Fruity O cereal is used in this activity to help students understand fractions better.
Additional Resources
Jump Kangaroo Jump by Stuart Murphy
This would make a good and fun assessment on students’ knowledge of creating equivalent fractions using a common denominator. The first page, Mmmm…Fruity Os is using problem solving strategies and the given clues to determine the quantity of each color of Fruity Os. Students should be familiar with strategies, like Guess and Check, Drawing a Picture, Act it Out, Use a Model, and Working Backwards. These two activities do not need to be done together or at the same time. One is for problem solving; the other is for fractions.
1. Demonstrate a positive learning attitude toward mathematics.
2. Become mathematical problem solvers.
Invitation to Learn
Do you think one color of Fruity O’s is more common than the other colors?
Everyone grab a handful of Fruity Os and write down how many of each color you
have. Can you express those numbers as fractions?
Instructional Procedures
Possible Extensions/Adaptations
Use Fruity O Fractions Part 2 (Answers: #1 8 yellow,
8 orange, 2 green, 6 red #2 3/10 red, 5 blue, 6 yellow,
10 green, 9 red #3 16 blue, 10 red, 6 orange, 2 green,
2 yellow, 4 purple). Use this activity to show multiplication of whole numbers
by a fraction (1/5 x 20 = 4).
Homework & Family Connections
Give students a baggie of 24 Fruity O’s and have them record the fraction
of each color, simplifying if possible. Write it as a riddle and share in class
the next day.
Mentioned earlier in Instructional Procedures.