1/2 and 1/2 makes 1...
I don't know how many times I answered that question today, but yes we are busy with fractions in my pre-k class. The age group stretches from 3 to 5 year olds, so the little ones don't always understand, but making it fun makes it a lot easier for all of them.
Activity 1: Whole
We began our activity with what is whole. Send the class to find things around the classroom that hasn't been cut in anyway. My class brought some balls, dolls, pencils.
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Art activity: Let's build a pizza
You will need the following:
- Paper cut into a circle and other shapes to make the toppings.
- Glue
Instructions:
- Hand out a circle to each child.
- Tell them it is a whole pizza.
- Now let them place all the toppings they have chosen on their pizza.
- Assist the smaller ones with pasting them but let the bigger ones do it all by themselves.
Activity 2: Half of something.
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Cut an apple in half and tell the children it is half of the apple, hand out half of an apple to each child. Remember that the terminology is just as important than practicing the activity since they have to master the terminology.
For the activity you will need the following
- Use the pizza's they have made in activity 1.
- For the 4 and 5 year old learners draw an line through the middle of the pizza and let them cut it. Assist the smaller children.
- Ask them how many pieces they have now. 2.
- Let them put the 2 pieces together and ask them if their pizza is whole now?
Why is whole and halve such an important concept?
When the children are this little they constantly want the whole apple, or only eat halve of the apple. These two concepts are concepts that they deal with on a day to day basis. So that is the main reason why we have to start with these two concepts. When the children indicate that they understand this concept, then and only then you can move on to thirds, quarters etc.
Here is a short video you can show your class about fractions:
