INTRODUCTION TO FRACTIONS

Activity Description:This lesson will introduce elementary students to fractions in a variety of ways.A complete unit with videos can be found on Weebly.com (http://introductionfractions.weebly.com/)

Objectives:Students will be able to:1. Identify the numerator and denominator in a fraction.2. Identify fractions by numerical value.3. Identify fractions by picture.

Learning Principles: Achievement Principle – For learners of all levels of skill there are intrinsic rewards from the beginning, customized to each learner’s level, effort, and growing mastery and signaling the learner’s ongoing achievements.Practice Principle – Learners get lots and lots of practice in a context where the practice is not boring

Suggested Grade:Second Grade

Materials:1) 2 paper plates per student a. Before the lesson, the teacher should split the plates into quarters by drawing lines on the plates to show the quarters.2) Scissors (1 pair for each student)3) Markers (1 for each student)4) Books-

Jump Kangaroo Jump By: Stuart J. MurphyThe Doorbell Rang by Pat HutchinsFraction Action by David A. AdlerThe Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar Fractions Book by Jerry PallottaApple Fractions by Jerry Pallotta (a healthy alternative to books about candy)Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan

5) Pre-made worksheet on fractions

a. http://www.education.com/worksheets/second-grade/fractions/

6) Class “fraction pie” and “class paper cookies”a. Poster Board, construction paper b. Fraction Visualshttp://www.mathaids.com/cgi/pdf_viewer_3.cgi?script_name=fractions_lesson_plan.pl&shape=2&language=0&x=141&y=23

7) Computer for each student/ access to the interneta. http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/fractions/fractionSet.htmb. http://www.brainpop.com/games/refractionc. http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-2

8) Smart Board/Document Camera

9) M&M’s and crayons or colored pencils

Basic Fraction Concepts Defined

Fraction- One part of a 'thingamajig' (a pie, apple, circle, etc.). You write a fraction as two stacked numbers with a line separating them.Denominator- The bottom number, which tells you how many equal parts the 'thingamajig' is divided into.Numerator-The top number, which tells you how many of those thingamajig parts you're talking about.Comparing fractions-If you have two fractions with the same denominator, the one with the biggest numerator is the biggest fraction.

Day 1

Before beginning the lesson, have students take a pre-test on fractions. Begin the lesson by discussing different foods that you often divide up. Some foods include pie, pizza, graham crackers and Hershey chocolate bars. Read book about fractions and discuss.Then introduce vocabulary to students and complete the following together.Fractions

Have you ever eaten a part of something and not been able to finish it completely? Some foods like pie and pizza are already broken into parts which you can eat.Other foods, you may eat until you are full and have something left over. If you have ever wondered how much food was left, then you’ve probably measured the amount in fractions.A fraction is a math term which means that something is broken into parts of a whole.A pie is a circle that is broken into pieces so it can be shared. Any shape or object can be broken into fractions!A fraction is made up of two main parts which are separated by a line. The top part (the number on top) is called the numerator. The bottom part (the number on the bottom) is called the denominator.In this fraction: 4/5Four is the numerator and five is the denominator.The most common fraction is a whole. If you have a whole pie then no pieces have been eaten.

Let’s say you have a pie which is cut into 6 pieces. No one has eaten any of the pie yet so there is: 6 out of 6 pieces of pie left.In fraction form this is: 6/6Any number that is the same on the top and on the bottom is called: One Whole. One Whole

Pretend the picture above is a rectangular pizza cut into six pieces. The area that is shaded is what has not been eaten. Since everything is shaded in, then the whole pizza has not been eaten. If you were to tell how many pieces of pizza are left you would say 6 out of 6 pieces or one whole.

Fractions can be broken up into other amounts as well. For example, you have a small pie which you cut into three pieces.

Two Thirds

One person ate a piece of pie leaving 2 pieces of pie left. To write this in fraction form you’d first choose the amount of pieces that were not eaten. This number will be the numerator.Since 2 pieces have not been eaten the numerator is 2. The bottom number is the total number of pieces you had to begin with. So since the pie was cut into 3 pieces the denominator is 3.The fraction form: 2/3

Of course, the fraction of pie that was eaten would be what is not shaded. Since 1 piece has been eaten the fraction for the amount of pie that has been eaten is: 1/3 Another way to show the fraction is:

One Third

Here are other common fractions

One Fourth Shaded. 1/4 Three Fourths Not Shaded 3/4

One Half Shaded & Not Shaded

It is easy to write fractions in number form. The first number is the numerator and the second number is in the denominator.

One Fifth = 1/5Two Eighths = 2/8Seven tenths = 7/10

Watch the farm video on fractions and complete the farm worksheet together.

Day 2

1. Review from the day before including vocabulary. Post and review some visuals.

Watch the video on fractions

2. Tell students that today we are going to read another book. Read “The Door Bell Rang” to the class and discuss.

3. Then send students back to their seats in groups with some paper cookies. Have the same amount of cookies as in the book. Encourage students to use the cookies to divide them up while you re-read the book.

4. Give the students a worksheet to complete and then give them time on IXL.

http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-2

Day 3

1) Review fractions from the days before

2) Watch the video on fractions

3) Discuss how you might use fractions in real life.

4) Give students each a paper plate and let them draw on it with a marker dividing it into

parts. Use manipulatives to really let students figure out what a fraction is and how

fractions work. Do problems on the SMART Board while students complete at their

desks.

5) Give students a worksheet to complete

a. http://www.education.com/worksheets/second-grade/fractions/

6) Give students a chance to play IXL or refraction on the computer.

a. http://www.brainpop.com/games/refraction

b. http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-2

Day 4

1. Watch the movie on fractions.

2. Review all previous lesson ideas and vocabulary.

3. Read the book Apple Fractions and discuss.

4. Then read The Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar Fractions and discuss

5. Use a real chocolate bar to demonstrate

6. Then have students work in pairs to complete a worksheet together.

7. Use any remaining time to let students work on using IXL Math, Refractions and other math games to reinforce skills.

Day 5

1. Watch the video on fractions

2. Review fractions from the days before

3. Read the rest of the books about fractions and discuss

a. Jump Kangaroo Jump By: Stuart J. Murphy

b. Fraction Action by David A. Adler

c. Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan

4. Explain to students that they are going to finish up fractions by using m&m’s

5. Have students estimate, count, sort and write fractions and likeness for m&m’s and

discuss.

See cover below. Go to website for complete packet.

6. If there is any extra time, let students practice fraction games online

a. http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/fractions/fractionSet.htm

b. http://www.brainpop.com/games/refraction

c. http://www.ixl.com/math/grade-2

Assessment

The teacher will wrap up the unit by giving students the pre-test worksheet again. Then use the blank pie worksheet to add to the assessment. As a final way to make sure students are understanding fractions, have students go on to IXL and complete the fractions section. The teacher will check for how many missed questions each student has. The program calculates this information for you.