Support your students in connecting visual models with written notation through Fractions Colour & Write: Gumball Machines. This resource gives learners the chance to colour, match, and record fractions of collections in a fun and interactive way. By using bright gumball machines as the focus, students practise essential fraction skills while enjoying a playful theme.

Each worksheet challenges students to colour collections to represent a given fraction, write fractions that match a pre coloured set, and combine both skills to demonstrate understanding. With tasks that also extend into equivalent fractions, learners can deepen their reasoning and show flexible thinking about part whole relationships.

Fractions Colour & Write is a simple, low prep tool - just print and teach. With three differentiated worksheet levels included, it is accessible to all learners in your classroom. From beginners working with halves and quarters to confident learners exploring equivalence, every student can find success and be challenged appropriately.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Recognise and represent fractions of collections using visual gumball models
• ✅ Write fractions to describe coloured sets
• ✅ Colour collections to match a given fraction
• ✅ Identify and record equivalent fractions for extension
• ✅ Strengthen fraction fluency by linking pictures and notation

What’s Included:

• Three levelled worksheets with gumball machine visuals
• Activities requiring colouring, matching, and writing fractions
• Opportunities for extension into equivalent fractions
• Clear, student friendly layouts suitable for independent work

Materials Needed:

• Printed worksheets on paper or cardstock
• Coloured pencils, crayons, or markers
• Pencils or pens for writing fractions
• Optional laminator and whiteboard markers for reusable practice

How to Use:

1. Introduce fractions of collections by modelling with concrete items or images.
2. Demonstrate how to colour part of the gumball machine and write the matching fraction.
3. Students complete tasks by colouring, writing, and matching fractions as directed.
4. Encourage learners to discuss their answers with peers and justify their reasoning.
5. Provide an extension by asking students to identify or create equivalent fractions based on their gumball sets.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use in maths rotations as an independent activity
• 💡 Provide as a consolidation task following a lesson on fractions of collections
• 💡 Add to your fast finisher folder for meaningful revision
• 💡 Pair with manipulatives such as counters to support visual learners
• 💡 Display completed worksheets as part of a colourful fractions wall

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Differentiate by assigning worksheets at the right level for each learner
• 💛 Print on card and laminate for repeated practice with dry erase markers
• 💛 Encourage students to verbalise their reasoning using sentence stems like I coloured 3 of 8, so that is 3 eighths
• 💛 Provide extension prompts for students to write equivalent fractions or create their own
• 💛 Store worksheets and exemplars in a labelled folder to support self checking

Fractions Colour & Write: Gumball Machines is a fun, flexible way to build fraction knowledge. With its playful theme, low prep format, and differentiated levels, it helps every learner connect visual representations with written notation while enjoying the colourful gumball challenge.