The purpose of this activity is for students to use fraction strips to represent halves, fourths, and eighths. The denominators in this activity are familiar from grade 3. The goal is to remind students of the relationships between fractional parts in which one denominator is a multiple of another. Students should notice that each time the unit fractions on a strip are folded in half, there are twice as many equal-size parts on the strip and that each part is half as large.

In the discussion, use the phrases “número de partes” // “number of parts” and “tamaño de las partes” // “size of the parts” to reinforce the meaning of a fraction.

• “¿Cómo podemos asegurarnos de que todas las partes de una tira sean iguales?” // “How could we make sure that each part on a strip is equal?”
• “¿Qué herramientas podemos usar para hacer pliegues más precisos?” // “What tools might we use to help make precise folds?”

• Select a group to share their paper strips and how they found the fractional parts. Ask if others also found them the same way.
• Display one set of completed strips.
  

  

  4 fraction strips of equal length. First strip labeled 1. Second strip has two equal parts labeled one-half. Third strip has 4 equal parts labeled one-fourth. Fourth strip has 8 equal parts labeled one-eighth.

• Invite students to share what they noticed about the number and size of the parts on the strips. Highlight the ideas noted in Student Responses.
• If no students mentions the relationships between the fractions on different strips, encourage them to work with a partner to look for some. 
• If the terms “numerador” // “numerator” and “denominador” // “denominator” did not arise during discussion, ask students about them. 
• Remind students that the denominator (the number at the bottom of a fraction) tells us the number of equal-size parts in 1 whole, and the numerator (the number at the top of a fraction) refers to how many of those parts are being described. Consider displaying these terms and their meanings for students to reference.
• Ask students to save the fraction strips for a future lesson.

The purpose of this activity is for students to revisit the meaning of unit fractions with familiar and unfamiliar denominators (3, 5, 6, 10, and 12) and recall how to name and represent them. 

While drawing tape diagrams to represent these fractions, students have opportunities to look for structure and to make use of the relationships between the denominators of the fractions (MP7). For example, to make a diagram with twelfths, students can cut each of 6 sixths in half.

To support students in drawing straight lines on the tape diagrams, provide access to a straightedge or ruler. Students should not, however, use rulers to measure the location of a fraction on any diagram.

This activity uses MLR1 Stronger and Clearer Each Time. Advances: Reading, Writing. 

• “¿Cómo supieron cómo partir los diagramas de la segunda pregunta?” // “How did you know how to partition the diagrams in the second question?”
• Select students who use the given diagrams or the relationships between denominators to display their diagrams and share their reasoning.
• “¿Qué relaciones ven entre las fracciones de esta actividad?” // “What relationships do you see between the fractions in this activity?” (Sample responses:
  • As the denominator gets larger, each fractional part gets smaller.
  • A fifth is twice the size of a tenth, or a tenth is half as big as a fifth.
  • Thirds, sixths, and twelfths are related in that a third is 2 sixths and a sixth is 2 twelfths. Fifths and tenths are related in the same way.)

MLR1 Stronger and Clearer Each Time

• “Por turnos, uno habla y el otro escucha. Si es su turno de hablar, compartan su respuesta. Si es su turno de escuchar, hagan preguntas y comentarios que ayuden a su compañero a mejorar su trabajo” // “Share your response to the last question with your partner. Take turns being the speaker and the listener. If you are the speaker, share your response. If you are the listener, ask questions and give feedback to help your partner improve their work.”
• 3–5 minutes: structured partner discussion. 
• Repeat with 2–3 different partners.
• “Ajusten su respuesta inicial teniendo en cuenta los comentarios de sus compañeros” // “Revise your initial response based on the feedback from your partners.”
• 2–3 minutes: independent work time