Multiplying and Dividing Fractions: OH MY! - Teaching with Jennifer Findley

I must admit, I was a little rusty when it comes to some of the more advanced math skills when my district first implemented Common Core. Like many of us, I was taught the traditional algorithm for everything! Well now, Common Core is pushing some of these middle school skills into 5th grade. I have taught multiplying and dividing fractions in 5th in the past, but nowhere near to the rigor Common Core requires. On top of this, I just found out we will be teaching these skills the first month of school! (FOR REAL!)

So, I have been working like mad trying to figure out easy step-by-step methods to teach these skills. I created a little resource pack to help me along the way. This pack has it all! Materials included: Pre and post assessments, step by step posters, practice pages, performance tasks, math center challenges, and even a fun fraction rap!

Step-By-Step Posters

Before we continue, check out some of the posters below that are included in this resource! The posters focus heavily on using models and understanding the conceptual process versus just the traditional algorithm. While you teach, use these posters with the anchor charts or shrink the size to place in the students’ interactive math notebooks.

I have included several printables included in this file to help you begin! A few focus on practicing the skills and some require students to practice their critical thinking skills.

Effective Constructed Response Math Tasks

My favorite part of this resource are the constructed response math tasks. When my students use models and algorithms, my students can solve for the answer to an equation easily. However, they struggle knowing the difference between multiplying and dividing fractions. These tasks expose the students to different scenarios that require multiplying and dividing. They also help the students practice answering those tediously-worded response math tasks that are all over state assessments now.