Fractions

Summary

Students will investigate fractions by creating fraction strips.

Materials

• Scissors
• Black crayon
• Ruler in inches
• Envelope or plastic Ziploc bag
• Order the Fractions, Fraction War, and Fraction Concentration game cards (pdf)
• My Book About Fractions (pdf)
• Fraction strips

Additional Resources

Books

• Eating Fractions, by Bruce McMillan; ISBN 0-590-43771-2
• Give Me Half, by Stuart J. Murphy; ISBN 0-066-446701-5
• The Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar Fractions Book, by Jerry Pallotta; ISBN 0-439-13519-2
• Cook-a-doodle-doo!, by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel; ISBN 0-15-201924-3

Background for Teachers

With students, make fraction strips (1-1/2 inch) from 9" x 12" construction paper in red (whole), orange (half), yellow (thirds), green (fourths), blue (sixths), and purple (eighths) for each student using rulers and black crayons.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a positive learning attitude toward mathematics.
2. Become mathematical problem solvers.

Instructional Procedures

Invitation to Learn
Who can tell me what a fraction is?

A fraction is a part of a whole.

Today we are going to do some investigating with fractions. But before we do, we need to make our own fraction strips.

Instructional Procedures

1. Pass out the 1-1/2" x 12" strip of red construction paper. Have the students write 1 whole on the strip with a black crayon.
2. Pass out the 1-1/2" x 12" strips of orange construction paper. Measure or fold in half. (Half of 12 inches is what?" Six inches.) With a black crayon write 1/2 on each of the two strips. Cut strip in half.
3. Pass out the 1-1/2" x 12" strips of yellow. Divide 12 inches into thirds (4") and mark the strips with a black crayon. Write 1/3 on each piece and cut strip on lines.
4. Pass out the 1-1/2" x 12" strips of green construction paper. Have the students divide into fourths (3"). Write 1/4 on each piece and cut strips on the lines.
5. Pass out the 1-1/2" x 12" strips of blue construction paper. Divide into sixths (2"). Write 1/6 on each piece and cut the strip on the lines.
6. Pass out the 1-1/2" x 12" strips of purple construction paper. Divide into eighths (1-1/2"). Write 1/8 on each piece and cut on the lines to make strips.
7. Students will use the strips to play Order the Fractions and Fraction War.
8. After playing the games, discuss how the students knew which fraction was larger, 1/2 or 1/3? They should discover that the larger the denominator, the smaller the piece.

Extensions

Family Connections
Cook-a-doodle-doo! by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel Parents can cook the strawberry shortcake by doubling the recipe and adding fractions.

Assessment Plan

• Have students complete My Book About Fractions to assess whether they gained conceptual understanding of fractions.
• With two dice, have the students roll fractions—red = numerator, green = denominator—and draw pictures to illustrate fraction of a set or whole.