Fraction Conversion Lesson Plan

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Abstract

Students will learn how to convert between fractions, decimals, and percents using a computer applet and the concept of money.

Standards (NCTM 3-5)

Number and Operations

Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number

• Recognize and generate equivalent forms of commonly used fractions, decimals, and percents;

Student Prerequisites

• Technological:
  
  Students must be able to:
  • perform basic mouse manipulations such as point, click and drag.
  • use a browser such as Netscape for experimenting with the activities.

Teacher Preparation

Teacher will need to have a mock store set up in the rear of the class.

Students will need:

• access to a browser.
• pencil and paper.
• scissors.
• coin page print-outs.

Lesson Outline

1. Focus and Review
Review prior fraction material. Lead into this lesson by asking: How many people in here like money?


2. Objectives
Student will be able to convert between fractions, decimals, and percents.


3. Teacher Input
• Instruct the students to cut out their coins from the coin pages.
• Ask the class how they would see 25 cents written in a store. Have the student who raises his/her hand come write his/her answer on the board.
• Repeat this for 10, 5, and 1 cent/s.
• Instruct the students to separate their coins into pennies, nickles, dimes, and quarters.
• So we represent money using decimals. How many pennies are in a dollar? Count out 100 pennies. Using your pennies tell me:
  • What is 1/4 of a dollar?
    • How did you calculate that?
    • Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
    • What is that equal to in quarters?
  • What is 1/5 of a dollar?
    • How did you calculate that?
    • Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
    • What is that equal to in dimes and nickels?
  • What is 1/2 of a dollar?
    • How did you calculate that?
    • Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
    • What is that equal to in dimes, nickels, and quarters?
  • What is 1/10 of a dollar?
    • How did you calculate that?
    • Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
    • What is that equal to in dimes?
  • What is 3/4 of a dollar?
    • How did you calculate that?
    • Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
    • What is that equal to in nickels and quarters?
• Explain to the students that what they are doing is converting from fractions to decimals.
• Show the students how to convert from fractions to decimals by dividing the numerator by the denominator.
• Now ask the students a series of questions about percentages.
  • Does anyone know how much 100% of something is?
  • Does anyone know how much 50% of something is?
• Show the students how to convert between percents and decimals.

4. Guided Practice
• Have a mock store set up in the class. In the store have the items on sale for example buy one $1.00 pencil get one 1/2 off.
• Pass out shopping lists. You will probably want to have several different versions of the list to avoid students clustering at the same stations.
• Have the students calculate a total for their list. You may want to offer a small reward for those who total up their list correctly.

5. Independent Practice
• Assign partners.
• Demonstrate how to use Fraction Four.
• Have the students open the Fraction Four applet and begin playing it with a partner.

6. Closure
• Discuss why conversions between fractions, decimals, and percents are important in real life situations.
• Review the steps used to convert between fractions, decimals, and percents.
• Review any new vocabulary.

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