Fraction Fun with Food

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Objectives:

The students will be able to identify concepts of fractions by using M & M’s and pizza shapes to create their own fraction. Group skills and cognitive skills will be used when allowing the students time to work together to devise a fraction combination.

Materials:

• pizza boxes
• circle pieces
• bag of m & m’s
• sandwich bags
• fraction flashcards

1. I will use flashcards to introduce fractions to the second graders. This pre-experience will enable me to distinguish the depth of knowledge the students have previously attained. I will continue to build on their base knowledge of fractions.
2. As a transition, I will allow the children to think of different names of pizza places before we start the pizza activity.
3. We will then distribute sandwich bags of varying amounts of M & M’s. We will use the candy to create fractions. This will be a concrete activity for students to understand the concept of numerator, bar line, and denominator. We will spend time sharing our different fraction creations, writing the responses, and observing how they are alike or different.
4. We will then form our groups and each group will have a circle. The students will be allowed to cut their circle (pizza) into different sizes to make a fraction. I will have various pizza boxes in the front of the room. They will cut, place, call, and deliver fraction orders.
5. We will close with a discussion and then an individual fraction worksheet that will assess students’ mastery of the skills being presented.

Comments:

As one extension, you could read a fraction book. There are a variety of books on fractions that could easily be introduced with this type of lesson.You could also have the students to come up with different situations in everyday life where fractions may be used. This would incorporate the community into the project. My kids did this and it was a big hit! They loved pretending to be pizza delivery workers. They also loved to eat the M&M’s after we were finished! Good luck! Give Me HalfStuart J. MurphyNew $9.95! Continued FractionsAleksandr Iakovlev…New $4.37!Used $3.95! Eating FractionsBruce McMillanNew $4.95!Used $1.69! Fraction FunDavid A. AdlerNew $4.33!Used $3.50! (Prices May Change)

Grade Level(s): 1-2, 3-5
By: Brittany, 2nd grade teacher