The fractions topic begins with teaching how to partition shapes into equal parts. We generally start with halves and fourth and then move to thirds, fifths, sixth and so on. At this stage, kids are also introduced to the concept of numerator and denominator. Before this, they were only working with the whole numbers, and now they are presented with rational numbers. Quite confusing for them…..hmm, not really.
Children are visual learners, they learn the best by seeing it. Teaching fraction involves drawing pictures and hand on activities. So, try to incorporate a lot of visuals to make the fraction concept more thorough.
Pizza is the most commonly used manipulative to explain the idea of fractions. Students can easily correlate the part of a whole concept with a pizza and its slice. This serves as a real-life example to develop mental images of fraction model as a part of a circle.
My favorite read aloud book on this topic is
Gator Pie by Louise Mathews. Kids enjoy making predictions as the story is being read.
This is a cute story about two gators, Alvin and Alice, who find a pie and decide to share it equally with each other. Just as they are about to eat it, two more gators emerge from the forest. Then they must divide the pie among four of them. Then, more and more alligators arrive, and they must share the pie among 100 gators! Finally, Alvin and Alice sneak away with the pie.
This is a classic book and may be out of print now. Check if this happens to be in your school or local library or you may get a used one here on
Amazon.
My
Fractions packet includes:
- Fractions Vocabulary Word Cards
- Equal and Unequal Parts cut and paste fraction activity
- Color the shapes with Equal and Unequal Parts
- Color the shapes with 2/3/4 Equal Parts
- Fractions: Worksheet on writing fraction
- Fractions: Halves, Thirds and Fourths
- Understanding Fractions: Halves
- Understanding Fractions: Thirds
- Understanding Fractions: Fourths
- Write the Fractions - Worksheet
- Fraction wall - cut and paste activity
- Fraction wall poster
- Spin and color the fractions activity
- 24 Fractions flash cards
You can grab this fractions resource from my store
HERE.
Happy Teaching!
This post was originally published on February 16, 2017
Shimps