Fraction strips (free printable, wholes to twelfths)

About this sheet

Fraction strips make the size of a fraction something a child can see and move. Every strip has the same length, so a half is visibly longer than a third, and two quarters line up exactly with one half. The page runs from one whole down to twelfths, and you can choose which strips to print: halves, thirds and fourths for a first lesson, or all nine for equivalence. Each part is labeled with its fraction, and the labels can be turned off for a challenge. Print on card stock, cut the strips apart, and keep a set in an envelope. Students compare, stack and trade the strips to find equal fractions.

Grades: 2 to 5. Best in: January, February, March.

How to use it

1. Type the denominators you want, one per line, such as 1, 2, 4, 8. Turn off the labels if you want blank strips for students to label.
2. Print on card stock, in a different color for each set if you can, and cut the strips apart along the lines between rows.
3. Ask students to line up strips to compare, such as how many eighths fill one half, and record what they find.

Five ideas for class

1. Ask students to find all the strips that match one half, then write the equal fractions, such as 1/2, 2/4 and 4/8, on a sheet.
2. Compare two fractions by laying the strips side by side, and write the comparison with a greater than or less than sign.
3. Add fractions with like denominators by lining the parts end to end, then with unlike ones by finding strips that fit.
4. Print the strips without labels and have students label each part, then check with a partner who has the labeled set.
5. Use only halves, fourths and eighths for a first lesson, and add the other strips one at a time as students are ready.

Related

• Number bonds
• Blank number lines
• Array grids
• Fraction bars
• Flashcard maker