Dear Family,
Your child is
learning that fractions are equal parts of a whole or of a
set. He or she is
also learning to name fractions in different ways and to
compare fractions.
By practicing naming
fractions, your child is learning to recognize
fractions as
part-to-whole relationships. One way to name fractions in
different ways is to
find an equivalent fraction. Here are two activities
that you and your
child can do together.
Fun with Fractions
The
next time you and your child are outside, look for groups of
people
or objects of 12 or less. Ask your child to name some fractions
about
the group. Sample questions: What fraction of the parked cars
are
white? What fractions of the people are not wearing hats?
Equal Fractions
Materials Pieces
of paper, a pencil or marker
Step 1 Fold
one piece of paper in half. Then fold it in half again.
Open
up the paper so that the fold lines divide the paper into
4
equal parts. Shade a number of squares and ask your child to
name
the fraction of the paper that is shaded.
(For
example: one fourth)
Step 2 Refold
the paper as before, and then fold it in half a third
time.
Open the paper and ask your child to name the fraction of
the
paper that is shaded now. (Two eighths)
Step 3 Ask
your child to name the fraction of the paper that is
NOT
shaded. (Six eighths) Have your child name a fraction equal
to the
fraction she or he just named. (Three fourths)
