Fractions Teaching Resources
Make math lesson planning a breeze with printable fractions worksheets, fun activities, games, and more teaching resources for the elementary classroom.
This collection of curriculum-aligned printable and digital resources has been created just for teachers by the teachers on the Teach Starter team. That means each resource has undergone an in-depth review before being published to ensure it's ready for the classroom and your students! Inside this collection, you'll find editable resources you can easily differentiate for individual learners plus math center activities and fun games to help students understand how to add and divide fractions and more.
New to teaching this section of the math curriculum? Read on for a guide to all things fractions from our teacher team!
What Are Fractions?
It may be basic, but we need to start somewhere! Fractions are, of course, mathematical expressions that represent a part of a whole or a ratio of two quantities. Fractions can be used to represent quantities that are not whole numbers, and they are an important part of arithmetic, algebra, and other areas of math that our students explore throughout their elementary and high school education.
Understanding numerators and denominators is an essential skill as students dive into adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions.
Next, let's dive into the most common topics we cover when we're teaching fractions!
Proper Fractions vs. Improper Fractions
Teaching fractions involves teaching students a lot of new vocabulary! Two terms your class will need to know early on in your lessons are:
- Proper Fractions: This is a fraction where the numerator (the top part) is less than the denominator (the bottom part). A proper fraction represents a value that is between 0 and 1. For example, 1/2 is a proper fraction because the numerator (1) is less than the denominator (2).
- Improper Fractions: This is a fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator. An improper fraction represents a value that is greater than or equal to 1. For example, 3/2 is an improper fraction because the numerator (3) is greater than the denominator (2).
What Is a Unit Fraction?
We told you there was a lot of vocabulary involved! A unit fraction is a fraction whose numerator is 1 and whose denominator is a positive integer.
For example, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, etc., are all unit fractions. Unit fractions are also examples of proper fractions, as they are always less than 1 in value.
When working with unit fractions in your classroom, students learn to represent these fractions with visual models where one piece of a partitioned shape is shaded in. Students also learn to build larger fractions by grouping unit fractions together.
As an example, 1/8 + 1/8 + 1/8 = 3/8.
What Is the Least Common Multiple?
Working on fractions with your upper elementary students? You may be tackling the least common multiple this school year. So let's talk about what that means. The least common multiple is another important term to define before diving into adding, subtracting, or comparing fractions.
Sometimes called the LCM, the least common multiple of two or more numbers is the smallest positive integer that is divisible by all of the numbers.
In order to find the LCM of two or more numbers, you can teach students to use one of several methods, including:
- The prime factorization method
- The listing method
- The division method
How Do You Add Fractions?
Once students understand the basics of fractions, it's time to teach how they work in relation to the different operations. We'll start with addition.
To add two or more fractions, students will need to:
- Find a common denominator (also known as the least common denominator or LCD) that is a multiple of the denominators of all the fractions. A common denominator can be found by finding the least common multiple (LCM) of the denominators.
- Once students have found the common denominator, they need to learn to convert each fraction so that it has the same denominator as the others. This is done by multiplying both the numerator and denominator of each fraction by the same number so that the denominator is equal to the common denominator.
- After converting the fractions to have the same denominator, they can add the numerators of the converted fractions.
- The denominator will be the least common denominator that was found earlier.
How Do You Subtract Fractions?
Finding the sum of fractions is one thing, but how do students find the difference?
- Students will once again need to find a common denominator — a common multiple of the denominators of the fractions.
- Once they have found a common denominator, they can convert each fraction so that it has the same denominator as the others.
- After converting the fractions to have the same denominator, students can subtract the numerators of the converted fractions to find the numerator of the difference. The denominator of the difference will be the common denominator that they found earlier.
How Do You Multiply Fractions?
Once students have adding and subtracting fractions down, they might find that multiplying is a lot simpler!
To multiply two or more fractions, you simply multiply the numerators (the top parts) together to get the numerator of the product, and then multiply the denominators (the bottom parts) together to get the denominator of the product.
How Do You Divide Fractions?
It's time for one last operation! Dividing fractions is one of the more complicated processes elementary students will have to handle when it comes to working with fractions. They will need to know how to invert fractions before they can dive in, aka flipping the numerator and denominator.
To divide fractions, teach students to:
- Invert the second fraction.
- Multiply the two fractions.
- Simplify the quotient — if possible — by finding the greatest common factor of the numerator and denominator and dividing both by it, to get the final answer in simplest form.
How Do You Simplify Fractions?
Simplifying a fraction is pretty, well, simple! It means reducing it to its simplest form. To do this, students will find an equivalent fraction that has the same value but with a smaller numerator and denominator. The numerator and denominator of a simplified fraction have no common factors other than 1.
To simplify a fraction, you can divide both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor. You'll then need to keep dividing by the greatest common factor until it is equal to 1, which means that the fraction can't be simplified any further. And there you have it — a simplified fraction!
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Escape From the Alien Invasion – Math Escape Room (Basic Fractions)
Save the planet from the alien invasion by identifying fractions, comparing fractions, creating models, and more with an exciting digital escape room.
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Unit Fraction Spin and Color Activity
Read and color unit fractions in this fun spin and color activity with your students.
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Icing Unit Fractions Worksheet
Explore unit fractions with your students using this fun donut-themed unit fraction worksheet.
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Comparing Unit Fractions Worksheets
Compare different unit fractions using this teacher-created set of worksheets.
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Comparing Fractions – Sorting Activity
Strengthen fraction comparison skills by sorting cards according to the inequality symbol that makes each statement true.
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5th Grade Math Review – Google Slides Interactive Activity
Review important 5th-grade math standards with a student-led interactive activity that covers 12 different mathematical concepts.
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Equivalent Fraction Wall - Poster
Guide students to develop an understanding of fractions with the same value by using an equivalent fractions chart in your classroom.
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Equivalent Fractions – Instructional Slide Deck
Teach your students how to find equivalent fractions by using a number line, shaded models, or a fraction chart with this instructional slide deck.
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Math Mazes (Equivalent Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages)
Determine equivalent fractions, decimals, and percentages with this puzzling math maze.
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Fraction Fact File Worksheet
Explore all things fractions with this one-page printable worksheet.
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Fractions on a Number Line – Kaboom Game
Practice identifying fractions on a number line with an exciting game of Kaboom!
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Fractions on a Number Line - Halves, Fifths, and Tenths
Demonstrate the concept of fractions on a number line with a printable fraction number line display and student reference sheets.
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5th Grade Math Review – Test Prep Packet
Encourage your students to work through 8 pages of 5th-grade math problems while charting their progress to measure their success.
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Fractions on a Number Line - Halves, Quarters, and Eighths
Demonstrate the concept of fractions on a number line with a printable number line display and student reference sheets.
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Mega Matcher (Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages) 6th Grade Math Interactive Game
Match equivalent fractions, decimals, and percentages with this interactive game for 6th grade math with a code-cracking twist.
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Unit Fraction Fairy Bread Matching Activity
Sort and match fairy bread model cards to the corresponding unit fraction cards.
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Halves and Fourths – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Practice sorting objects partitioned into halves and fourths with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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3rd Grade Fractions – Math Assessment
Assess student understanding of fractions on a number line, comparing fractions, equivalent fractions, and more with this math test for 3rd grade.
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Operations with Fractions – Math Mats
Use these math mats when reviewing fraction operations with your students.
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Fractions, Decimals and Percentages Worksheets
Use these fractions, decimals and percentages worksheets in your upper elementary classroom for independent practice or as an assessment activity.
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Adding and Subtracting Fractions PowerPoint
A 17-slide editable PowerPoint Template to use when teaching your students how to add and subtract fractions.
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Sorting Unit Fractions Cut and Paste
Sort different unit fraction visualizations with these cut-and-paste unit fraction worksheets.
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Equivalent Fractions – Worksheet Pack
Use fraction models, strip diagrams, and number lines to determine equivalent fractions with this worksheet pack.
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Fractions of a Set – Differentiated Worksheets
Practice working with fractions of a set with this set of differentiated worksheets.
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Fraction Partner Tasks - 4th Grade Fractions
Encourage mathematical collaboration and discussion with a group of thirteen 4th-grade fractions partner activities.
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Fraction Strips
Promote hands-on learning in your classroom with this set of printable fraction strips.
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Adding Fractions with Common Denominators Worksheet
A worksheet to consolidate students' understanding of adding fractions with common denominators.
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Identify Unit Fractions Worksheets
Color the different fraction units to show different unit fractions with this set of worksheets perfect for your budding mathematicians.
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Fraction Robot Template
Build a robot using these fraction shapes for a fun activity to do with your students when learning about unit fractions.
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Unit Fractions Game Show Interactive
Play a game of unit fractions with your students with this fun engaging interactive slide deck.
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Unit Fractions Kaboom Game
Practice unit fractions with this fun whole class Kaboom card game.
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What Doesn’t Belong? Fraction Models – Teacher Guided Activity
Strengthen student understanding of different fraction models with this teacher-led activity.