Springfield College

Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: Alysha Robitaille Date: April 4, 2019

Subject: Math Grade Level: 4
Title of Lesson: Benchmark Fractions Lesson Length: 60 minutes

Overview of Lesson Well-Structured Lessons: Develops well-structured lessons with challenging measurable objectives and
(Lesson Components) appropriate student engagement strategies, pacing, sequence, activities, materials, resources, technologies, and
grouping CAP I.A.4
Meeting Diverse Needs Uses appropriate practices, including tiered instruction and scaffolds, to accommodate
differences in learning styles, needs, interests, and levels of readiness, including those Students with Disabilities
and English Language Learners CAP II.A.3
Lesson Summary:

In this lesson, students will work on identifying benchmark fractions and using benchmark fractions to help
compare fractions. Students will also decide whether a given fraction is closer to 0, ½, 1, 1 ½, 2, 2 ½, or 3,
and explain their reasoning.

Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to...

Students will be able to identify at least 3 benchmark fractions.

Students will be able to place fractions on a number line in the correct order using benchmark fractions with
at least 75% accuracy.

Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks:

CCSS.Math.Content.4.NF.A.2 Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators,
e.g., by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2. Record the results of comparisons with symbols >, =,
or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.

Materials/Equipment: What will you use to support your lesson? Assistive Technology, use of visuals, fidget tools, etc.

● Cards labeled as “Close to 0,” “Close to ½,” “Close to 1,” and so on –

● 6 Blank, “My Fraction Cards”
● Fraction Cards
● Large chart paper
● Pencils
● Exit Tickets
● Expo Markers
● Chrome Books (if time permitted)

Enduring Understandings: Large Transferrable Insights… Consider: These may be related to IEP goals and/or
language acquisition
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Lesson Plan Template

Big Ideas: The students will understand that they can use benchmark fractions to help them compare
fractions.

Concepts: Fractions, Benchmark Fractions, Comparing Fractions

Essential Questions: How will you facilitate critical thinking skills? Consider: How to scaffold the essential questions

How can you tell if a fraction is less than, equal to, or greater than another given fraction?

How can benchmark fractions help you make a number line?

How do you decide where a fraction should be placed on a number line?

Content Curriculum and Planning: Knows the subject matter well, has a good grasp of child development and how
students learn and designs effective rigorous standards-based units of instruction. CAP I.A.4

Factual Content: What key knowledge will the students learn in this lesson?

The students will learn that examples of benchmark fractions are: 0, ¼, 1/3, ½, 1

The students will learn the strategy of using benchmark fractions can be used to help compare fractions

Critical Thinking Skills: What key skills will be taught and/or practiced in this lesson?

● The students will review and practice ordering fractions on a number line
● The students will practice using benchmark fractions to help them compare fractions
● The students will review and practice identifying benchmark fractions

Vocabulary Meeting Diverse Needs & SEI: Demonstrates knowledge of the difference between social and academic
language and the importance of this difference in planning, differentiating and delivering effective instruction for
English language learners at various levels of English language proficiency and literacy. Meeting Diverse
Needs II.A.3; SEI (c)
Tier 1 Vocabulary: Basic everyday words familiar to most students

● Comparing
● Less than, equal to, greater than

Tier 2 Vocabulary: Frequently occurring academic words

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Lesson Plan Template

● Fractions
● Benchmark fractions
● Equivalent fractions
● Explain

Tier 3 Vocabulary: Domain-specific words, low frequency

Assessments Adjustment To Practice & Meeting Diverse Needs Organizes and analyzes results from a variety of
Formative/Summative, assessments [e.g., performance tasks, formative/summative, informal/formal] to determine progress toward
Informal/Formal intended outcomes and uses these findings to adjust practice and identify and/or implement appropriate
differentiated interventions and enhancements for students CAP I.B.2 & II.A.3

Detail below all performance tasks/tests/quizzes; formative/summative/informal/formal assessments (Refer to

lesson plan guidelines for more details)

● The students will answer questions verbally throughout the lesson

● The students will complete an exit ticket regarding benchmark fractions and fraction number lines
● The students will complete a fraction number line chart with other peers, putting it in least to greatest
● The students with verbally explain and discuss their reasoning behind why a given fraction is less than
or greater than another fraction
● The students will critique their peers and discuss their reasonings as to whether the student is correct
or incorrect on a given fraction placement
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Lesson Plan Template

Action and Instructional Safe Learning Environment: Uses rituals, routines, and appropriate responses that create and maintain a
Procedures safe physical and intellectual environment where students take academic risks and most behaviors that
interfere with learning are prevented. CAP II.B.1
Anticipatory Set: What steps will you take to engage your students at the beginning of your lesson (the hook)?

Have a number line on the whiteboard with the fractions, ¼, 1/3, ½, ¾, and 1 labeled on it.

Ask students to come up and put more fractions up on the number line.
● Ask, (for example) is 1/6 less than or greater than ¼? 🡪 Continue to ask questions that compare
fractions with the help of looking at benchmark fractions

Explain to the students that my original fractions are known as benchmark fractions. State, “it can be helpful
to use Benchmark Fractions to help us compare whether a given fraction is greater or less than another.”

State, “If we were to define what benchmark fractions are, I would say that they are a common fraction that
we can use to compare or order other fractions.”

Procedures/Transitions: State the teacher action, student action, and/or the assessment that will take place. Include the
amount of time it will take to complete each procedure. Consider Instructional strategies, behavior management strategies,
informal assessment strategies and how you will provide accessibility for all learners.

**All teachers/para’s in the classroom will be circling around the classroom and assisting students when needed

Step One: Introduce the idea of “Close to-” fractions

● Have students stand up on the rug in a circle
● Hand each student a fraction card
● Explain to the students that around the room there are different benchmark fractions. It is their
responsibility to look at their fraction card and determine which part of the room they should stand at.
o Provide an example: Is 1/8 closer to 0 or ½? Where should you go and stand?

Step Two: Have the students perform the task & Reflect
● Have each group of students (the students at a given benchmark fraction) show their fractions to the
rest of the class.
o Ask the class, “Do you agree? Do you disagree? Explain.

Step Two: Group “Close To” Fraction Activity

● Have the students sit back at their seats
● Explain to the students that you are going to split them into pairs (pre-determined pairs) and they are
going to organize their “close to-” fractions and then put them in order from least to greatest
● If students are done making their chart, they can come up with their own “fraction cards”

Step Three: Have the students perform the task & Reflect
● Once groups are done, have the students look at each other’s number lines
● Have the student critique the number lines and explain their reasoning
o Do you agree? Disagree? Explain
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Lesson Plan Template

Step Four: See if students can apply their newly learned knowledge to an exit ticket
● Hand out an exit ticket for the students to complete

Closure: How will students demonstrate their learning and/or apply their learning?
● The students will complete an exit ticket (step 4)
● Once students are done, reflect on the lesson
o What is one thing you learned today?

Homework/Extension Activities: What is the homework and what is your purpose for assigning it? Consider: Supports
that students might need in order to complete the homework (e.g., visuals, reference sheet, etc.).

N/A

References/Resources materials used Be sure to include all the references. Cite your sources, what resources did you
use to plan this lesson?

The Teacher Studio – Fraction Unit: M. Celley-Anderson

Lesson Reflections Reflective Practice: Regularly reflects on the effectiveness of lessons, units and interactions with students, both
individually and with colleagues, and uses insights gained to improve practice and student learning. CAP IV.A.1
Reflect on the overall lesson, your teaching strategies and skills, and the students’ actions. Consider such things as:

The Lesson Plan:

I loved how the beginning of my lesson went. When working on the number line as a group, students began using vocabulary
such as “greater than,” “less than,” and “close to,” which is exactly what I wanted my students to focus on in today’s lesson.
Students were able to use benchmark fractions as guidelines to help them find the placement for other fractions. To improve
this lesson, I could have hung up more benchmark fractions around the classroom. For the students who had fractions that
were in between two benchmark fractions, this could have helped clear up some confusion. This may have also allowed the
activity to go for a short amount of time. I also think that I could have created a way for the students to have specified
benchmark fractions for their number lines. While I was pleased to hear students talking about benchmark fractions when
guided, they were not necessarily focusing on that when putting the fractions from least to greatest. I believe that the
objectives were met. The students were able to see examples of benchmark fractions on the whiteboard and also apply that
knowledge by going to a benchmark fraction that their given fraction is closest to. Not only were the students able to see
what a benchmark fraction was, but they were able to use benchmark fractions to help compare fractions on their own
individualized number line. However, I would like to do my original exit ticket to see if students individually can meet this
objective. Although all groups were able to create number lines, they worked in partners, and they have had general
knowledge about number lines instead of benchmark fractions.
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Teaching Skills:
I’m really impressed with my hook. Typically, we are so busy throughout the day that we fail to come up with hooks. However,
I was able to have a hook that was both engaging and relevant to the lesson. I also thought I did well-differentiating instruction
and making sure it was a safe environment for all students. For example, I gave students specific fractions to work with so that
they were challenged, but not overwhelmed. I think I could have focused more on having students group their fractions to the
closest benchmark fraction more clearly in my final activity. I wanted the students to group the fractions originally and then
put them in order of least to greatest. Instead of combining these tasks, I would have made them two separate tasks.

The Students:
I was very pleased with the performance of the students. It is clear to me that the students are really retaining the information
they have been taught in the past lessons because they were able to apply their learned skills to today’s lesson. The students
did a really good job at using proper vocabulary (less than, greater than, close to, etc) and I was pleased to see that the
vocabulary is sticking with them. The students also did a good job at problem-solving. In other words, when they were unsure
as to where a fraction should belong on the number line, the students (without being told) started drawing diagrams. The
students struggled with finding which benchmark fraction they were closest to due to the fact that I only had four examples of
benchmark fractions. In the future, I would hang up more benchmark fractions which would help with the timing of the activity
and help clear up confusion amongst the students.