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!
- Free Plan
Unit Fraction Spin and Color Activity
Read and color unit fractions in this fun spin and color activity with your students.
- Free Plan
I Have Who Has? Game – Composing Fractions
Get your students to compose fractions with an engaging whole-class game perfect for lesson warm-ups or wrap-ups!
- Plus Plan
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.
- Free Plan
Sorting Unit Fractions Cut and Paste
Sort different unit fraction visualizations with these cut-and-paste unit fraction worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Equivalent Fractions Chart – Differentiated Worksheets
Use a fraction wall to find equivalent fractions and compare fractions with this set of differentiated worksheets.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Free Plan
Fraction Fact File Worksheet
Explore all things fractions with this one-page printable worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Equivalent Fractions – Deck of Cards
Encourage healthy competition between your students by using this set of 30 equivalent fraction cards to play a variety of math games.
- Free Plan
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.
- Free Plan
Representing Hundredths Worksheet
Have students demonstrate their understanding of hundredths with this simple one-page worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators Worksheet Pack
Download this set of adding fractions with unlike denominators worksheets to help your students practice this important math skill.
- Plus Plan
Label the Unit Fraction Worksheets
Label different unit fractions with this set of student worksheets.
- Free Plan
Comparing Unit Fractions Worksheets
Compare different unit fractions using this teacher-created set of worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Unit Fraction Flowers Craft Activity
Construct unit fraction flowers and discover different ways unit fractions can occur.
- Plus Plan
Unit Fraction Bingo
Play a game of Bingo with your students to practice their knowledge of unit fractions.
- Plus Plan
Equivalent Fractions – Clip Cards
Determine an equivalent fraction that matches a fraction model with this set of 24 clip cards.
- Free Plan
Comparing Fractions – Sorting Activity
Strengthen fraction comparison skills by sorting cards according to the inequality symbol that makes each statement true.
- Plus Plan
Funky Fraction Craft Activity (Halves)
Use this craft activity to encourage students to color, match, and discuss two halves of a shape.
- Free Plan
Fraction Strips
Promote hands-on learning in your classroom with this set of printable fraction strips.
- Free Plan
Simplify to Multiply – Multiplying Fractions Worksheet
Practice how to simplify fractions before multiplying with this worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Number Talks - Fraction Task Cards
Build fraction skills with this set of 30 task cards.
- Free Plan
Complex Dot-to-dot Worksheet – Ordering Fractions and Decimals (Cat)
Practice ordering fractions and decimals with this complex dot-to-dot worksheet.
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? Game – Fraction, Decimal and Percentage Equivalence
Reinforce students' understanding of fraction, decimal and percentage equivalence with a whole-class game.
- Plus Plan
Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Fractions Anchor Charts
Display these fractions anchor charts in your classroom to remind your students how to perform operations with like and unlike fractions.
- Plus Plan
Least Common Multiple – Doodle Notes
Learn how to find the LCM of a set of numbers with these doodle notes.
- Plus Plan
Least Common Multiple - Digital and Printable Worksheet
Find the least common multiple of a set of numbers with this worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Fractions and Decimals Assessment
Assess students' knowledge of various decimals and percentages concepts with this four-page worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Pizza Fraction Bingo - 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5
32 different bingo cards using halves, thirds, fourths, and fifths.
- Plus Plan
Fraction, Decimal, and Percentage Bingo
Convert between fractions, decimals and percentages with this engaging Bingo game the whole class can enjoy!
- Plus Plan
Adding Fractions With Unlike Denominators Slide Deck
Teach your students how to add fractions with unlike denominators using a variety of strategies with this comprehensive slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Subtracting Unlike Fractions Word Problems Task Cards
Use this set of word problems for subtracting fractions with unlike denominators to help your students practice this important math skill.
- Plus Plan
Adding Unlike Fractions Word Problems Task Cards
Use this set of word problems for adding fractions with unlike denominators to help your students practice this important math skill.