Fraction Number Puzzles for Third Grade

Engage students with a variety of Fraction Number Puzzles that provide practice with equivalent fractions, comparing fractions, and placing fractions on a number line.  These Fraction Number Puzzles are part of my Third Grade Number Puzzles. They are a perfect tool for math stations or math centers and can be used all year long.

What are the Fraction Number Puzzles?

There are six different Fraction Number Puzzles.  Each focuses on a slightly different aspect of partitioning fractions, comparing fractions, identifying equivalent fractions, and placing fractions on a number line.

The Fraction Number puzzles are slightly different from my other Number Puzzles sets.  One key difference is that some of the puzzles do not have “one right answer”.  Although I have created the puzzles with correct answers, some of the puzzles can be matched with a variety of pieces.

For instance, the equivalent fractions and compare fractions puzzles below can be matched to create a couple of different correct puzzles.  These puzzles include a recording sheet so that you can see students’ work with the puzzles.

All of the puzzles in this resource are limited to denominators with 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8.

See below for the variety of different puzzles.  There is also a video at the end that will give you even more information and see it in action.

Partitioned Parts Fraction Number Puzzles

The first set of puzzles ask students to match a fraction number to a visual model and the word form.  I built the puzzles with an optional lower half where, when laminated, students can use a whiteboard marker to write in the fraction, the parts, and the total equal parts.

These number puzzles have a recording sheet included where students write down the fraction number, draw the model, write the fraction in word form, and then fill in the sentence frame identifying the parts.

Place a Fraction on a Number Line

The second set of puzzles have students place a fraction on a number line.  There are a variety of number line pieces with cutouts at different places on the number line to represent approximately where pieces should be placed.  The puzzle pieces have also the bumps in various places.

These puzzles have no one right answer, but it is clear that certain fractions will match with certain number lines.  For instance, the below number line matches with 7/8 and 5/6, not the whole fractions or 1/4 or 2/8.

You can see more images of these puzzles in the video.

Create a Fraction Number Line

This is by far my favorite puzzle in the set.  It matches my Third Grade Cut & Paste Math Activities Fraction Number Line.  In this set of Fraction Number Puzzles, students place the puzzle pieces on a number line.  You can provide students with the number form, the visual form, or both!

You can see this number puzzle in action in the video at the bottom of the page.

Equivalent Fractions using Visual Models

Help students determine equivalent fractions by comparing them using visual models.  This puzzle has a variety of pieces that can be matched together and includes a recording sheet.  There are both circles and rectangles for the visual models.

Here is a copy of the recording sheet.  It matches the puzzle layout.

Compare Fractions with Numbers and Visual Models

The final set of puzzles has students compare fractions using greater than and less than.  Some of these puzzles do not have one right answer, so I have included a recording sheet where students can write down their puzzle matches.

The compare fractions puzzle pieces are designed so that the visual and number form are on the same pieces.  Like the Create a Number Line pieces, you can print both version and have students interact with both when constructing the puzzles.  Or start the year with having students use the visual pieces and as they become more proficient, move onto using the fraction number pieces.  Then mix it up and have students use both!

A Video that Shows the Fraction Number Puzzles in Action

Click below to see a preview video of the fraction number puzzles.

What Other Teachers Say About the Third Grade Math Number Puzzles

How to Purchase the Fraction Number Puzzles for Third Grade

You can purchase the Third Grade Fraction Number Puzzles on my website or on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Also available is a BUNDLE of all my Third Grade Number Puzzles (link to TpT) as well as Fraction Number Puzzles for Second Grade (link to TpT).  The Second Grade Fraction Number Puzzles work on identifying fractions and matching them with a visual model.