Fraction War
Age group
- Junior/Intermediate (Age 9 to 12)
Curriculum Goal
Created by Yara Salloum. Adapted by The Robertson Program.
Junior: Number Sense
Compare and order fractions (i.e., halves, thirds, fourths, fifths, tenths) by considering the size of the numerator and denominator.
Related Links
Context
- Students work in pairs, either in class or in breakout rooms on a video conference chat.
- Students should have prior experience with conceptual properties of fractions, including equivalent fractions.
Materials
- Fraction cards (Appendix A)
- Fraction blocks/visuals
- Paper
- Pencil
Lesson
- Divide the shuffled deck of fraction cards between players.
- Each player turns over two fraction cards.
- Players say the names of their fraction cards out loud and the player with the greatest fraction takes all four cards.
- Players can determine who has the greatest fraction by finding the common denominator or using visuals/manipulatives.
- In the event there is an equivalent fraction, each player deals out three more cards (similar to the game W-A-R). The fourth card is flipped. The player with the greater fraction collects all the cards on the table.
- Play continues until one player has collected all cards.
Look Fors
- Can students determine the value of the fractions on their cards?
- Can students determine whether fractions are equivalent?
- What strategies do students implement to determine the value of the fractions?
Extension
- The player with the smallest fraction wins.
- Add certain types of fractions to the deck to reinforce those fractions (equivalent fractions, simple fractions, mixed fractions, improper fractions).
- Include cards with fraction problems that students must solve to determine the greater fraction.
Related Lessons
Fractions on a Number Line
Students use a number line to understand the relationship between fractions and their equivalent decimal forms.
Flip and Ponder
Students are challenged to create, transform, and compare improper and mixed fractions.
