Take three hands-up answers, not open call-outs. Give five seconds of quiet think-time first. Don't confirm or correct yet — just collect what pupils offer (some will say ½, some will leave it as 4/8). We settle it on the strips next.

Walk each example aloud, one at a time. Point to the matching lengths on the two strips so pupils SEE the value stays the same, then point to the number that divides into both before the answer lands.

• 4/8 — ask 'what number divides into both 4 and 8?' and let a pupil name 4 before you show the ÷4.
• 6/9 — pupils often try ÷2 here; draw out that 9 is not even, so 3 is the factor that works.
• 12/16 — some pupils divide by 2 to reach 6/8, which is correct but not finished. Revoice: 'still room to go smaller'.

This round is for talking it through together — pupils take turns at the board and the class agrees or corrects out loud.

Bring an individual pupil up to shade 4/8, then 2/4, then ½ and let the class watch them line up. Ask which one is in simplest form and how they know. Then have pupils build 4/6 and 10/12 in turn for the class to simplify aloud.

This round is the practice bank — pupils take turns at the board, check each answer, and the class confirms before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining.

For 6/8 and 9/12 the class will spot both land on ¾ — a nice talking point. For 24/36 push pupils toward the biggest common factor (12) rather than chipping down by 2 then 2 then 3. The last one is the catch: 7 is prime and shares no factor with 12, so 7/12 is already simplest. Press 'how do you know it won't go smaller?'

Recap the divide-top-and-bottom rule one last time and link forward: simplest form makes comparing fractions easier, which is the next lesson.