About Fractions Lab

Helping students develop their conceptual knowledge of fractions

Fractions Lab has been designed to support students to develop their conceptual knowledge of fractions, specifically equivalence, addition and subtraction. Fractions Lab can be used in a range of ways by students and teachers including: a whole class teaching aid, as a resource for small groups, a tool to collaborative learning, individual tasks at a computer or tablet, and as set homework. Fractions Lab builds on multiple representations of fractions: fractions of sets, fractions on a number line, fractions of area (rectangles) and fractions of liquid measures (jug). It is possible to make your own proper and improper fractions, change their colour and highlight them. You can compare fractions, make equivalent fractions, add and subtract fractions.

What teachers and students have said

  • "I'd never thought about splitting a rectangle up like that, you know, partitioning it so that you can see equivalent fractions so clearly. I've never made the connection myself before." (Constance, Year 4 teacher)

  • "I like the measures, I don't think I've used liquid measures with children before. It is a different way of exploring fractions with them." (Grant, Year 5 teacher)

  • "Using the number line made me think about how little I do that with kids so it has made me think more about that as a representation and also the capacity representation which I think really gives them a clear idea." (Fran, Year 4 teacher)

  • "The notion of children exploring fractions themselves was interesting to challenging my pedagogy." (Helen, Year 3 teacher)

  • "Fractions Lab challenged the way I teach fractions because of its ability to break up [the representations] into different equal parts, demonstrate adding etc. I usually do lots of drawing but this shows it more clearly." (Lee, Year 6 teacher)

  • "It is ideal for starters, guided groups or independent activity." (Kay, Year 5 teacher)

  • "I don't know of another resource that would show equivalent fractions in the same way as Fractions Lab." (James, Year 3 teacher)

    • Who is involved

    Fractions Lab and the sample tasks were designed by mathematics education and technology-enhanced learning specialists at the London Knowledge Lab, UCL Institute of Education, London, UK working with students and teachers from across the UK. Fractions Lab was developed by TESTALUNA s.r.l., an Italian company that specializes in Game-Based Education and Training. Fractions Lab was only possible through funding received from the European Union in the 7th Framework Programme for the iTalk2Learn project (318051). The project developed an online intelligent learning platform of which Fractions Lab is one component. This Fractions Lab website was co-developed by the London Knowledge Lab, TESTALUNA s.r.l. and one of the iTalk2learn project partners, Whizz Education, who deliver personalised tutoring and learning to children worldwide.

    How can I contact you?

    We would love to hear about how you are using Fractions Lab in your classroom! Email us at [email protected]. Feel free to tweet @italk2learn with the hashtag #FractionsLab or email us if you have any questions or if you would like to know more about Fractions Lab too. If you'd like to know more about the wider iTalk2Learn project you can visit the project website at www.italk2learn.eu .