Eating Fractions

Summary

Students will develop an understanding of partitioning and fractions by sharing paper candy bars and cookies with friends.

Materials

Materials

• paper and pencils
• paper cutouts of different size rectangles and circles
• paper copies of candy bars and cookies
• fraction maniuplatives (ie: fraction bars or fraction circles
• rulers, crayons or colored pencils, glue

Background for Teachers

Background Knowledge:

• understanding of partitioning
• procedure for using manipulatives
• understanding that equal shares of an identical whole are not necessarily the same shape
• understand fractional parts, three one-third pieces equal one whole

Student Prior Knowledge

Prior Knowledge:

• recognize halves, thirds and fourths
• understand equal shares
• understand that shapes can be divided into equal shares
• describe the whole as two, three, or four shares
• can draw circle/rectangles to show equal shares

Intended Learning Outcomes

ILO:

• students will understand vocabulary of equal parts and partitioning
• students will understand that two halves equal one whole, etc.
• students will understand that equal shares of identical wholes are not necessarily the same shape
• students will persevere in problem solving MP1
• Students will reason abstractly and quantitatively MP 2
• Students will look for and make use of structure MP7

Instructional Procedures

Using paper cutouts of different sized rectangles and circles, students will solve a task by sharing these candy bars and cookies with friends.

Strategies for Diverse Learners

Strategies:

• use of manipulatives (ie: fraction bars or circles) to solve problem

Extensions

Extensions:

• challenge students to look for other ways to partition the shape
• next day complete yes/no graph