Food Pieces of what?!

Fractions are in your life every day! If you pay close attention to the following activities, you will learn about fractions and how they are parts of a whole. Once you have participated in all of the activities you will have a yummy task to complete!

            Our class is going to have a fraction party to celebrate the unit on fractions! You will need to create a visual aid, with two partners, to show what you have learned about fractions and how you can use fractions in your life every day. Here is the problem…We have 23 students in our class. How much pizza should we get? How will we make sure everyone gets an equal share? Think of other party foods: cake, chips, and drinks. How much should we get of each? What portion(fraction) will each person get? You will need to show four different fractions and their equivalent fractions in your presentation. Your visual aid may be a Power Point show, poster, 3D model, video, or any other approved idea you may have.

First, think back to our discussion on fractions. What important facts can you remember about the words fraction and whole? Visit the following links to learn more: Beginning Fractions Fraction Names. Using the four square worksheet you will create a four square and apply it to the different vocabulary words we have discussed so far: fractions and whole. Each group will get two “four squares” one with the word fraction and the other with the word whole. You will need to work together to fill in the squares. In the first square you will need to tell what the vocabulary word means in your own words. In the second square you need to write in any characteristics you think of when you hear the word; what does a fraction or whole look like or what else do you relate to the word? The third square is for examples that you can think of from your own life while, the fourth square is for non-examples or things that are not fractions or a whole. Again, they need to be examples from you own life. Don’t worry if you get stuck, you will have a chance to finish working on them in a few steps. Day 1 ends here.

            Once you have completed both four squares you will need click the link below to read about some more important vocabulary terms. When we discuss fractions we always see a number on top of a line with another number below the line. These numbers have special names. The top number is the numerator and the bottom number is the denominator. The numerator tells us what piece of the fraction we are talking about while the denominator tells us how many pieces the whole has been broken into. Look at this fraction vocabulary slide show to learn more. You can also visit Pizza Fractions.  In the next activity you will have to make a whole cookie out of fraction pieces. See if you can figure out how to mix and match the cookie pieces. Cookies for Grampy. Great Job! You are really getting the hang of fractions! Now take a few minutes to complete your four squares on the words fractions and whole. Also, add in the words numerator and denominator to show your new knowledge of these as well. Day 2 ends here

             Let’s take things another steps further and talk about equivalent fractions. Equivalent fractions are fractions with different denominators and numerators but still mean the same size fraction. Visit Pizza Fractions 2 to learn more, make sure you click on the questions at the bottom when you are done reading. Getting hungry? Your almost done! Practice creating equivalent fractions with this activity. Equivalent Fractions Activity. Now complete one more four square and tell what you know about equivalent fractions. The directions are the same as your first two four squares. In the first square you will need to tell what the vocabulary word means in your own words. In the second square you need to write in any characteristics you think of when you hear the word; what does a fraction or whole look like or what else do you relate to the word? The third square is for examples that you can think of from your own life while, the fourth square is for non-examples or things that are not fractions or a whole. Again, they need to be examples from you own life. Day 3 ends here

You will receive three grades for this Web quest on fractions. The first will be on your three four squares. Each person in the group will receive the same grade since it was a group assignment. Below is a rubric of how you will be graded on the four square vocabulary activities.

            The second and third grade you receive will also be a group project. This is your creative task from the third slide of this Web quest. Yes, the task is worth two grades! You will create a visual aid with your partners to solve the task. Below is a rubric of how you will be graded on the task activity.

Now it’s time to think like a mathematician. What question do you still have about fractions? What do you not quite understand yet or what do you want to know about fractions that was not talked about in this web quest? Think about these questions. After everyone has presented their solution to the task we will complete a mini activity as a whole class.

West Virginia CSO’s: Mathematics & Reading/Language ArtsM.O demonstrate an understanding of fractions as part of a whole/one and as part of a set/group using models and pictorial representations. M.O create concrete models and pictorial representations to compare and order fractions with like and unlike denominators.M.O use concrete models and pictorial representations to demonstrate an understanding of equivalent fractions.RLA.O use graphic organizers and visualization techniques to interpret information (e.g., charts, graphs, diagrams).RLA.O use reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of information resources to support literacy learning (e.g., written directions, captions, electronic resources, labels, informational text).