Fractions

I love fractions! It is one of the areas that our math curriculum - Investigations - does not really cover. So we use a bunch of resources to put together to help the beef up the sad enVision lessons. Here are some of the ideas I use. Hopefully you can find something fun to add to your fraction lessons. Also, please share if you have something that really works for you.

Fraction Lesson Plans

Start off your fraction lessons with asking students to choose how much of a cookie they want. Casually make a t-chart with ¼ and ½ on the chalkboard and have kids put sticky notes with their names to vote. Use the projector to cut a cookie and go over what the different parts of fractions mean…then watch their faces as they realize what a terrible choice they made! Then have pity on your students and let them re-vote.

 

I also have some shapes cut up into pieces and pass them out. Then we put them together and talk about if they are fractions or not – they have to be equal pieces to be a fraction. Notice the purple paper has 3 parts and 2 are the same and 1 is not. I also have 2 hearts – one is broken into 2 equal pieces and the other is not. Make sure you have examples and non-examples for this activity. It really helps drive the discussion.

 

 

 

 

One of our warm up activities during our fractions unit is a picture match up. I take current class pictures and cut them up into equal parts. Then I play music and wait for them to find all of their pieces to make a picture. I write the fractions on the back each piece but don’t say anything about it. Once we have all found our groups I have them turn over the pieces and ask what they notice. They are all SO surprise that they have the same thing as their partners. And that all the groups that had 4 pieces have the same thing written. Again – this type of intention before the lesson helps drive the discussion during the lesson. This activity is always a favorite because it uses pictures and kids do love pictures of themselves and their friends.

 

 

M&M Fractions - Parts of a Set

 

I'm not going to lie...another reason I love fractions is I know summer is right around the corner when we get to this unit.

Hallway Flashcards

With pressure to not waste a single moment in the day I tried to find a way to buy back some time in my day. We take a couple of whole class bathroom breaks a day. To help my students use that time more efficiently I put some sight word flash cards and math fact cards on rings. This is completely optional for them to use, but I’ve only seen 3 students choose not to use them since I started it. I guess it’s all in how you sell the idea. I told them I didn’t want to waste their brains and that they could do some bonus learning in the halls. It’s amazing how the word ‘bonus’ makes kids want to do something.  

 

 

Most of my students know their sight words so I tell them the halls are the perfect time to learn how to spell them. It took some training on how to read the word, close your eyes and try to spell the word, then open them and check. But after a few days you can see them using the strategy. If you use the Scholastic Systematic Sight Words curriculum then the flash cards are in the back. But you could print off cards for any sight word system you use.


Our school is also pushing that the students memorize math facts. Although I highly disagree with this age group memorizing facts I do try to follow directions. Our math program (Investigations) focuses on patterns in numbers – especially the number 7 and 10. After we have covered those units I create 7 and 10 facts specific flashcards. So that way they are memorizing facts…but with the help of patterns in addition and subtraction.

Flashcards - 10 Facts

 

Flashcards - 7 Facts

I also created a few extra math flash cards throughout the year to spice up our choices. Some of the ones I’ve used are place value – rods and units with the answer written on the back. I also have coin flashcards. Sometimes I throw in some science flashcards or sight word phrase cards. If you have a PowerPoint of anything you can print off the 6 slides per page, laminate, cut out, and ring. Just make sure you write the answers on the back so they are self-checking.

 Flashcards - Place Value 10s and 1s

 

Flashcards - Coins

All of these flashcards go in little bucket that I take with us to the bathrooms. As the students finish in the bathrooms they can get a set of flashcards and sit in the finished line.  This also gives them incentive to not stay in the bathrooms so long - they LOVE these flashcards and can't wait to use them.