5th Grade Task: Apple Orchard

5th Grade Task: Apple Orchard. This lesson is used along side the standards of Numbers and Operations- Fractions. The intent of this task is to be an introduction into adding fractions with unlike denominators. Students are to explore their ideas from what they know about adding fractions BEFORE thet are taught how to work with unlike denomminators.

PDF icon 5th Grade Task: Apple Orchard

Standards & Objectives

Essential and guiding questions: 
  • How are the pictorial representations connected to the equations?
  • Why when working with the equation was it so important to have common denominators?
  • Are the common denominators shownin the other representations?
  • How are addition and subtraction of fractions related?
  • Can we estimate to check the reasonableness our answers? How? Is this important to check? Why or why not?

Activity/Task Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying
Differentiation suggestions: 

If students cannot get started. . .
Assessing Questions:

  • What do number in the problem represent?
  • What is the problem asking you to find?

Advancing Questions:

  • Can you draw a model to represent the apples?
Extension suggestions: 

If students finish early. . .

  • A bushel of apples weighs approximately 50 pounds. How many pounds of apples has Andrea picked? Anthony? Amy?
  • How many more pounds need to be picked so that Grandma has enough apples to make apple jelly?
Originator: 
Tennessee Department of Education