Math Lesson Plan

Alyson Miller
Multiplying Fractions
Grade 5
Utah State Mathematics Core
Domain: Number and Operations Fractions
Cluster /content standard: Standard 4: Apply and extend previous
understandings of multiplications to multiply a fraction or whole numbers by
a fraction.
Standard 6: Solve real world problems involving multiplication of fractions
and mixed numbers.
Practice Standards:
Standard 1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
Standard 2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively
Standard 3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
Standard 6: Attend to precision
Learning Goal(s)/Essential Question(s)
Students will be able to compare and apply strategies for multiplying
fractions independently.
Background Information
Students need to have a basic understanding of how fractions work;
numerator, denominator, division line, etc.
Students need to know multiplication and division facts
Students need to know how to simplify fractions
Materials/Resources indicate what the teacher will need as well as what the
students will need
Textbook: Math Expressions
Personal Notes: Students fold up a piece of paper into 16 parts. They keep
notes on this piece of paper where each problem gets its own square.
Worksheets:
Assessment:
Invitation to Learn/ Focus Task
Can you solve this problem?
o 3 * 5
10 12
Or what about this problem?
o 1 * 1
2 4
Which one was easier to answer? What do you notice about the two answers?

o Do you think there is a way to make math problems easier to do

before we even attempt the problem?
Instruction Procedures How will the lesson be presented?
1. Multiply and simplify the following 4/10 * 5/16
2. So, when we did this problem, what did we do first? (Multiply) and
second? (Simplify).
3. Now we are going to simplify first and multiply second! Will our answer
be the same or different?
4. Simplify 3/10 * 5/12 by simplifying first. Ask: how many times will 3 go
into 12? How many times will 5 go into 10?
5. Open math books and do problems 2-12.
6. Practice this skill by solving word problems
a. Example: In the Fireside Ski Shop, 11/28 of the ski caps have
tassels. Of the caps with tassels, 7/11 is blue. What fractions of the
caps in the shop are blue with tassels? Write an equation, then
solve.
7. Assessment: Exit ticket
a. Pass out a small piece of paper to each student. Student should
split the piece of paper in half. Then, solve the problems:
6/15 * 3/12
A clothing store has 45 T-shirts in stock. Of these T-shirts, 7/15
has short sleeves. How many of the T-shirts have short sleeves?
Lesson Wrap Up
This lesson will come to a close as students finish up the practice problems in
their book. We will come back together as a class and solve a couple more
problems, by picking some that were done on the students work page on the
board. Students who completed the problems will show how they did it and
we will decide as a class if they are right or not. Ask students why it is helpful
to simplify fractions before multiplying them. When can we use this skill?
Adaptations for different student needs
At my site school, there are two fifth grade teachers. They have teamed up
during math time and split the kids up according to math ability. One group
has the students who are on track or gifted and the other as students who
need extra support. During this unit, I will be teaching the students on or
above level. For students above level, I will ask them to explain in words, or
orally, why you can simplify by dividing numbers out diagonally. Why dont
we divide out strait across?
I have integrated cultural relevance into this lesson requiring students to
solve a real world problem in the assessment.
Assessment

Pass out a small piece of paper to each student. Student should split the piece of
paper in half. Then, solve the problems:
1. 6/15 * 3/12
2. A classroom has 25 students in the classroom. Of these students, 2/5 speaks
Spanish. How many of the students in the class speak Spanish?