Goal-directed Instructional Design Plan 5

th
Grade: Finding Equivalent Fractions
Author Sara Perrin
1. A problem or a need there must be a problem of practice or an educational need
that should be addressed during the lesson.
The educational need for the fifth grade class I am currently teaching is that many of them
struggle with finding equivalent fractions. The goal for this lesson will be for students to use
dot paper laptops to create equivalent fractions, recognizing that though the fractions have
different numerators and denominators, equal areas of the shapes are covered. This will
give students a visual representation of what the term equivalent fraction means.
2. A real-world performance how the learning objective fit into a real-world activity or
need.
The goal for the lesson addresses the need for students to have a sense of fractional parts
of wholes, which they will need to solve a variety of real world problems in life. These skills
will allow them to easily solve problems relating to time management, measuring distances
and quantities, and managing other important aspects of life such as money.
3. An instructional objective the objectives are based on the final outcome, activity or
test. These objectives will each be different for the four types of knowledge; performing
skills, recalling facts, identifying examples of concepts, and applying principles.
These objectives are based on students being able to perform skills and identify examples of
concepts.
a. Recognize whether or not a set of shapes divided into fractional parts represent
equivalent fractions.
b. Solve real world problems, determining if fractional parts of wholes are
equivalent.
c. Divide objects and shapes into fractional pieces, and compare fractions.
4. A set of essential content the basic ideas and skills that will allow the learner to
complete the task or understand the content.
Students will need to understand what a fraction is (a part of a whole), as well as what the
numerator and denominator represent. Students will need to use this knowledge to
determine if fractions are equivalent.
5. An evaluation consisting of a test or observation an assessment, observation or
product showing that the objectives can be accomplished in the real-world setting.
There is one assessment that will be used at the end of the lesson. Students will work on
the laptops, using a pre-created document (Paint, word, PowerPoint, smart board, etc.
Anything that can be manipulated by students), to determine if fractions are equivalent by
solving real world problems. The document will be able to be manipulated by the student,
saved, and then viewed by me. They will also evaluate sets of rectangles representing a pair
of fractions, and determine if they are equivalent.
Example Problem:
You are having a sleepover, and you and your friends want to order pizza. You have a
coupon for 2 large pizzas.

Pizza A Pizza B
Use the lines to cut one pizza into 8 equal pieces and the other pizza into 4 equal pieces.
If you take 2 pieces of pizza from pizza A, how many pieces of pizza B would your friend
need to eat the same amount as you?
Answer:
Write 2 fractions: one that represents the number of pieces you eat of pizza A, and one that
represents the number of pieces of pizza B your friend eats.
Answer:
(The teacher would need to demonstrate how to manipulate the shapes if they did not
already know how.)

6. A method to help participants learn the method to deliver the content; a lesson.
The teacher will ask the opening question, (What part of a cake would you rather
have? 2/3 or 12/18?) and the class will choose and discuss their choices.
The teacher will display a sheet of cm dot paper on the document camera, and
represent the cakes as 2 rectangles of the same size. Each cake is divided into
different numbers of sections, and different numbers of sections are shaded in. The
teacher will demonstrate this.
The teacher will activate prior knowledge of fractions being equivalent and how
students can determine if fractions are equivalent (multiplying or dividing the
numerator and denominator by the same number to get the new fraction). The class
will determine if the parts of the cakes are the same amount or different amounts
and reevaluate their decisions on what fractions of the cake they prefer.
Students will get their own dot paper and follow along together for the rest of the
problems.
The teacher will demonstrate how the rectangles will be drawn (3x4, 4x5, etc). A
pair of each size will be drawn.
The teacher will ask students to divide each pair into different numbers of sections (2
different denominators), and shade in a number of sections in one of the rectangles.
As a class, the fraction will be determined.
The teacher will ask the students to shade in the same amount of the next rectangle,
and together the class will count how many sections are contained in the shaded
area. Students will determine what the fraction is for the second rectangle.
Students will discuss what the similarities and differences are of the 2 rectangles
(they are divided into a different number of sections, and the fractions are different,
but the amount shaded in is the same size for each.) The class will discuss what this
means in terms of equivalence.
The teacher will go through several more examples with the class.
After solving many example problems, and discussing them, the students will be
given time to work on the laptops at their seats.
Students will open the prepared document and solve several real world problems,
similar to the initial cake problem, using rectangle as well as real world
representations of fractions. Students will also determine if fractions are equivalent
by looking at rectangles that have been shaded in according to equivalent and non-
equivalent fractions.
Motivation:
Meaningfullness content and activities must have meaning for the learner
Students will have learned an effective strategy for determining if simple
fractions are equivalent. This will give support to students in learning this
concept. They will then be able to use this strategy to solve real world problems.
Pleasant consequences the effects that achieving the goal will have on the
learner
Students will be able to effectively solve problems involving equivalent fractions
using a visual method, which can be easier to grasp than a traditional method.
Novelty an attention-getting, humorous or curious manner that relates to the
useful information in your lesson
A question is posed about fractional parts. Students are asked if they had to
choose, would they want 2/3 of a cake, or 12/18 of a cake. Students decide
which sounds like the best choice, and discuss as a class what everyone decided
and why. This will reintroduce the concept of equivalent fractions.
Socialization - a strong motivator for student learning
Class discussion and independent activities involving real world problems engage
students in meaningful problem solving.
Audience For what audience are you designing this lesson? Consider the following:
Age: 5
th
Grade
Skill level (including technology skills)
Students with varying technology knowledge. Some are exposed to a variety of
technologies at home, and some are not. All have access to desktops and laptops
at school.
Prerequisite knowledge (including technology background)
Computer skills

Technology Needs the computers, software, programs (such as Angel or other
CMSs) printers, equipment, Internet access, time in the computer lab will be needed to
successfully complete your technology-rich lesson.
Document camera and desktop computer for demonstration and teaching of the lesson.
Laptop cart with 30 laptops (or a smartboard), for each student to complete the practice
problems and assessment.
A prepared document that students can manipulate to solve problems.