Fraction Classroom Games and Group Activities

How Can I Incorporate Games into the Classroom?

Games provide an opportunity for kids to move around and out of their seats while still studying content. Though classroom management can get tricky, especially if your students are excited, games can be beneficial because they break up the routine and boost motivation. Active exercises are especially helpful for students who learn best kinesthetically, rather than by listening or writing.

Games are most advantageous when used to review content that you've already taught formally. Incorporate games into your curriculum at the middle or end of a lesson, when students are beginning to lose interest. Alternatively, a game can pick students up in the middle of the week and provide the enthusiasm that will carry the class to the end of the week.

Fraction Games

Toss Review

For this game, you'll need a small, soft ball. Transform homework review into a game by having the students throw the ball to one another. Whoever catches it must answer the question. This way, you can assess who did the homework. In addition, this game ensures that all the students will be paying attention.

Alternatively, use this game for review. Write simple fraction problems on the board, such as 1/2 + 1/2 or 4/6 - 1/6. Then, whoever catches the ball will solve an equation on the board. Make sure the equations are simple enough so that your students can quickly calculate them in their heads.

Class Survey

Ask your students to survey one another about their favorite foods. After collecting the data, students can calculate what fraction of the class likes pizza or ice cream. This game can be applied to many other categories, such as what fraction of the students participate in band, a sport or an after-school club.

Reduction Races

Divide the class into two teams. Next, write a fraction on the board that needs to be reduced to its lowest terms. For example, 2/4, 10/12 and 20/30 can be reduced to ½, 5/6 and 2/3. The team that simplifies the fraction the fastest receives a point. For more of a challenge, include fractions like 6000/7000 or 300/100.

Candy Fractions

Bring in a small bag of colored candy for each student. Ask them to calculate what fraction of their bag is red, green, blue or yellow. Each bag will likely have different amounts of colored candy, so the students can have fun comparing fractions with their classmates. Plus, they can always eat the candy after the game is over.