Teaching Mathematics Fractions Presented by Dot Shea 2013

Fractions Fractions are about DIVISION The more you share the less you get With fractions there are 2 parts to think of: o the PART and o the PART in relation to the WHOLE Provide different representations / language – linear, area, set

Fractions We come across fractions in many areas of real life ◦ Division- when we share items equally ◦ Money- silver coins ◦ Clocks- ½ past, ¼ to ◦ Measurement: rulers, tape measures, scales, jugs  length-metres  Capacity- litres  Weight- grams ◦ Graphs- representations – 1 bar, picture = 5 ◦ Maps- Scale

Area Model Ten frames, Hundred frames Numbers to 10, 100, 1000, fractions, decimals, percentages etc

Area Model Fractions Fractions are not about symmetry. Half is dividing something into two equal parts – Equal area.

Fractions Area model

Linear Model Number Track: Knowing how the numbers are related to each other (what comes after this number: how many more to five? How many to 10?) is essential for mental computation, addition and subtraction The linear model develops proportional understanding through the use of equal spacing and partitioning. This is pre-requisite to number line work.

Fractions-Linear Model

Set Model A set model is when there are groups of objects

Fractions- set model

Fractions To gain a good understanding of fractions students need to be able to read, and manipulate fractions in area, linear and set models.

NAPLAN In the year 5 test 2012, 8 of the questions were directly related to understanding fractions ◦ 11- Length16-money ◦ 18- Money20- area ◦ 27- area28- Time ◦ 35- division37- division