Teaching Fractions with an Apple

AGE: 6 years

OBJECTIVE(S):

1. To demonstrate how a whole may be divided into parts. 
2. To prepare for working with the fractional insets. 
3. To prepare for working with the abstract notation of fractions. 

MATERIALS:

1. 2 apples
2. 1 worksheet with the following written: 1 whole, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8
3. 1 knife
4. 1 tray

PRESENTATION:

1. Take the whole apple and ask your child what it is. Your child will say, it is an apple. Tell him that it is a whole apple and place it on the worksheet.
2. Take another apple, invite your child to cut it into half, and say, "This is one half." 
3. Place it on the worksheet.
4. Invite your child to cut the apple into 4 pieces and say, “This is one fourth."
5. Place it on the worksheet.
6. Cut the apple into 8 pieces and say, "This is one eight." 
7. Give three period lesson to find if the child has the concept. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

At dinner tonight, I took the opportunity to introduce J to fraction. I showed J an apple, and we cut it into 1/2. 1/4 and 1/8. He could answer half and one quarter, but could not described one eight. We also did the same with "æbleskriver," a Danish dessert.

We also tried it with the Danish apple desert during dinner today.