Fraction Operations: 3 Creative Ways on how to make Kids Master Fractions

If integers make your students’ eyes roll, you’re not alone. Integers and their opposites, especially negative numbers, can feel abstract and confusing.

This is where students start mixing up subtraction with “opposites” or struggle to see how positive and negative numbers relate. 

The good news? With the right visuals and activities, integers don’t have to be this overwhelming. 

In fact, you can make them click for students in a way that actually sticks.

1. Start with Real-Life Examples

The fastest way to make integers feel less intimidating in grade 6 is to ground them in everyday life. A few examples that always land with my students are:

• Temperature: Show how 10° above zero and 10° below zero represent opposites.
  
• Elevation: Compare a mountain peak to a cave below sea level.
  
• Money: Talk about having $20 in your bank account versus owing $20.

The goal here is to make the concept more relatable using the example, so the students can connect faster. 

You can even ask them to share their own examples, maybe like sports scores or video game points going into the negative.

2. Use a Number Line for Integers and their Opposites

A number line is the foundation for understanding integers. You should first focus on making sure students understand integers using a number line. 

When students see numbers laid out visually, they notice the symmetry: every positive number has a negative counterpart that is at the same distance from zero.

• Highlight how +5 and -5 “mirror” each other.
  
• Reinforce the idea that zero is the center, it’s neutral ground, so its negative is also 0.
  
• Use visuals (a giant number line taped on the floor works wonders).
  

This method makes integers less of an abstract idea and more of a pattern they can see and interact with. 

3. Introduce Integer Opposites as “Math Twins”

Kids love simple, fun language. Try describing opposites as math twins:

• +3 and -3 are twinssame distance, different sides of zero.
  
• Use hand motions: one hand moves right, the other moves left.
  
• Have students physically “be the numbers” by standing on either side of a taped zero line in the classroom.
  

This builds a physical connection, visualizes the concept and gets them out of their seats (which is always a win).

4. Make it Interactive (Coloring + Games)

Here is the thing: students learn best when they do. Practicing is the key to success in math. Bring integers to life with:

• Coloring activities where each answer reveals a picture.
  
• Matching games: pair positives with their opposites.
  
• Scavenger hunts: hide cards around the room and let students find “integer pairs.”

So if you want a ready to use resource that saves you prep time, I created a set of integer activities and coloring worksheets designed exactly for this concept. 

They turn practice into a fun activity while reinforcing integer opposites in an interactive way.

5. Common Mistakes Students Make

Even after a lot of practice and explaining with strong visuals, some misconceptions pop up again and again: Here is a list of a few that I encounter again anad again:

• Mixing up subtraction with opposites: For this, clarify that “the opposite of +4 is -4,” but “subtracting 4” is a different operation.
  
• Thinking zero has an opposite: Reinforce that zero is its own buddy it has no opposite.
  
• Believing negatives are always “smaller”: Explain that while -10 is less than -2, the distance from zero tells us size in terms of opposites.
  

Take a few minutes to address these early, and you’ll prevent bigger struggles in later concepts.

6. Wrap It Up 

Teaching integers doesn’t have to be a headache for you or your students. 

By combining real-life examples, number lines, and interactive activities, you’ll help students finally see opposites in a way that sticks.

Want to save yourself even more prep time? 

Grab my Integers and Their Opposites Coloring Worksheets on TPT. You can even find interactive activities for GCF and LCM here. They’re ready-to-go, fun for students, and designed to make integers simple instead of stressful.

And if you’d like even more freebies for your math classroom, join my email list, where I share grab-and-go resources like fraction operations for busy math teachers like you.

Teaching adding and subtracting fractions isn’t easy, especially when you’re teaching upper elementary school kids.

You not only have to explain the basics but also make sure your fractions lessons are engaging enough so they pay full attention during the learning period and do not get distracted.

In this blog post, I will discuss with you some new and easy ways I have found helpful in teaching fraction operations to my kids during math class to help them engage with the problems at hand and be happily willing to practice adding and subtracting fractions.

So, let’s dive in…

1. Fun Fractions Maze Activity with Task Cards – Save the Queen

This activity includes a printable self-checking maze that you can use with your kids to have them practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division of fractions with unlike denominators.

Each fraction operations maze activity comes with 12 task cards and a self-checking FUN maze, which keeps kids inspired to learn, but you do not have to spend all day grading.

The activity is story-based, in which your kids become detectives, helping the Queen bee, who is lost in the jungle, return home. For that, your kids have to work through the problems to bring her back home.

Once the kids have completed the activity, you can use the printable reward card to reward your kid’s hard work and create a positive motivation for them to practice their math skills happily the next time!

Want to check the adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions activity bundle? Click HERE.

2. Solve the Room Fractions Activities

Are your kids bored with their daily boring math routine work and want to have some fun and excitement while learning new concepts?

Try adding Solve the Room activities to help them get moving and learn all at the same time!

Solve the Room is my kid’s favorite activity as it allows them not to be glued to their desks but to move around the room while working on the problems. The best part is that it is very easy to set up.

All you have to do is print the question cards and place them in different spots inside your classroom. Next, give students their recording sheets. Kids move around the room, looking for problems with adding and subtracting fractions. 

They solve the problems and record their answers on the recording sheets provided. You can also instruct them to use the back of the recording sheet to show their work, which is always a good idea. 

If you want to try these activities for your next class, Click here.

3. Color by Number Fractions Activities

Coloring is LOVE for all my kids – no matter their age.

Primary, lower elementary, or upper elementary, you name it!

The easiest way teachers can use it to their advantage is by making any doodle on a piece of paper along with a bunch of practice problems and giving them to solve and color.

Using color by number activities in elementary math classes can enhance engagement, reinforce concepts like perimeter and area of complex figures and volume of rectangular prism creatively, and facilitate differentiation for diverse learning levels.

These activities make working on math problems more enjoyable for students and provide valuable tools for teachers to effectively deal with the challenges of teaching elementary mathematics.

Looking to add some fun color by number activities to your next lesson? I have created these 5th grade fraction operations color by number activities that you can use to skyrocket your class math learning outcome. Want some fraction word problem worksheets? Click HERE to check them out.