Wind Energy and Equivalent Fractions Lesson
Lesson Plan
45 minutesGrades5Mathematics
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Written by Pamela Fellner, Sustainable Jersey for Schools
About this lesson
In this lesson, students learn how to generate equivalent fractions within the context of wind turbine energy.
Inquire: Students consider how creating equivalent fractions can help them determine their energy needs and goals.
Investigate: Students investigate how to make equivalent fractions by watching a video, using existing teaching materials, and guided practice with whole group instruction.
Inspire: Students independently solve fraction equivalent problems with a clean energy and community theme.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Suggestions
- This lesson can be taught as a precursor to adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators.
- This lesson is designed to work in conjunction with any existing textbook series. However, links to three video instructions can be used to facilitate learning. One video is a traditional method for creating common denominators that students may already be familiar with, another is a shortcut method which might be new information.
- Homework or extension questions from a traditional text can follow this lesson.
- The first page of the Student Document can serve as guided practice while the remaining two pages can serve as a formative assessment.
- This lesson brings students’ attention to wind turbines as a source of clean energy and the variety of ways they can benefit a community.
- The Student Document does not specifically require students to reduce fractions to the simplest form but it can be adapted to do so.
- This lesson includes example scenarios. The equations are not meant to show fully accurate data but are rather designed to help students practice a skill within the context of climate change and wind energy. To explore accurate scientific data, visit Our World in Data.
Prerequisites
- This is lesson 1 of 3 in our 5th grade Wind Energy and Fractions Unit.
- More information about pacing can be found in the unit plan.
- Each lesson in this unit can stand alone.
- Students may need to review a skill from 4th grade where students find a multiple to change a fraction into an equivalent fraction.
- Students should understand that simple fractions represent a part of a whole.
- Students should have multiplication fact fluency and mastery of adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators.
- Students should understand that renewable energy, like the energy produced from a wind turbine, is a solution to climate change.
Differentiation
- The final page in the Student Document contains number-only problems (non-word problems) for student accessibility.
- This lesson includes the following models for equivalent fractions:
- Visual fraction model: Equivalent Fractions How to Guide
- Traditional method: What are Equivalent Fractions for Kids- 4th grade Math
- Advanced: Equivalent Fractions
- Early finishers can conduct further research on wind turbines, their size, the amount of energy they produce, and other related questions of interest.
- Teachers can adapt the town names to better reflect their community and students.
From the scientist review
In this lesson, students learn about equivalent fractions and utilize them to calculate the total shared energy derived from wind power for household and community consumption. After reviewing the lesson, it passed our credibility assessments in science.
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About the teacher writers
Pamela Fellner
Pamela has been teaching 5th and 6th grade Science and Math for twelve years in Warren County, NJ. She enjoys spending quality time with her family, whether exploring nature trails or engaging in DIY science experiments at home, and is passionate about rehabilitating orphaned squirrel babies.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools
Sustainable Jersey is a network and movement of municipalities, schools and school districts working collectively to bring about a sustainable New Jersey. Acting with state agencies, non-profit organizations, foundations, academia and industry, Sustainable Jersey researches best practices for what communities could and should do to contribute to a sustainable future.
