discussion, such as "I know they are equivalent fractions because ____."

Independent working time (10 minutes)

Distribute a copy of the Fraction Practice: Equivalent Fractions worksheet to each student and go over the
instructions.

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 Give time to complete the worksheet. Circulate and monitor student struggles and successes as they
work.
EL

Beginning

Give students a worksheet with the fractions cut up. Allow them to manipulate the pictures in order to
find equivalent fractions.
Have students work in a small, teacher-led group. Provide prompting questions to get students to explain
their thinking.

Intermediate

Have students go over their answers with a partner after they have completed the worksheet
independently.
Provide a word bank for students to use as they explain their thinking. Include words such as: numerator,
denominator, part, whole, fraction.

Related books and/or media

EXERCISE: Equivalent Fractions 1

Find interactive books for each child’s level.

Differentiation

Support:

Provide students with a digital fractions tutorial using the Fraction Basics app. (See Technology)
Use different visual models, such as tiles, circles, and strips, to model creating equivalent fractions.
Allow students to use manipulatives, such as fraction tiles, circles, and strips.
Give more practice with the Equivalent Fractions 1 Exercise. (See Suggested Media.)
Teach a pre-lesson that reviews fraction basics, such as identifying and naming fractions.
Create a word wall or anchor chart with key terminology to use when talking about fractions, including
numerator, denominator, fraction, parts, whole, equivalent, equal. Be sure to include visuals to
accompany each of the words.

Enrichment:

Give advanced students the Color by Fraction worksheet for them to determine equivalent fractions with
larger numerators and denominators.

Technology Integration

Put two students to one device in order to complete the Equivalent Fractions 1 Exercise in Guided
Practice. Give them the opportunity to discuss the answer choices. Circulate and monitor while students
work.

Assessment (3 minutes)

Display the question, Are 1/4 and 2/6 equivalent?

Group students into A-B partnerships and instruct them to discuss the answer. Remind them to utilize
visual models of fractions as they work to determine equivalency.
Circulate and observe student conversations, listening for academic language in explanations.
Call on a non-volunteer to offer an answer to the question. Call on another non-volunteer to either agree
or disagree, providing an explanation of the process with visuals.
EL

Beginning

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 Provide visual models for students to use as they determine equivalency. Have them turn and talk to a
partner about the value of the fraction shown in each visual.
Pair students with supportive peers or students with the same L1.

Intermediate

Provide sentence stems for students to use as they share their thinking with the class, such as "They
are/are not equivalent fractions because.____." and "I agree/disagree because ____."

Review and closing (2 minutes)

Instruct students to turn and talk to a partner about why visual models are helpful in math, and especially
with fractions.
Explain to students that visual models of fractions will always be a foundation to which they can return.
There are processes for finding equivalent fractions that they will learn in upcoming lessons that do not
involve the visual models, but referencing the visual models is a good strategy to use.
EL

Beginning

Allow students to use their L1 to explain their thinking with a partner.

Intermediate

Provide a sentence stem for student discussion, such as "Visual models are helpful because ____."

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

 Equal Fractions
Math
Fractions

#1
Look at the shaded areas of the pictures below, then circle the ones that are equal.

1 2 2
2 3 4

4 1 2
8 4 8

1 2 4
12 24 12
Look at the fraction on the left. Color the boxes on the right so they are each equal to the one on the left.

2 4 8
3 6 12
Copyright © 2010-2011 by Education.com More worksheets at www.education.com/worksheets
Name: Date:

Matching Equivalent Fractions

Equivalent fractions have an equal value, but they may look different.

Both visual models represent

is equivalent to
the fraction 4
8

Part 1: Visual Models

Directions: Draw a line to match equivalent fractions.

1. A.

2. B.

3. C.

4. D.

5. E.

6. F.

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moreworksheets
at education.com/resources
at www.education.com/worksheets
© 2007 - 2019 Education.com
 Equal Fractions
Math
Fractions

#1
Look at the shaded areas of the pictures below, then circle the ones that are equal.

1 2 2
2 3 4

4 1 2
8 4 8

1 2 4
12 24 12
Look at the fraction on the left. Color the boxes on the right so they are each equal to the one on the left.

2 4 8
3 6 12

Find worksheets, games, lessons & more at education.com/resources

© 2007 - 2019 Education.com