Fractions are all around us! Walk around the house, yard and neighborhood with your child. Where do you see fractions? What would you call one part of the whole? For example, one rectangular stepping stone of 13 equally sized stepping stones would be 1/13th of the stepping stones. What if the objects are different sizes? Can they still be represented as a fraction? In the video, Kate represents one black key on the piano as one out of the total number of black keys. However, one white key can’t be represented as a fraction of all of the white keys since they are different sizes. Can you represent the object in more than one way? For example ⅕ is equivalent to 2/10. Can you see this in the object?
This activity is inspired by Mindset Mathematics Curriculum, Book 3, I spy 1/2.
Extensions:
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- Draw shapes on the sidewalk in chalk. Split the shape in half and shade half, name the fraction you see. Split the shape in half again, making fourths. What would you call the colored portion now? Write an equivalence statement. (½ = 2/4) Can you make more? Make art on the sidewalk and have conversations about the fractions you see in the art (https://www.youcubed.org/resources/sidewalk-chalk-designs-k-12-video/). What fraction are each shape of the whole? What other fractions have you made?
- Finding ½ in an art piece. In this piece of art below, highlight where you see ½.
