1. Frankenstein's Fractions
. . . Parts of the whole

2. Fractions are parts of a whole!
Share with students facts about whole numbers and fractions that make up the whole.

3. Fractions can be different sized pieces of a whole…
½ of the pizza, 1/3 of the pizza, or ¼ of the pizza,
Students have the opportunity to practice figuring the common denominator and reducing fractions.
Or, fractions can be different counts or beats of music as in the following video…

4. Most of the time, fractions of the same item have the same denominator (the denominator is the number on the bottom of the fraction telling how many parts will make the whole). But sometimes two different items are put in the same group that have been divided differently and all the parts need to added together. For example, Suzi wants to add her ½ banana to the pie recipe and David wants to add ¼ of his banana to the pie. How much banana will be added in all? ½ + ¼ =? You need to find the common denominator.
Teacher explains fractions as well as giving an example for adding unlike fractions.

5. Using a visual model
This website shows a great way to discover common denominators and practice adding and subtracting fractions.

6. Wrapping it up . . . Fractions are used in everyday life:
To tell time- 12:30 is half past the hour
to measure- 4 oz. of chocolate is ¼ lb.
to cook – ½ cup of flour
To calculate Money- 4 quarters are $1.00
Students practice using flash cards. Next, they create flash cards of their own to share with partners. Finally, there is a partner project to decipher using their laptops or IPads and the PBS website ‘Cyberchase,’ creating a chart using graph paper on the website and rolling dice; the students are asked to print a copy for each student for their Math folder.
Let’s practice!