Multiplying Fractions Lesson Plan

Instructor: Kevin Newton Show bio

Kevin has edited encyclopedias, taught history, and has an MA in Islamic law/finance. He has since founded his own financial advice firm, Newton Analytical.

Use this lesson plan to help instruct your students on the multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers. In addition to guided sample problems, find additional lessons to further support related math concepts.

Learning Objectives

After this lesson, students will be able to:

multiply fractions
multiply mixed numbers
understand some of the concepts associated with multiplying fractions

Length

30-40 minutes

Curriculum Standards

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.B.4

Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction or whole number by a fraction.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.B.6

Solve real-world problems involving multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers.

Instructions

Ask students a series of simple multiplication problems (2 * 2, 3 * 4, etc.).
Then ask them to multiply a whole number by 1/2 (4 * 1/2). Ask them whether the whole number was increased or decreased in value?
Ask your students to guess: if two fractions were to be multiplied, what would happen? Explain to them that today's lesson will answer that question.
Show the Study.com video lesson Multiplying Fractions and Mixed Numbers, stopping it at the following time stamps:
- 3:05 - Have the students work out the example problem given by the video. Then restart the video to see if they got it right.
- 5:25 - Ask students to work out the math problem given in the video. Then resume the video to see if the students answered correctly.
- 6:25 - Students will work out the math problem given in the video. Then resume the video to see how the students performed.
Following the completion of the video, divide the class into teams and give them a worksheet of 10 sample problems. For each question that the team gets correct, they get 1/10 of a benefit. Depending on your school policies, it could be extra recess time, free reading time, more time to talk at lunch, or even extra credit on a homework assignment.