Add Fractions Color by Number: Unlike Denominators & Mixed Numbers

Looking for a different way to practice adding fractions? This simple task card activity is an engaging way to practice. Grab the Add Fractions Color by Number FREE for grades 5-6!

Fraction operations. Whew! Just typing that out feels stressful! Over and over again I hear from teachers whose students struggle with fraction sense and fraction operations. While I do encourage teaching and modeling with hands on tools, pictures and real life contexts, kids also just need lots of practice and exposure. So the next time you’ve got an early finisher, need some low-prep sub plans or want some extra practice to send home, grab this free add fractions color by number activity!

Materials Needed for the Fraction Addition Color by Number:

Coloring page for each student
Fraction Addition Task Cards printed & cut (there are 12 altogether)
Colored pencils, markers or crayons

Once you’ve got the materials printed and prepped and gathered some coloring supplies, you’re all set!

How to Complete the Color by Number Activity:

This low-prep math practice is pretty straightforward. To begin, students solve the fraction and mixed number addition problems on the task cards.

If they find the correct solution, it will be on the task card with the COLOR to use for that task card. They then color the color by number page using the task card number.

For example, the solution for task card #2 is labeled GREEN. In this case, students would color all the 2’s on the color by code page GREEN.

This may be the one thing to note for students before they begin. The FRACTION ANSWERS will not be on the coloring page, only the number of each task card.

Once they have all 12 cards solved, they will be able to color in the design on the coloring page.

One final note about the coloring page: a design was chosen specifically so that students could not just guess the colors and therefore guess the answers. It is a unique design, full of color, rather than a picture of a known object. 😉

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Ways to Use the Add Fractions Color by Code:

Although you could assign this as an individual activity, you could also put students in small groups or use this as a math center.

In this case, put students in groups of 3-4. Print a coloring page for each student, but only print and cut out ONE set of task cards.

Then students will each choose 3-4 task cards to solve individually. They can then help each other if they get stuck, and check each other’s work as they go.

Once they have all completed their task cards, they swap to know how to color in the additional spaces on the coloring sheet.

Although this does not provide as much practice for each student, it does allow the activity to be completed faster, requires less printing, and allows students to work collaboratively.