Easy-prep Fraction Card Game to Practice Comparing Fractions
Some students finally got to play ‘Fraction War’ today! This is an easy-prep, easy-to-play fraction card game that my 6th grade math students really enjoy.
In math class today, we worked (again) on the group problem solving we started last week, which focused on comparing and ordering fractions, and we continued with our Footloose task cards which also address comparing and ordering fractions (click here for description of Footloose game).
Students finish Footloose at all different times, so the few who finished today had the opportunity to play ‘Fraction War’ with the fraction card decks I’ve made.
The kids who played the fraction game today did a great job deciding which fraction was larger:
- I asked them to write their work on paper, so I could be sure they weren’t guessing
- after a few turns, I could hear them discussing as they found common denominators and made equivalent fraction to compare, or simplified the fractions to compare. They were definitely thinking!
How to Play This Comparing Fractions Card Game
2) Each student gets half a deck of cards
3) Each partner flips over one card
4) Students compare the values of the fractions
5) The student with the higher fraction ‘wins’ the cards
- If the cards are equivalent, it’s a ‘war’ and students put down a second card and compare these. The student with the greater fraction wins all the cards.
6) Play continues until one player has won all the cards (or until time is up:-)
Fraction Cards
BUT I’ve also used them for:
- equivalent fraction sorting activity
- playing “War”
I’ve found that using these cards has really been helping students’ mental math abilities. It’s also improving/increasing the math conversations they’re having.
Only a few students got to play this fraction game today, but several of them asked to play during 9th period today (homework/activity period). I’m looking forward to more students playing tomorrow, as the rest of them finish up their fraction Footloose task cards!
