5th Grade Task: Pizza Predicament

5th Grade Task: Pizza Predicament. This standard calls for students to extend their work of partitioning a number line from third and fourth grade. Students need ample experiences to explore the concept that a fraction is a way to represent the division of two quantities. Students are expected to demonstrate their understanding using concrete materials, drawing models, and explaining their thinking when working with fractions in multiple contexts. They read 3/5 as “three-fifths” and after many experiences with sharing problems, learn that 3/5 can also be interpreted as “3 divided by 5.”

Standards & Objectives

Essential and guiding questions: 
  • Do the pieces of a fraction have to be the same size?
  • Why or why not?
  • What is the name of the number below the fraction bar?
  • What does this number represent?
  • What is the name of the number above the fraction bar?
  • What does this number represent?
  • Is 1/2 of a bar of chocolate always equal to the same amount?
  • Why or why not?
  • Which operation is related to fractions?
  • How could you write 3/4 as a division sentence?
  • How could you represent 3/4 in segments on a number line?

Activity/Task Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying
Differentiation suggestions: 

If students cannot get started. . .

  • What is the problem asking you to find?
  • Can you draw a picture to help you solve this problem?
  • Is there an equation that could help you solve this problem?
Extension suggestions: 

If students finish early. . .

  • If the Safety Club had a pizza party with 4 pizzas for every 9 people, which club would you choose to go to for the most pizza?