Meaning of Fractions and Equal Parts for Primary 1

Fractions

Performance Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. identify and using concrete objects and shapes

What Are Fractions?

A fraction is a part of a whole thing.

Imagine you have a whole orange. If you share it with a friend, you each get a part of the orange. These parts are fractions of the whole orange.

Dividing a Whole into Parts

When we have one whole thing, we can divide it into smaller parts. For these parts to be fractions, they must be equal in size.

For example, a whole cake can be cut into several pieces. If all the pieces are the same size, then each piece is a fraction of the cake.

Equal Parts

For a part to be a fraction, it must be an equal part of the whole. This means every part must be exactly the same size as the other parts.

If you cut an orange into two pieces, and one piece is much bigger than the other, then those are not equal parts. They are not fractions in the way we learn about them in Mathematics.

Identifying Fractions Using Objects and Shapes

We can see fractions all around us when things are divided equally. Look for objects or shapes that have been cut or split into parts that are exactly the same size.

Examples of Objects with Equal Parts:

1. An orange cut into two equal halves.
2. A sheet of paper folded into four equal sections.
3. A piece of bread cut into two equal slices.
4. A square biscuit broken into four equal pieces.

Practical Activities with Fractions

How to Fold Paper into Equal Parts

Folding paper is a good way to understand equal parts. You can make two equal parts or four equal parts.

The procedure involves the following steps:

1. Take a rectangular sheet of paper. This is your whole.
2. To make two equal parts: Fold the paper exactly in half, bringing one edge to meet the opposite edge. Press down firmly on the fold.
3. Open the paper. You will see two equal parts.
4. To make four equal parts: Fold the paper in half once, then fold it in half again in the same direction or across the first fold.
5. Open the paper. You will see four equal parts.

How to Cut Paper into Equal Parts

Cutting paper helps to separate the equal parts you have made by folding.

The required materials are:

1. A sheet of paper (already folded into equal parts).
2. A pair of scissors.

Important safety tip: Always ask an adult to help you use scissors, especially sharp ones. Scissors should be handled carefully.

The procedure involves the following steps:

1. Fold a sheet of paper into two or four equal parts as shown above.
2. Carefully cut along the fold lines with the scissors.
3. You will now have separate pieces of paper, each representing an equal part of the original whole.

How to Draw and Colour Simple Objects into Equal Parts

Drawing and colouring can show how a whole object is divided into equal parts.

The required materials are:

1. A drawing book or sheet of paper.
2. A pencil.
3. Coloured pencils or crayons.

The procedure involves the following steps:

1. Draw a simple shape, like a circle or a square, on your paper. This is your whole object.
2. To show two equal parts: Draw a line through the middle of the shape to divide it into two parts that are exactly the same size.
3. Colour one of these two equal parts with a coloured pencil.
4. To show four equal parts: Draw lines to divide the shape into four parts that are all the same size.
5. Colour one or more of these four equal parts.