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Weekly Tribes 2015: m&m’s fraction/decimal/percent

M&m’s: A Fraction is a Decimal is a Percent
This is another fantastic Math lesson from Tribes trainer Kathy in South Lake Tahoe.

Have students work in pairs or triads. If you can have students work in groups of five, this also works.
Give each small group a bag containing exactly 100 m&m’s…(or give each student in a group of five, 20 m&m’s.)
Be sure to establish the understanding that the bag of 100 m&m’s = 1 (whole number 1)

Review agreements and establish clear expectations, or the m&m’s will disappear and the learning experience will be a real challenge!

Have students color-code m&m’s on a piece of paper.
Have each student come to board and put totals up.
Add up to 100.

Next, each group classifies the color groups as a fraction, decimal, and/or percent. For example, 9/100, 9%, .09. (This is not necessarily as easy as it seems; fractions might need to be reduced, and decimal placement may be incorrect…). Use the attached worksheet to show student work.
Numberline: Put different fractions/decimals/percents on number line. Are they the same? How do you know?
Add common fractions, decimals and percents on number line.

Students will have an enjoyable and meaningful experience and understanding that all fractions, percents, and decimals are really between zero and one (whole). Mixed fractions, which may come into question, are really whole numbers plus a fraction; the fraction is still between zero and one.

Here is a mock-up of the worksheet – I couldn’t get it to attach.

A fraction …is a decimal…is a percent

Have students make a fraction of each color; then a decimal; then a percent.

Numberline: Put different fractions/decimals/percents on number line. Are they the same? How do you know?

Add common fractions, decimals and percents on number line.

Color # Fraction Decimal Percent
(Reduce fraction)
Red ___ _____ (____) _____ _____

Blue ___ _____ (____) _____ ____

Yellow ___ _____ (____) _____ _____

Green ___ _____ (____) _____ _____

Brown ___ _____ (____) _____ _____

Orange ___ _____ (____) _____ _____

TOTAL ___ _____ (____) _____ _____

0—————/—————/—————-/—————1

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