Converting Fractions to Decimals

Fifth Grade Math, ESL

Encourage students to explain the relationship between decimals and fractions to help them with future
computations. Use this lesson on its own or as support to the lesson Area with Decimals and Fractions.

Objectives

Objectives

Academic

Students will be able to convert between decimals and fractions and explain their process.

Language

Students will be able to explain how to convert decimals to fractions using models and peer conversations.

Materials and preparation Vocabulary

Teacher copies of Large Blank Models for TIER 2

Fractions & Decimals
Class set of Blank Models for Fractions & strip: represents one tenth (1/10 or 0.10)
Decimals
Class set of copy paper tiny: a small square that represents one hundredth
Highlight 6–10 hundredths models and write (1/100 or 0.01)
their fraction and decimal equivalent on the
back equivalent: equal in value
Vocabulary Cards
TIER 3
Glossary
Teacher copy of Teach Background Knowledge decimal fraction: fraction where the denominator
Template (the bottom number) is a power of ten (such as 10,
Teacher copy of Write Student-Facing Language 100, 1000, etc.)
Objectives Reference
decimal model: visuals used to show the value of a
fraction or decimal

greater than: bigger than, or >

less than: smaller than, or <

hundredth: 1 out of 100, or 0.01

tenth: 1 out of 10, or 0.1

Attachments

Large Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals (PDF)

Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals (PDF)
Vocabulary Cards: Converting Fractions to Decimals (PDF)
Glossary: Converting Fractions to Decimals (PDF)

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 Teach Background Knowledge Template (PDF)
Write Student-Facing Language Objectives Reference (PDF)

Math language routine

Show and display, clearer stronger

Introduction (5 minutes)

Present students with a thought-provoking question that focuses on fractions and conversions to
decimals. For instance, write the decimal fraction 85⁄100 on the board and ask students to do the following
on a sheet of copy paper:
1. Say the number aloud and write its written form.
2. Write the decimal equivalent.
3. Determine if the number is greater than or less than ¾.
Ask students to complete the questions on their own and then exchange papers with their partners to
read their ideas. Then, allow partners to talk about ideas they have in common.
Gather information about their background knowledge by listening to their discussion and their
vocabulary use.
Provide a visual of 85⁄100 on a hundredths model if students are struggling to complete the questions. Take
note of students who will need extra help with fraction conversions so you can give them extra help
throughout the lesson, or place them in a teacher-led small group during the Guided and Group Work
sections.
Tell students today they will explain how to convert from a fraction to a decimal using hundredth models.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)

Explain to students that the fraction 85⁄100 is a decimal fraction so it is easier than some fractions to
convert into a decimal. Show them that 85⁄100 converts to 0.85 and explain that they are equivalent
because they have the same value. (Note: reinforce the place value for tenth and hundredths using a
decimal place value chart if necessary.)
Review the vocabulary terms tenths and hundredths as necessary based on what you observed in the
Introduction section.
Use the hundredths model in the Large Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals worksheet to show the
value of 85⁄100 on the model by highlighting 85 hundredths, or 85 small boxes. (Tip: alternate the shaded
color for every tenths so students can count them easily.)
Highlight another hundredth model but this time with ¾ of the hundredths chart covered (i.e., 75
hundredths). Ask students to decide if 85⁄100 is greater than or less than ¾. Define the terms if
necessary and provide a relatable example for each term.
Have students share their ideas in partners before choosing volunteers to share their ideas with the class.
Write another number that is not a decimal fraction, such as 1 ⅘. Explain that one hundredths model is
one whole, so you need to fill in the whole model to represent the digit in the ones place. Then, show
students how to divide another hundredths model into 5 parts and then highlight 4 of the 5 parts.
Distribute a copy of the hundredths model in the Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals worksheet and
have students copy your teacher marking from your model onto their own paper. Have students say the
number shaded as a decimal (i.e., 1.80, or one and eighty hundredths) and as a fraction (1 80⁄100).

Guided Practice (6 minutes)

Distribute whiteboards and conduct an activity where you display one of the highlighted hundredths
models you prepared for the lesson and have students write the fraction and decimal for the model on
their whiteboard.
Ask students to share their whiteboards with their partners before holding it up for you to see. After
having students write a few numbers that correspond with different hundredth models, ask students to
hold up their whiteboards without consulting their partner for the last few questions.
Ask a student to model explaining their answer for a conversion of their choice. Write down some of their
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 language, or rephrase their answers to include some of the following sentences frames:
"I shaded in ____ hundredths, or ____ tens and ____hundredths."
"The equivalent decimal for ____ is ____."
"I know ____ is equivalent because..."

Group work time (9 minutes)

Ask students to work in pairs to find the decimal equivalent of the fraction 2 ¼ (i.e., 2.25) by first shading
their hundredths models on the Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals worksheet and then writing the
decimal. Have partners explain to each other how they got their answer once they have completed the
assignment.
Review the answers aloud by choosing volunteer partnerships to share their ideas and their shaded
models.
Write the language students should use in their explanations and continue to add exemplary language
examples students use to the list during their whole group explanations:
"I shaded in ____ hundredths, or ____ tens and ____hundredths."
"The equivalent decimal for ____ is ____."
"I ____ is equivalent because..."

Additional EL adaptations

Beginning

Allow students to use their home language (L1) or their new language (L2) in all discussions. Provide
bilingual reference materials to assist in their vocabulary word acquisition.
Encourage them to use the vocabulary cards and terms in their conversations and writing. Allow them to
draw pictures to support their understanding of the terms.

Advanced

Pair students with mixed ability groups so they can offer explanations and provide feedback to beginning
ELs when appropriate.
Challenge students to explain to the class why they cannot use a tenths model to accurately shade 0.65.
Ask beginning ELs to restate their ideas and try to add to them.

Assessment (5 minutes)

Reference the Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals worksheet and ask students to shade in the right
amount to represent a number you say (e.g., for 2.40, say two and forty-hundredths). Distribute an
additional copy to students if necessary.
Then, ask students to write a decimal and fraction for the number they hear.
Ask partners to share their answers using the language you modeled and used throughout the lesson.
Make sure the language frames are written on the board for student reference.

Review and closing (5 minutes)

Ask students to complete the same assignment they did in the Introduction section but this time using a
different decimal fraction, such as 45⁄100.
Have students use the back of their copy paper from the Introduction section to do the following actions:
1. Say the number aloud and write its written form.
2. Write the decimal equivalent.
3. Determine if the number is greater than or less than ¾.
Discuss answers as a class and correct misconceptions as necessary.

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Name Date

Large Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals

Tenths

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Name Date

Large Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals

Hundredths

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Name Date

Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals

Tenths

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Name Date

Blank Models for Fractions & Decimals

Hundredths

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Vocabulary Cards
EL Support Lesson Plan: Converting Fractions to Decimals

decimal fraction decimal model

fraction where the

visuals used to show
denominator (the bottom
the value of a
number) is a power of ten
fraction or decimal
(such as 10, 100, 1000, etc.)

strip tiny

a small square that

represents one tenth represents one hundredth
(1/10 or 0.10) (1/100 or 0.01)

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Vocabulary Cards
EL Support Lesson Plan: Converting Fractions to Decimals

greater than less than

bigger than, or > smaller than, or <

equivalent hundredth

equal in value 1 out of 100, or 0.01

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Vocabulary Cards
EL Support Lesson Plan: Converting Fractions to Decimals

tenth

1 out of 10, or 0.1

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 Glossary for EL Support Lesson PLAN:
Converting Fractions to Decimals

Word Definition Visual

fraction where the

denominator (the bottom
decimal fraction number) is a power of ten
(such as 10, 100, 1000, etc.)

visuals used to show the

decimal model value of a fraction
or decimal

represents one tenth

strip (1/10 or 0.10)

a small square that

tiny represents one hundredth
(1/100 or 0.01)

greater than bigger than, or >

less than smaller than, or <

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 Glossary for EL Support Lesson PLAN:
Converting Fractions to Decimals

Word Definition Visual

equivalent equal in value

hundredth 1 out of 100, or 0.01

tenth 1 out of 10, or 0.1

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 Teach Background Knowledge
Lesson Topic:
Choose a topic from the main content
lesson that will help ELs understand the
main content lesson. Your non-ELs will
already have knowledge about this topic.

Total Lesson Time:

(20 - 30 minutes)

Student-Facing Language
Objective:
Example: I can learn new vocabulary
using pictures and sentence frames.

Student ELP Level(s):

Consider each student’s ELP level and
their academic strengths when choosing
scaffolds for the lesson.

Groupings (pairs, small-groups, a teacher-led group)

Potential Scaffolds: Word banks, word wall, and bilingual glossaries
Choose some of these material supports
Sentence frames, sentence stems, and paragraph frames
and instructional scaffolds based on each
EL’s individual strengths and needs. Home language materials
Reduced linguistic load, repetition, rephrasing and modeling
Practice new academic skills with familiar topics

Materials & Resources List

List the materials you’ll use in the lesson.

Key Vocabulary Words (5-8 words)

List the words with student-friendly
definitions in English. Provide
definitions in student’s home language
when appropriate.

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Introduction
Access EL’s prior knowledge about the
lesson topic with a brief comprehension
check.

Potential activities:
Creating captions for images
Opinionnaires
Carousel brainstorming
Conversations with sentence starters
Time estimate for Introduction
(3 - 5 minutes)

Explicit Instruction of
Background Knowledge
Model a learning activity that embeds
the teaching of academic language and
background knowledge.

Potential activities:
Lunch brunch discussion
Teacher-created, adjusted text and
questions
Brief videos or visuals
Text-based instruction
Home-language connections
Pre-teach a small number of
vocabulary words
Show real-world objects
Complete word family or bilingual
glossaries
Word walls or word bank creation

Time Estimate for Explicit Instruction

(4 - 6 minutes)

Guided Practice
Provide an opportunity for students (in
pairs or small groups) to practice the skill
or information taught during Explicit
Instruction, offering appropriate
scaffolds as needed.

Time Estimate for Guided Practice

(5 - 7 minutes)
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 Formative Assessment
Ask students to show comprehension of
new background knowledge and
associated skills through an oral or
written task. Provide appropriate
scaffolds dependent on their ELP level.

Potential assessments:
Act out concepts
Hands on tasks
Drawings, models, or graphs
Graphic organizer completion
Captions of images
Reading response or content
area logs
Retellings
Role plays
Audio or video recordings
Oral interviews

Time estimate for Assessment

(5 - 7 minutes)

Review and Closing

Refer to the student objective and relate
information to future lessons. Allow
students to share thoughts about
whether they reached their objective
and/or mention lingering questions.
Provide sentence stems or frames for their
discussion.

Time estimate for Review and Closing

(3 - 5 minutes)

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 Write Student-Facing Language Objectives
A student-facing language objective: A teacher-facing language objective:
begins with “I can...” begins with “Students will be able to...”
is designed to raise students' self-awareness of and is designed to raise students' self-awareness of and
promote their language development. promote their language development.
incorporates a language function, grammar structure, and incorporates a language function, grammar structure, and
supports or scaffolds. supports or scaffolds.
is easy to understand for students at all levels of is intended to guide the teacher’s lesson planning
English proficiency. and instruction.

Steps to convert a teacher-facing objective to a student-facing objective:

1. Replace “Students will be able to” with “I can.”
2. Simplify challenging words but maintain key vocabulary words you’ll address in the lesson.

Students will be able to describe a character with adjectives using graphic organizers.
Language Grammar Support/
Function Structure Scaffold

I can talk about a character with adjectives using graphic organizers.

Language Grammar Support/
Function Structure Scaffold

Language Functions Grammar Structures Supports/Scaffolds

locate create identify nouns adverbs graphic organizers sentence starters

show describe infer modals academic vocabulary teacher modeling strategic grouping
sort ask questions interpret verb forms adjectives word banks/walls home language supports
tell brainstorm collect conjunctions phrases
contrast classify compare sentence structure prepositions
pronouns complex sentences
comparatives
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games,
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lessons
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