MATERIALS:
Per Class:
• Overhead
• Fraction transparencies
• Miniature candy bar
• Regular size candy bar

Per Student:
• (2) 8-inch blue squares of construction paper
• (1) 8-inch white square of construction paper
• (1) 8-inch black square of construction paper
• geo board
• geo bands
• markers
• scissors
• strips of blue, brown, yellow, red, and green construction paper 2 x 12 inches

PREP FOR TEACHERS:
1. Prepare student materials

2. Set video CUE to when Ms. Ericson says, “So, kids, are you ready to get started?”

3. When using media, provide students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.

4. Bookmark Web site http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
Ask the students if they would rather have 1/2 or their favorite candy bar or 1/4 of their favorite candy bar? Allow students to respond and tell why they chose the answer they gave. After several students have given responses, take out 2 candy bars. The candy bars should be the same kind but different sizes. For example you could use a fun size Snickers and a regular size Snickers. Now ask, “Would some of you like to change your answer?” Give students time to respond.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
1. Today we are going to focus on the fractions: 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16. To begin this lesson we are going to watch several segments of the video Number in My World. In this video we are going to be introduced to Ms. Ericson, the studio instructor. Ms. Ericson will be working with students, allowing them to investigate the meaning of various fractions. Ms. Ericson will ask her studio students to discuss or maybe to illustrate a particular fraction. You have all the materials you need in order to work along with Ms. Ericscon and the studio students. Before we begin make sure each of you has (2) 8-inch square sheets of paper, a geo board and geo bands.

2. Tell the students they are going to watch a video about fractions. Provide them with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION by asking: “Can you show the fraction 1/2 in more than one way?” PLAY the video: Number in My World Program 1: Representing Fractions. START the tape when Ms Ericson waves to the camera and says, “Hi, so kids are you ready to get started?” PAUSE after the paper has been folded into halves and Ms. Ericson says, “So we created halves by folding paper.”

3. Tell the students to use their geo boards to show halves. Give the students about 20-30 seconds to make halves on the geo boards and then ask them to share what they made. Students should explain how they know that their figure shows halves.

4. Tell the students the video will continue on fractions. Provide them with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION by asking: “How would you divide a rectangle into fourths?” FAST FORWARD the video and START after the girl is at the overhead and Ms. Ericson says, “We’ve been working with halves a lot today.” STOP the video when it shows the geo board with 4 rectangles and Ms. Ericson says, “Here’s one example of a set of fourths.”

5. Write 1/4 on the board. Ask the following questions: What is the top number of a fraction called? (numerator) What is the bottom number in a fraction called? (denominator) What does the denominator tell us about the fraction? (the number parts or objects that make up the whole) What does the numerator tell us? (the number of parts of the whole we are talking about or working with)

6. On the overhead projector show and compare 1 whole to halves and then to fourths. Now show eighths on the overhead. Ask how many parts it now takes to make the whole? (8)

7. Tell the students to again use their geo boards, however, this time divide it into eighths. After giving the students enough time to complete have them share their figures and explain their findings.

8. Repeat the procedure only this time have the students show sixteenths.

9. Now you are going to make a fraction kit of your own. You will be able to see and compare halves, fourths, eighths, and sixteenths. In the center of the table you have colored construction paper strips. There is one set for each person in your group. Each person should have a blue, brown, yellow, red, and green strip. You will also need a scissors and a marker. Tell the students to look at the colored strips. Are they all the same lengths? (yes) Each strip represents 1 whole. We’re going to be folding and cutting these strips to show different fractions. Everyone take the blue strip and label it 1 whole. Next take your brown strip fold it in half by carefully lining up the edges of the strip and creasing the fold. Open your strip. How many sections do you have? (2) Label each part 1/2 and then cut on the fold so that you have 2 equal pieces. Lay these strips under the blue whole strip. Next take the yellow strip. Watch as I fold it in half and then half again. Do the same as I did. Fold the yellow strip in half and then in half again. Don’t open it up. How many sections do you think you’ll have now? (4) Open your strip. Were you right? What should you label each of these parts? (1/4) Now label each part 1/4 and cut it on the folds. Lay these under the blue strips. How many fourths does it take to make 1 whole? (4) To make 1/2? (2) We’re now going to take the red strip and fold it into eighths. First fold the strip in half. Students do the same. Now fold it in half another time. Students follow. Now fold your paper in half one more time. Crease the folds. Open the strips. How many equal parts do you have now? (8) Label each section 1/8 and cut on the folds. Check for accuracy. Now lay the eight pieces under the fourths. How many eighths does it take to make a whole? (8) To make 1/4? (2) To make 1/2? (4) Finally, your last strip, the green one. We want to divide this strip into sixteenths. How many times will you have to fold this strip in half to get sixteen equal parts? (4) Follow me as I fold the green strip in half, in half again, in half again, and in half again. Crease the folds. Open it up. Label each section 1/16 and cut it on the folds. Lay your sixteenths underneath the eighths.

10. Ask the following questions. Students should answer orally and prove their answers by using the fraction strips. How many fourths does it take to make1/2? (2) How many sixteenths does it take to make 1/4? (4) Can you mix halves and fourths to make 1 whole? (yes-one half and two fourths) In their cooperative group tell the students to equivalent fractions. Each group should share their discoveries.

CULMINATING ACTIVITIES:
1. Tell the students that they are going to put to work their knowledge of fractions by making a patchwork quilt. Have each student take a white 8 inch square paper and draw or decorate the square using any colors or design they choose.

2. After the students have completed the first step have each of them fold and cut their square into one of the following parts: halves, fourths, eighths, sixteenths. Before they start cutting, each member of the group has to decide into how many parts it will divide its square. This is to avoid each group member cutting its square into the same number of pieces. At least one person should do halves, one fourths, one eighths, and one sixteenths. Depending on the size of the group, the fractional parts may have to be repeated. The students should label the back of each part with the fraction it represents and place all pieces in the middle of the table.

3. Each student now takes a piece of 8 inch square black construction paper. Tell the students to try to form a new 8 inch square from the mixed collection of parts. Try to make the square with different color, patterns, and sizes of pieces. Glue the pieces on to your black construction paper.

4. After all students are finished bring the lesson to a close by asking each student to share his patchwork miniature to the class. Ask the following questions: What fraction pieces did you use to make your square? (answers will vary) What is the sum of those fractions? (if they covered the whole square the answer would 1 whole) Were you able to form a complete 8 inch square? (some may not have been able to fill the square if the appropriate fraction was not left in the pile) If you were unable to complete your square, what fraction or fractions were needed? (answers will vary) If your square in not complete, what could you have done to complete it? (trade pieces with another group member)

5. Students can go to the Web site http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/ to find quick tips to help them add, subtract, multiply, or divide fractions.This site provides assistance to teachers in preparing lessons.

CROSS-CURRICULAR EXTENSIONS:
ENGLISH:
• Write a paragraph using the step-by-step procedure used to complete the math lesson.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION:
• Create a game so that your class will have to be divided into fractional groups. Share your game ideas and play it with the class.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS:
• Visit your local power plant to see how power is produced and distributed to various areas in fractional parts.
• Ask the local tax collector to visit the class to discuss how fractions are used in determining the amount of taxes paid by their parents and local companies.

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