Fractions - Equivalent fractions 2 - Planning

In the second week of the summer term, Year 3 students delve further into the concept of equivalent fractions. The lesson utilises a number line as a visual aid to enhance understanding. The children are encouraged to complete a 'fluency in four' set of questions as a warm-up, which serves to recapitulate the knowledge they have acquired in previous lessons. They are then asked to recall what an equivalent fraction is and to provide examples, setting the stage for the day's learning objective. The class is introduced to the idea of using a number line to identify fractions that are equivalent, demonstrating how a single whole can be divided into various equal parts, such as halves, thirds, quarters, and sixths, even when it is split into twelfths.

The lesson's structure includes a series of activities, starting with a presentation and moving on to independent work with worksheets. Key questions prompt students to consider where certain fractions can be found on the number line and to determine which unit fractions are equivalent to twelfths. The plenary session encourages self-assessment through a 'Give me five' activity, where students reflect on what they've learned, the skills they've used, challenges faced, and the support they received. Differentiated outcomes are outlined for varying levels of achievement: 'Working towards' expects children to identify and place a limited set of equivalent fractions on a simple number line; 'Working at expected' involves placing given equivalent fractions on a partially empty number line; and 'Working at greater depth' challenges students to work with a completely empty number line, enhancing their understanding of equivalent fractions.