Illustrative Mathematics
Fractions and Rectangles
Visual models are excellent teaching tools when explaining equivalent fractions. Looking at a rectangle cut into twelfths, students first identify the shaded fraction, and then explain whether the fraction is equal to one-fourth....
Illustrative Mathematics
Half of a Recipe
Kids love to cook! What is a better place to learn mixed numbers than with a recipe? It is up to learners to decide how they want to divide this recipe in half. They may choose to model the mixed number and then divide the model by two....
Illustrative Mathematics
Running to School
The object of this activity is to compute how far Rosa ran to school. Given in the exercise is the fractional number of miles between home and school and the fractional distance Rosa ran. The commentary shows several ways to have your...
Illustrative Mathematics
Converting Decimal Representations of Rational Numbers to Fraction Representations
A rational number is a ratio of two integers. Discuss with your class how to convert the rational numbers of repeating decimals to fractions. A good commentary on letting x equal the repeating decimal and multiplying each side of such...
Illustrative Mathematics
Painting a Wall
Red and yellow do not make orange in this activity, but they do create a real-life, multiplication of fractions word problem. As either a lead-in or an assessment, math masters display their understanding of 1/2 x 5/6 when a wall needs...
Curated OER
Drinking Juice
Pictures, number lines, decimal equivalents, or Cuisenaire rods can be used to show insight into the meaning of multiplying fractions.Here, Alisa drinks 3/4 of 1/2 liter of juice. To find the total volume of the juice that Alisa drank,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Grass Seedlings
Plants never grow at the same rate, and that is the antithesis for this word problem involving multiplication of fractions. On the instructional activity, Raul notices that Pablo's seedlings are 1 1/2 times as tall, and Celina's...
Science Friday
Make a Model of a Home Made From Shipping Containers
Build a scale model of a home built out of shipping containers. A hands-on activity has scholars watch a video about a home built from shipping containers and then design their own home. They build scale models of their designed homes...