Module 1 Counting and understanding number
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Can I read and write fractions and explain their meaning?

Example review questions

  • What fraction of this shape is shaded orange? What fraction is purple?
    A shape divided into five equal parts. Three of the parts are shaded.
  • Leah says that this rectangle is divided into thirds because it is divided into three parts. Is she right? Explain your answer.
    A rectangle divided into three uneven sections.
  • Read this fraction: 1/4
    Try to shade 1/4 of a rectangle. How did you go about this?
  • Which is bigger, 1/3 or 1/4 of this piece of paper? Explain how you know.

Teaching guidance

This teaching guidance document suggests some of the key vocabulary, models, images and practical equipment that children should experience and be able to use. It also includes some teaching tips to provide a few starting points for ways of supporting children with this area of mathematics.

DOC file Can I read and write fractions and explain their meaning? - teaching guidance | 109KB new window

Consolidation and practice

These resources are to support children in guided or independent work. Roll over the highlighted resources for a description.

PDF file How to use fractions ITP | 144KB new window

SWF file Fractions ITP | 25KB new window

PDF file How to use area ITP | 156KB new window

SWF file Area ITP | 41KB new window

DOC file Fraction wall resource | 37KB new window

Fractions

itp_fractions.png

This interactive teaching program (ITP) is an ICT-based tool to support the exploration of parts of numbers. Fractions ITP allows the child or teacher to represent and compare fractions on fraction strips. The displayed strips can be labelled as a vulgar fraction, a decimal (to three decimal places) or a percentage, and the ratio of yellow to green parts of each strip can also be displayed.

Area

itp_area.png

This interactive teaching program (ITP) is an ICT-based tool to support the exploration of number, shape and space and problem solving. Area ITP allows the child or teacher to place counters or colour in whole or part cells on a grid, pinboard or blank screen, or to define a shape, using an elastic band.

Opportunities to use and apply

Possible contexts include:

  • finding fractions of amounts, e.g. A chocolate bar has 12 pieces. I eat 3/4 of the bar. How many pieces are left?
  • exploring use of fractions in everyday contexts, e.g. When someone says they want the bigger half of the cake, is this correct?
  • measures, e.g. On a metre stick, show me 1/10 of a metre. Point to another division. What fraction of the metre is it?
  • data handling, e.g. What fraction of the children in class 1 go to bed at about 8 o'clock?
    A chart to represent children's bedtimes. Two children go to bed at seven o'clock. Six children go to bed at half past seven. Five children go to bed at eight o'clock.

Confirming learning

Ask probing questions such as:

  • Which would you rather have, 1/4 of a bar of chocolate or 1/8 of a bar of chocolate? Why? Draw a sketch to explain your answer.
  • Complete the shading on this diagram so that 1/2 is shaded yellow. Describe the shaded part in another way.
    A shape divided into 14 equal parts. Three parts are currently shaded.
  • Suggest a fraction that is bigger than 1/2. How do you know?
  • Take a sheet of paper. Fold it in half, in half again and in half again. Open up the sheet and colour in three sections. What fraction of the paper have you shaded?
  • What fraction is the arrow pointing to?
    A number line from zero to one with markers in increments of zero point two. An arrow is pointing to the fourth marker.