TOPIC 1 · GRADE 3 FOUNDATION
Equal Parts and Unit Fractions
Understand what numerator and denominator mean by sharing wholes fairly.
MA.3.FR.1.1BIG IDEA
A fraction is one number. The denominator names how many equal parts make a whole; the numerator counts how many of those equal parts we have.
LEARN IT WITH A STORY
Share one pizza fairly
Four friends share one same-size pizza. Fair sharing means cutting four equal pieces; each friend receives one fourth.
- 1Name the whole: one complete pizza.
- 2Count all equal pieces to find the denominator: 4.
- 3Count the pieces one friend gets to find the numerator: 1. The share is 1/4.
Draw and explain
Sketch a sandwich cut for 3 children. How can you prove every piece is one third?
FRACTION WORD BANK
Tap a word, then turn the card
Say the word aloud before revealing its meaning. Tap again to return to the word.
WATCH AND NOTICE
Fraction basics | 3rd grade | Khan Academy
Pause when a model appears. Name the whole, denominator, numerator, and fraction before the teacher explains it.
Open on YouTube ↗WHAT TO KNOW
- Equal parts must have equal size, even when their shapes look different.
- A unit fraction has numerator 1, such as 1/3 or 1/8.
- A larger denominator means smaller pieces when the wholes are the same size.
WATCH OUT
Three pieces do not automatically mean thirds; the three pieces must be equal in size.
TRY IT
Change the number of equal slices and shade different amounts.