5th Grade Math Lesson

Baking with Fractions: Multiplying Fractions Using Area Models

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5thThin-SlicingCCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.B.4 — Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction by a fraction50 min

Learning Objective

Students will apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction by a fraction using area models, justifying their answers by connecting the shaded region to the product (CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.B.4).

Lesson Overview

Students progress from shading a unit fraction of a whole grid to multiplying two non-unit fractions using area models, all within a baking context. Tasks change only one variable at a time, building conceptual understanding before symbolic fluency.

Materials

Vertical whiteboards or chart paper
Dry-erase markers (at least 2 colors per group)
Rulers or straightedges
Student notebooks for Four-Quadrant notes
Pencils and colored pencils
Random grouping tool (e.g., cards or app)

Scaffolded Task Progression

1Task 1

🧁 BAKING TASK: A recipe uses 1 cup of sugar. You want to make the WHOLE recipe. Draw a rectangle on your whiteboard to represent 1 whole cup. Shade ALL of it. What fraction of the cup will you use?

2Task 2

🧁 BAKING TASK: The recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, but you only want to make 1/2 of the recipe. Draw a rectangle for 1 whole cup. Divide it into 2 equal parts and shade 1 part. What fraction of a cup of sugar do you need?

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