How To Use Fraction Strips

Create Your Own Fraction Strips

What You Need:

• Construction paper (or regular paper) preferably in 5 different colors.
• Pencil and eraser
  
• Ruler
  
• Pair of Scissors
• Laminator (Optional) - You don't need a laminator for this project but laminating the fraction strips will make them last longer for extended use.

Making the Fraction Strips:

• Use the ruler and pencil to measure out a and draw a rectangle toward the top of the 5 pieces of paper. The dimensions for an ideal rectangle might be a width of 8 inches and a height of 1 inch.
  
• After drawing the rectangle on your paper, carefully cut out the rectangle that was drawn on your paper.
• Write "1 Whole" in the middle of this cut out rectangle. This will represent a whole and you may also want to write in 1/1 after 1 Whole.
  

• Using a  new piece of paper different in color paper than the first rectangle, cut out another rectangle of the exact same size.
• Now fold this rectangle in half, so now you'll have two smaller rectangles, each of them 4 inches in width, folded on top of each other.
  
• Use the scissors to cut the crease made in the middle so that you will have two separate rectangles.
• Write "1/2 in the middle of the two rectangles."
  

• Using a different color paper than the first two rectangles, cut out a third rectangle the exact same size as the first rectangle.
• First fold this rectangle in half, and press down the crease so now that you two smaller rectangles folded on top of each other. 
• Now fold in half again and press down on crease in middle.
• Unfold the paper and you should see four rectangles separated by the folded creases in the paper.
• Use the scissors to cut along the crease so that you have two separate rectangles.
• In the four rectangles, write "1/4".
  

• Choose a new piece of paper of a different color, cut out the same size rectangle as the first. Fold it in half once and crease. Fold it in half a second time and crease . Fold it in half a third time and crease.
• Unfold the rectangle and you should now have eight rectangles of the same size.
• Cut along the creases to separate these eight rectangles.
•  Write "1/8" in the middle of each rectangle.

• Finally, choose a new piece of paper of a different color, cut out the same size rectangle as the first. Fold it in half once and crease. Fold it in half a second time and crease . Fold it in half a third time and crease. And now, fold it in half one more time and crease.
  
• Unfold the rectangle and you should now have sixteen rectangles of the same size.
• Cut along the creases to separate these eight rectangles.
•  Write "1/16" in the middle of each rectangle.

Play "Comparing" Fractions Game

What You Need:

• Fraction strips for each player
• Fraction cards
• Score sheet
• pair of dice

Preparation:

• Print off and cut out a set of fraction strips for each player
• Print off and cut out fraction cards 
• Print out one score sheet
  
• Shuffle the fraction cards well and place face down in middle of the players.
  

How To Play:

• To see who goes first, have each player roll the two dice. The player with lowest sum goes first.

The game has a total of 5 Rounds.

In Round 1, the player with the smallest fraction wins round 1.To begin the game, starting with the first player, each player picks the top card from the fraction card pile, and places it face up on the table.

• Each player then uses their fraction strips to make the fraction they just pulled from the pile.

• After players build their fraction with their fraction strips, each player's fraction strips are lined up vertically so everyone can visualize which fraction is the smallest. The player with the smallest fraction wins the round. Player with smallest sum gets 10 points for the round.

If there is more than one player with the smallest fraction, those players win that round.

In Round 2, the player with the largest fraction wins the round.

• Players follow the same steps as in round 1 but this time the player with the largest fraction wins the round. Player with smallest sum gets 10 points for the round.

In Round 3, players who have equivalent fractions win the round.

• Players follow same steps as in previous rounds, but this time players who have equivalent fractions win the round. Players with equivalent fractions get 10 points for the round.
  

In the case no players who have equivalent fractions, no player whens the round.

In Round 4, each player draws two cards from top of pile and add them together. Player with smallest sum wins round.

• Players use their fraction strips to make both of their fractions. After making both fractions, they place both fractions next to each horizontally so they are touching.
• Players will then compare as before to see who has the smallest sum. Player with smallest sum gets 10 points for the round.

In Round 5, each player draws two cards from top of pile and add them together. Player with largest sum wins round.

• Players use their fraction strips to make both of their fractions. After making both fractions, they place both fractions next to each horizontally so they are touching.
• Players will then compare as before to see who has the smallest sum. Player with smallest sum gets 10 points for the round.

At the end of the 5 rounds, add the points for each round to get the total points for each player. Player with the ighest total wins the game. There can be more than one winner.