Show the four fractions in a scrambled order on the IWB and take two or three hands-up guesses only — do not settle the order yet. The point is to surface that different denominators make comparison hard, which the lesson then solves. Give five seconds of quiet think-time before any hands go up.

Order from strip lengths first, name the common denominator and re-write only as a check.

First set, over sixths: 1/2, 1/3, 2/3, 5/6. Draw out that halves, thirds and sixths all fit inside sixths.

Second set, over eighths: 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8. The key one, the near-miss pair. Pause before the reveal: is 3/8 bigger than 1/4? Then show 1/4 = 2/8, so 3/8 just pips it.

Third set, over tenths: 2/5, 1/2, 3/5, 7/10. Re-write to check: 2/5 = 4/10, 1/2 = 5/10, 3/5 = 6/10, 7/10 stays. Tops now match the order the strips already showed. Don't move on until the class can say tenths aloud.

This round is for talking it through together — no marking yet.

Call a pupil to shade each strip in turn, but keep the watching class working: before each strip, ask the whole class to predict where it will land (further or shorter than the last), then turn and name a pupil to say why. After all four are shaded, ask the class to read off the order from shortest to longest and revoice a pupil's ordering aloud. Watch for the 1/4 vs 3/8 slip — pupils who think a longer bottom means bigger will rank them the wrong way round. Revoice: 1/4 is the same as 2/8, so 3/8 has one more eighth.

These are the practice questions — pupils check each answer.

Pupils take turns at the board and the class confirms each answer before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining. The third set, 1/3, 5/12, 1/2, 3/4, all fits over twelfths (4/12, 5/12, 6/12, 9/12), so the strips tie it together and the order reads off cleanly — draw out that twelfths is the shared home for thirds, twelfths, halves and quarters.