TOPIC: INTRODUCTION TO FRACTIONS – HALF AND QUARTER
A: TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS
- Oranges or other fruits.
- Paper circles and squares.
- Fraction picture cards.
- Cardboard shapes.
- Knife for teacher demonstration only.
- Pupils’ writing books and pencils.
B: REFERENCE MATERIALS
- Scheme of work.
- Recommended Mathematics textbook for Primary 1.
- Online educational resources.
C: PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE
The pupils can count numbers up to 100 and can identify groups of objects.
D: PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
- Explain a fraction in a simple way.
- Identify one-half.
- Identify one-quarter.
- Divide shapes into two equal parts.
- Divide shapes into four equal parts.
- Colour halves and quarters of simple shapes.
E: CONTENT
Meaning of a Fraction
A fraction is a part of a whole.
For example, one orange can be divided into smaller equal parts.
🍊 → two equal parts
One-Half
When one whole object is divided into 2 equal parts, each part is called one-half.
One-half is written as:
½
Example:
🟠 → ◐ + ◑
Each part is ½.
One-Quarter
When one whole object is divided into 4 equal parts, each part is called one-quarter.
One-quarter is written as:
¼
Example:
⬜ divided into four equal parts:
| ◼️ | ⬜ |
|---|---|
| ⬜ | ⬜ |
The shaded part represents ¼.
Half of Objects
🍎 🍎 🍎 🍎
Half of 4 apples is:
🍎 🍎
So, ½ of 4 = 2.
Quarter of Objects
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
One-quarter of 4 stars is:
⭐
So, ¼ of 4 = 1.
F: LESSON PRESENTATION
F1: Teachers’ Activities
- Shows pupils one whole fruit.
- Divides the fruit into two equal parts.
- Introduces one-half (½).
- Uses paper shapes to demonstrate four equal parts.
- Introduces one-quarter (¼).
- Guides pupils to fold paper into halves and quarters.
- Gives simple colouring exercises.
F2: Pupils’ Activities
- Observe a whole object.
- Identify two equal parts.
- Say one-half.
- Identify four equal parts.
- Say one-quarter.
- Fold paper into halves and quarters.
- Colour halves and quarters of shapes.
G: CONCLUSION
The teacher reminds pupils that ½ means one out of two equal parts and ¼ means one out of four equal parts.
The teacher corrects pupils where necessary and encourages them to observe equal parts of safe objects at home.
H: EVALUATION GUIDE
Pupils should be able to answer the following questions:
- What is a fraction?
- How many equal parts make one-half?
- Write the symbol for one-half.
- How many equal parts make one-quarter?
- Write the symbol for one-quarter.
- What is half of 4 objects?
- Divide a square into four equal parts.