If fractions are taught correctly, they are fun and easy to learn. Most texts move children too quickly into adding with unlike denominators. I found that when I used fraction circles (manipulatives) and spent plenty of time on adding and subtracting with like denominators, children moved easily to unlike denominators, because they understood how fractions work. Fraction kits for each child or pair of children are essential. They are available commercially or you can make your own.

I started to write a whole book on this years ago, but did not finish it. Nevertheless, I've had numerous requests for what I did complete. One of the holdups has been that I've not found a font that works well for creating the worksheets, so they are done by hand. If any of you know of a font I could use, please let me know! In the meantime, you can use these to get started. Note that the worksheets are in PDF, so make sure you have Acrobat Reader installed. (Go to HELP for help.)

I don't have lessons and worksheets for every concept, but once you're off to a good start, you can use commercially available materials. You can present more than one concept a day if students can handle it. The first lessons are the most important, which is why I wrote scripted lessons for them. You may learn some teaching techniques by seeing how I scripted the lessons, too!

Spend plenty of time on the basic concepts, and the rest will fall quickly into place. Although my students were "behind" other classes initially, they finished the unit first and remembered what they learned.

Sequence of Objectives for Adding and Subtracting Fractions

1. Introduction and Diagnostic Pretest: Lesson | Worksheet
2. Concept of Fractions: Lesson | Worksheet
3. Identifying fractions: Lesson | Worksheet
4. Shading in fractions: Lesson | Worksheet
5. Fractions of shapes other than circles: Lesson | Worksheet
6. Parts to wholes: Lesson | Worksheet
7. Comparing fractions: Lesson | Worksheet
8. Quiz on basic concepts of fractions
      
9. Reducing (simplifying answer to lowest terms): Worksheet 1 Worksheet 2
10. Factors
11. Common factors, greatest common factor
12. Quiz on concepts of fractions and reducing
       
13. Adding like fractions with no reducing: Worksheet
14. Adding like fractions with reducing: Worksheet
15. Adding like fractions and identifying answers which need reducing: Worksheet | Extra addition worksheets
16. Subtracting like fractions with reducing
17. Quiz on adding and subtracting like fractions with and without reducing
       
18. Concept of a mixed number, identifying mixed numbers
19. Reducing mixed numbers
20. Adding mixed numbers with like fractions and reducing.
21. Quiz on adding and subtracting mixed numbers with and without reducing
       
22. Concept of improper fraction, identifying improper fractions
23. Reducing improper fractions Worksheet
24. Reducing improper fractions in mixed numbers
25. Adding like fractions with reducing improper fractions Worksheet
26. Adding mixed numbers with like fractions and reducing/regrouping
27. Quiz on adding like fractions with mixed numbers and improper fractions, regrouping
28. Test on all concepts and skills so far
       
29. Concept of equivalent fractions
30. Concept of multiples, generate chart of multiples
31. Common multiples, least common multiple
32. Equivalent fractions using least common multiple
33. Quiz on equivalent fractions
      
34. Adding unlike fractions when one denominator is the least common multiple; no reducing
35. Adding unlike fractions when one denominator is the least common multiple; include reducing of proper fractions
36. Adding unlike fractions when one denominator is the least common multiple; include reducing of improper fractions
37. Adding unlike fractions in mixed numbers when one denominator is the least common multiple; include reducing of improper fractions and regrouping
38. Subtracting unlike fractions when one denominator is the least common multiple; reducing of all kinds
39. Adding unlike fractions when neither denominator is the least common multiple; reducing of all kinds
40. Subtracting unlike fractions when neither denominator is the least common multiple; reducing of all kinds
41. Quiz on adding and subtracting unlike fractions with reducing of all kinds
       
42. Adding unlike mixed numbers; no reducing
43. Adding unlike mixed numbers; reducing of proper fractions
44. Adding unlike mixed numbers with and without regrouping
45. Quiz on adding unlike mixed numbers with and without carrying
       
46. Subtracting parts from wholes
47. Subtracting like mixed numbers with regrouping
48. Subtracting unlike mixed numbers with regrouping
49. Quiz on subtracting parts from wholes and mixed numbers with borrowing
      
50. Review, mixing like and unlike denominators, reducing of all kinds, mixed numbers with and without regrouping
51. Final test on adding and subtracting fractions