10 CIRCLES FRACTION WITH STAND
- Red fraction circles in green frames: ten circles – 1 undivided and the others divided into 2 to 10 equal part.
- Label with fractions written on them: 1, 1/2, 1/2, 1/3
- Pencil and paper
- Skittles
- Have the child bring over the first tray of fractions.
- Tell the child that a fraction is a dividing a whole into equal parts.
- Take out the first circle and place it in front on the tray.
- Take out 1/2 and place it in front of the tray.
- Take out 1/3 and place it in front of the tray.
- Show the child how to carefully replace each one back into its spot.
- Do this for 1/4, and 1/5. Have the child replace each one back into its spot.
- Repeat a few times, mixing up the parts and having the child replace them in their correct spot.
- Once the child is comfortable with the first tray, have the child replace it on the shelf and take out the second tray.
- Have the child explore this tray as with the first tray.
- Once the child is familiar with the second tray, use the two trays and repeat as above.
Have the child bring over the first tray of fractions.
- Take out the whole circle.
- Tell the child: “This is a whole.”
- Place the whole in front of the tray.
- Take out one of the group of 2 and say, “This is a 1/2”.
- Place it in front of the tray.
- Repeat in this way up to the group of 5. (1/2)
- Do a Three-Period Lesson for the group of 1, group of 2, group of 3, group of 4, and group of 5.
- Once the child is familiar with this tray, do the same for the second tray.
Writing
- When he knows the names, begin with the two trays.
- Point to a few fractions and ask the child what it is. This will serve as your check to see if the child knows the names.
- Tell the child that you will show him how to write fractions.
- Point to the group of 2. Ask the child how many pieces there are. (2)
- Say, “Yes, there are two pieces, so I will write a 2.”
- Take one 1/2 and place it on front of the tray.
- Ask the child how many pieces are here. (One 1/2)
- Say, “There is one.”
- Place a line over it: and write 1 over it.
- Replace the 1/2 back onto the tray.
- Repeat in this way for all of the fractions.
- You can remind the child that we place how many pieces are all together on the bottom and the piece we have taken out over the line.
- Do a Three Period Lesson for Numerator and Denominator.
- The take out 2/3 or 7/9 or 2/5, etc and have the child write these fractions. Then read these with the child.
Labeling
Have the child bring over the two trays of fractions.
- Take out all of the labels and place them in their corresponding piles in front of the tray.
- Have the child label each part of each fraction reading each label as he does so.
- Two children can work together by mixing all of the labels together and then labeling each piece of each fraction.
- Ask the child for the names of the numerator and denominator to check for understanding.
- The children who may need more work can play a game in pairs, one picking a slip with a fraction written on it and the other child pointing to it or taking it out of the tray.
- Have the child bring out the two trays.
- Write two fractions (with the same denominator) as shown:
- Show the child that we first take out 1/6 two times (2/6).
- Place these in front of the tray.
- Then take out 1/6 three times (3/6).
- Have the child count how many 1/6 there are. (5)
- Show the child how to write the answer as shown:
- Read the whole equation with the child.
- Write another addition problem and have the child do it.
- After a few equations, point out to the child that we can only add fractions with the same denominator. See below:
Substraction with same denominator
- Have the child bring over the two trays of fractions.
- Write a subtraction equation on the paper. (4/8 – 1/8 =)
- Create 4/8 and place it in front of the tray.
- Point to the 1/8 and tell the child, “I will now take away 1/8”
- Move 1/8 from the 4/8 and move it off to the side.
- Ask the child to count how many 8th are left. (3/8)
- Have the child write the answer.
- Repeat a few times. See example below
- Have the child bring over the two trays of fractions.
- Write a multiplication equation on the paper:
- Tell the child, “We will take 2/8 four times.”
- Take 2/10 one time, two times, three times and four times.
- Push them all together and gave the child count the total number of 10ths. (8)
- Show the child how to write the answer.
- Do a few with the child.
- When he understands, he can use the equations written on the prepared cards. See below for another example.
- Have the child bring over the two trays of fractions.
- Have the child also bring the skittles.
- Write a division equation on the paper:
- Read the equation. Ask by how many will we be dividing.
- Have the child place two skittles in a row below the trays.
- Ask the child how many 4ths we need to start. (four 1/4)
- Place all of the 4ths below the tray.
- Tell the child that we need to share these 4ths evenly between our two skittles.
- Have the child give each 1/4 and then another 1/4.
- Remind the child that in division we always want to know how many 1 got.
- Ask the child how many 4ths one skittle got. (2/4)
- Have the child write the answer.
- Do a few examples with the child. Such as:
This can be done during or after the work with the Operations .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. Guide the child to this discovery, but do not tell him. This should be experienced by the child.
As a final piece of work with the fractions, the child can make his own chart of the equivalencies.
Direct
To help the child gain a sensorial impression of fraction.
Introduction to the concept and notation of fractions.
Sensorial exploration of equivalency among fraction.
Introduction to simple operations.
The Directress and the child’s own ability.
4 1/2 years