Fraction Four (make a whole) is a fun game to practice fractions with visual help.
Material
- Print-out of the game board
- Two dice 6 with sides.
- A colored pencil for each player (different colors)
The players take turns rolling the two dice. Every time they use the two numbers from the roll to form a fraction. They use the smaller number as the numerator and the greater number as the denominator (so that the fractions will not be improper). They search on the table/board for the fraction that when added to theirs (from the dice roll) gives a sum of one whole. They circle the fraction on the board or mark it with an X using their color (or place a cover/counters). If they cannot find a fraction they wait for their next turn. When the players roll doubles (one whole) they get to circle two fractions on the table that make one whole. For example they color/circle 1/6 and 5/6.
The player that gets four fractions in a row first (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) is the winner.
The players try to block each other from getting four in a row like in a typical four-in-a-row game by choosing fractions (based on their roll) that block the opponent’s “fours”.
This game offers good practice and helps students see patterns, find relationships, and understand fractions better. It is a low floor high ceiling game in the sense that some players will look for the more obvious answers like 1/4+3/4=1 and some will use the equivalent fractions as well 1/4+6/8=1
The fractions at the top of the table/game board offer a visual for all the possible rolls to help the players find the match.
It is a good idea to laminate this game board so that you can use it for a longer time. Use a different color marker for each player.
Here is the game board to print or use on a tablet.
