I am thinking of a way to make learning fractions fun and a board game that we could play during our Family Time. I bought this from Amazon. It contains 11 pizzas.
Initially, J wasn't so keen. We played with it today during our weekly family time to see who can build the most number of pizzas, and J enjoyed it a lot. He requested to play it again twice.
It contains 3 rule cards and 52 fraction cards in 5 various presentations:
Here are the 3 rule cards:
There are 2 ways to play them: Snap or Pairs
Here is how you play "Snap":
Here is how you play "Pairs":
Additional Information:
We played this on today. At first J was not keen, then we had a lot of fun playing Pairs. J likes playing Pairs better than playing Snap. It gave us a chance to practise saying the fraction in Mandarin in a fun way. Apart from 1/2s, which was easy for J, it was a good chance for him to get more practice with matching 1/10, 1/8, etc.
Materials:
The Fraction Action Lotto board game. It consists of 4 boards for 4 players:
It has different formation of fractions from 1 whole to 1/10:
Directions:
Here is how you play:
Additional Information:
I almost did not notice, but I saw that many of the fractions game are for 6+ years old. Thus, J (7Y1M11D) is old enough to learn about fractions now, and I haven't really started into exploring fractions. We did do some simple lessons on fractions last year though.
It was raining today. We could not go and see the cherry blossom. So we decided to play the Fraction Action Lotto board game instead. Initially, he wasn't keen, but as we started, he actually had a lot of fun. We learned the fraction terminology in Mandarin, and this game is a good practice for him. I won him by completing my lotto just 1 piece ahead of him, so we were very very close, but I was the lucky one to find all my cards :-)
The next time, we will play by matching equivalent fractions :-)
1. To provide sensorial exploration of fractions as well as equivalency among fraction.
2. To introduce the concept of fractions and how fractions are named.
3. To show how to add, subtract, multiply and divide with fractions.
Materials:
1. Metal Fraction Circles (or you can also use Montessori Cut-Out Labeled Fraction Circles)
2. Labels with fractions written on each of them: 1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4... 1/10
3. Pencil and paper
4. Skittles to present people (for division)
Presentation 1: Sensorial Exploration & Naming
1. Ask your child to bring out the 1st tray of fractions.
2. Explain that a fraction is sharing a whole "cake" into equal parts with your friends.
3. Take out the whole metal circle from its base and place it in front on the tray.
4. Say, “This is one whole.”
5. Take out a 1/2 and say, “This is a 1/2, one cake cut into 2.”
6. Ask, "How many pieces do you need to make a whole cake?" The child should say 2.
7. Say, "2 pieces of 1/2 make a whole cake," and put the two 1/2 together to make one whole.
8. Take out a 1/3 metal circle and say, “This is a 1/3.”
9. Ask, "How many pieces do you need to make a whole cake?" The child should say 3.
10. Say, "3 pieces of 1/3 make a whole cake," and put the three 1/3 to make one whole.
11. Do this for 1/4, and 1/5. Have the child replace each one back into its spot.
12. Do a Three-Period Lesson for the group of 1, group of 2, group of 3, group of 4, and group of 5.
13. Mix up the metal circle parts, invite your child to place them back in their correct spot and repeat several times.
14. Proceed in the same manner to the 2nd tray, when your child is ready.
15. Repeat the activity with both trays, when your child is ready.
1. Point to a few fractions and ask your child what it is. This will serve as your check to see if the child knows the names.
2. Show him how to write fractions.
3. Point to the second circle and ask, "How many pieces there are?" He should answer 2.
4. Say, “Yes, there are two pieces, so I will write a 2.”
5. Take out a 1/2, place it on front of the tray and ask, "How many pieces are here?" He should answer 1.
6. Say, “There is one." and write a line above 2 and write 1 over it.
7. Put back the 1/2 back onto the tray.
8. Repeat for all of the remaining fractions.
9. Explain that we place the total number of pieces on the bottom and we call it the "Denominator"
10 Explain that we place the piece we have isolated and taken out over the line and we call it the "Numerator."
11. Do a Three Period Lesson for Numerator and Denominator.
12. The take out 2/3 or 7/9 or 2/5, etc and invite your child to write these fractions. Then read these with the child.
1. Ask your child to bring out the 2 trays of fractions.
2. Place the fraction labels in their corresponding places in front of the tray.
3. Ask your child to label each part of each fraction and read it as he goes about doing it.
4. Ask the child for the names of the numerator and denominator to check for understanding.
5. Play a game: you pick a slip with a fraction written on it ask your child to point to it or take a piece out of the tray.
1. Ask your child to bring out the 2 trays.
2. Write and read an addition equation with 2 fractions:
2/6 + 3/6 =
3. Show your child that we take out 1/6 metal circle twice = 2/6.
4. Place these two pieces in front of the tray.
5. Take out 1/6 metal circle pieces three times = 3/6.
6. Ask, "How many 1/6 are there?" Your child should answer 5.
7. Show your child how to write the answer as shown:
2/6 + 3/6 = 5/6
8. Read the whole equation to your child.
9. Write another addition problem and invite your child to try.
10. After a few rounds, explain that we can only add fractions with the same denominator such as:
2. Take out 4/8 pieces and place it in front of the tray.
3. Point to a 1/8 piece and say, “I am going to take away 1/8”
4. Remove 1/8 from the 4/8 to the side.
5. Ask, "How many 8th are left?" Your child should answer 3/8.
6. Ask your child to write the answer on the equation.
7. Repeat a few times. See example below
2. Say, “We are going to take 2/8 three times.”
3. Take 2/8 one time, two times and three times.
4. Place them together and ask your child to count the total number of 8ths. He should answer 6.
5. Ask your to write the answer on the equation.
6. Repeat a few times. See example below:
1/4 x 3 =
7. When he understands, he can use the equations written on the prepared cards.
Presentation 6: Division by a whole number
1. Write and read a division equation:
4/4 ÷ 2 =
2. Ask, "How many will we be dividing?" and ask your child to place two skittles or Lego men in a row below the trays.
3. Ask your child how many 4ths we need to start. (four 1/4)
4. Place all 4 of the 1/4 pieces of metal circles below the tray.
5. Tell the child that we need to share these 4 pieces evenly between our two skittles or people.
6. Ask your child to give each person evenly the 1/4 pieces of circle.
7. Explain that in division we always want to know how many 1 got.
8. Ask your child how many 1/4 pieces each person got? He should answer 2 i.e. 2/4 meaning 2 of the 1/4 pieces each.
9. invite your child to write the answer on the equation.
10. Repeat several times. See examples below:
3/8 ÷ 3 = 1/8
Presentation 7: Equivalence
1. Look with the child to see if it is possible to fill 1/3 with any other fraction. For example two 1/6 will fit for one 1/3.
2. Guide the child to this discovery, but do not tell him. This should be experienced by the child.
3. Invite your child can make his own chart of the equivalencies.
Objectives:
1. To give a sensorial feel of the concept of fractions to small children.
2. To show that a whole may be divided into parts.
Materials:
1. Fraction Skittles
2. 1 tray or mat Presentation:
1. Take out the whole fraction skittle, trace the edge of the base with 2 fingers and say, "This is one whole," and hand it to the child to feel it.
2. Take out a 1/2 skittle, trace the base and say, "This is one of 2 parts," and let your child feel it. Take out the other 1/2 and say, "This is two of 2 parts."
3. Put the two 1/2 skittles together next to the whole skittles to show that two 1/2 skittles are equivalent to a whole skittle.
4. Take out a 1/3 skittle and say, "This is one of 3 parts," and give it to your child to feel it. Take out another 1/3 and say, "This is two of 3 parts." Take out the last 1/3 skittle and say, "This is three of 3 parts."
5. Put the three 1/3 skittles together next to the whole skittle to show that three 1/3 skittles are the same as a whole skittle.
6. Take out a 1/4 skittle and say, "This is one of 4 parts." Take out another 1/4 skittle and say, "This is two of 4 parts." Take out the 3rd 1/3 skittle and say, "This is three of 4 parts." Take out the last 1/4 skittle and say, "This is four of 4 parts."
7. Put the four 1/4 skittles together next to the whole skittle to show that four 1/4 skittles make a whole skittle.
8. Repeat with a three period lesson to reinforce the learning. Video Demonstration:
Additional Information:
Our Little FECS has been playing with this toy since he was 2 years old. Now he can use it to learn about Fractions :-) You can also take the opportunity to practice with your child when you are eating real pizza :-)
1. Show your child the whole pizza, explain that it is cut into equal size of 6 pieces. Therefore, we call it 6/6. Show the card 6/6.
2. Empty the tray of pizza.
3. Put 1 piece of pizza in the tray, explain to your child that 1 piece is the same as 1/6, and show the card 1/6.
4. Add 1 more piece of pizza into the tray, explain that we call 2 pieces out of 6 pieces as 2/6 and show the card 2/6.
5. Add 1 more piece of pizza into the tray, explain that we call 3 pieces out of 6 pieces as 3/6 and show the card 3/6.
6. Add 1 more piece of pizza into the tray, explain that we call 4 pieces out of 6 pieces as 4/6 and show the card 4/6.
6. Add 1 more piece of pizza into the tray, explain that we call 5 pieces out of 6 pieces as 5/6 and show the card 5/6.
6. Finally add back the 6th piece, explain again that 6/6 is also called 1 whole. This means that we cut 1 whole pizza into 6 pieces.
7. Invite your child to match the pizza pieces and the cards himself.
Presentation 2:
1. After your child has understood the concept of fraction in presentation 1, show presentation 2.
2. Explain that 6/6 = 1 whole. Show the whole pizza of 6 pieces.
3. Empty the tray of pizza.
4. Place 2 pieces of pizza into the tray and show the card 2/6 is the same as 1/3. Divide the pizza into 3 sets of 2 to illustrate 1/3 part of the pizza.
5. Place 3 pieces of pizza into the tray and show the card 3/6 is the same as 1/2. Divide the pizza into 2 sets of 3 to illustrate 1/2 part of the pizza.
6. Place 4 pieces of pizza into the tray and show the card 4/6 is the same as 2/3. Divide the pizza into 3 sets of 2 to illustrate 2/3 part of the pizza.
7. Finally add back the 6th piece, explain again that 6/6 is also called 1 whole. This means that we cut 1 whole pizza into 6 pieces.
8. Invite your child to match the pizza pieces and the cards himself.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: J tried this on 27 December 2015 (6Y8M22D). He loved writing the fractions down. It took some time to explain this problem sum to him, but when I varied it to 2/4 + 2/4, he got a little confused. So I need to repeat this lesson at a later date.
0. Prepare your materials
1. Place 1/4 brick on the worksheet.
2. Place 3/4 brick on the worksheet.
3. Put them together on the left of the equation, saying "This is 1/4 + 3/4."
4. Place four 1/4 bricks, and say, "Which is equal to 4/4."
5. Place 1 whole brick and say, "4/4 is the same as 1 whole."
To demonstrate how a whole may be divided into parts.
MATERIALS:
4 sets of LEGO bricks (1 LEGO brick is a whole, 1 is divided into halves, 1 is divided into fourths, 1 is divided into eighths)
1 worksheet with the following written: 1 whole, 1/2 (一半), 1/4 (四分之一) and 1/8 (八分之一)
1 butter knife
1 tray
PRESENTATION:
Take the whole LEGO brick and run both hands down the sides from top to bottom to feel that is whole. Allow the child to feel the LEGO brick.
Say "This is whole" and hand it to the child again.
Take a set of two halves of LEGO bricks, placing them side by side with the red surface facing you. Run your index finger down the two flat sides, picking each one up one at a time, and say, "This is one half."
Allow the child to feel the LEGO brick.
Take the fourths in the same manner, saying, “This is one fourth".
Take the eights and say, "This is one eight."
Give three period lesson to find if the child has the concept.
EXERCISE:
Take out the LEGO bricks the same way and have the child name them. Ask "Do you think the halves are same as the whole?" Compare and interrelate all of the skittles.
Mix them and ask your child to sort them back. Could be done with blindfold.
This is similar to the Montessori Fraction Skittles lesson plan. We tried this on 27 December 2015 (6Y8M22D). J understood this basic lesson, but was challenged when I tried to change it to a different whole number. He got a little confused when we did addition fraction. I will repeat this basic lesson for a few times, before we move on.
0. Prepare your materials
1. Take the whole LEGO brick and run both hands down the sides from top to bottom to feel that is whole. Allow the child to feel the LEGO brick.
2. Say "This is whole" and hand it to the child again.
3. Take a set of two halves of LEGO bricks, placing them side by side with the red surface facing you. Run your index finger down the two flat sides, picking each one up one at a time, and say, "This is one half."
4. Allow the child to feel the LEGO brick.
5. Take the fourths in the same manner, saying, “This is one fourth".
6. Take the eights and say, "This is one eight."
7. Give three period lesson to find if the child has the concept.
