4th Grade Task: Treat Bag

4th Grade Task: Treat Bag

Standards & Objectives

Essential and guiding questions: 

Whole Group Questions

Modeling the combining of fractions:

  • How did you model the combining of each portion of M&Ms in the treat bags?
  • Did anyone show it a different way?

Multiplication of a whole number by a fraction:

  • How did you turn the whole number into a fraction?
  • How did you multiply the whole number by the fraction?
  • How could you model 9/1 ?
  • How is this similar to multiplying two whole numbers?

Addition of fractions with like denominators:

  • If you chose to use repeated addition, explain why the denominator stays the same and the numerator increases?
  • How can you write the repeated addition equation as a multiplication equation?
  • Changing the improper fraction into a whole or mixed number:
  • How can you decompose the improper fraction and recombine the unit fractions to make a whole or mixed number?
  • Did anyone use a different strategy?

Comparing the combining of two fractions to the benchmark 1:

  • Did you have to add ½ + 2/3 ? Or is there another way to know if they are greater than 1?
  • How did you know that the portion of M&Ms was too much to fit into the treat bag?
  • Which is bigger 2/3 or 1/2?
  • What is ½ + ½?

Activity/Task Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding
Extension suggestions: 

If students can’t get started….

Assessing Questions

  • What is the question being asked?
  • What do you already know?
  • How many treat bags does Ashley need to make?
  • What part of a cup of M&Ms will go in each bag?
  • How can you find the total?

Advancing Questions

  • What is your next step?

If students finish early….

  • What portion of the M&Ms does Ashley want to put in each bag?
  • How do you know?
  • How can you write an inequality to explain your answer in Part 3?
  • What amount of each type of M&Ms can Ashley use that will fit in the treat bag?