Fractions with Pattern Blocks | Task Cards | Free Printable
Fractions with Pattern Blocks
Need a hands-on way to teach equivalent fractions? Try out these equivalent fractions with pattern blocks task cards that will challenge your students.
Our fun with fractions is continuing this week. My boys are young (4 and 6), so my only goal for them is to understand that a fraction is equal parts and that the numerator tells them how many parts or groups they have or in some cases don’t have.
Even though that is what I want them to master, I am exposing them to other aspects. We are definitely working on what an equivalent fraction is, and how to find equivalent fractions on models.
We have even done some adding and subtracting using our pattern blocks.
Today we pulled out our pattern blocks and completed the task cards.
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Pattern Blocks Fractions
If you have not worked with pattern blocks before, you may want to do a short introduction. Simply pull out the hexagons, and have the children fill them up with trapezoids.
Ask how many trapezoids were used, and what is the fraction for one trapezoid. This should lead itself into the awesome conversation about equal parts, etc.
I would then have the students place triangles on top of the trapezoids. You can then discuss what one triangle equals and what three triangles equal.
Hopefully, your students will see that three triangles equal one trapezoid, so therefore 3/6 is equal to 1/2.
You can then do the same with the rhombuses or rhombi. (Did you know that both are the correct plural form of a rhombus?)
Pattern Block Task Cards
Once that background knowledge is laid for them, they are ready for the task cards. There are three different wholes in the sample pack, and five in the complete pack.
You will find that the students are finding equivalent fractions for halves, thirds, fourths, and sixths numerous times but in various ways.
I feel this is important because students need to realize that 1/2 is always equal to 2/4 or 3/6 no matter the size of the equal parts.
Equivalent Fractions with Pattern Blocks: What you Need
- card stock
- laminating machine (one I recommend if you do not have access to one)
- dry erase markers (I recommend the small ones for this activity)
- pattern blocks
Pattern Block Equivalent Fractions: Struggles
There were a couple of things that stumped the boys, and gave us a chance to focus again on a fraction being equal parts and that the denominator tells us how many equal parts it takes to make a whole.
My four-year-old was working on this task card and had followed the directions. He had covered up 2/3 and knew that the numerator was 6.
He was struggling to figure out what was the denominator. We went back over that the denominator is how many equal parts it takes to make a whole.
He ended up filling the third rhombus with triangles and then was able to tell me that he had 4 out of the 6 triangles, so 2/3 and 4/6 are equivalent fractions.
Using Pattern Blocks to Teach Fractions
As a last-minute tip, I highly suggest doing these in small groups where you can monitor. If you are working with higher grades I can possibly see doing this as a whole group with you walking around constantly checking and making note of those who will need to be pulled later for a small group.
If you feel that any child is struggling with the concept of fractions, I would do this with them next to you.
These pattern block task cards will quickly bring to light any misconceptions, and I know no one wants to miss opportunities to see misconceptions and work through them.
Pattern Block Fractions Worksheet
Below is the free fractions with pattern blocks worksheet. You can download the printable by clicking on the download button and then saving it to your device and printing it. Get ALL 20 task cards plus a challenge HERE.
