#3400. Folding Fractions

Mathematics, level: Elementary
Posted Mon Feb 21 07:44:31 PST 2005 by Kimberley King (kingkm@pickens.k12.sc.us).
Liberty Elementary School, Liberty, SC
Materials Required: Paper, pencil, ruler, and scissors
Activity Time: Several 15-30 minute lessons
Concepts Taught: Identifying parts of a whole

•Preparation: Cut 11 circles of the same size for each student. These circles need to be approximately 10 inches in diameter and cut from sturdy paper.
•Materials needed are ruler, pencil, and scissors.
•Objectives: Introducing fractions of various sizes through 10 parts, comparing fractions, reading and writing fractions, finding equivalent fractions, and addition/subtractions with like denominators.
•Provide each student with a set of circles, pencil, ruler, and a pair of scissors.
•Give directions for folding and tracing as follows:
1.Leave the circle -- identifies 1/1 or 1 whole
2.Fold the circle in half, open the circle and trace the crease with ruler and pencil. This identifies two equal parts or 1/2.
3.Fold the circle in half, next fold the fold 1/3 of the half toward the middle, and then fold over the remaining third. Open the circle and trace the creases with a pencil and ruler -- you should see six equal parts. Last you will cut along every other line (not cutting completely to the middle); this will identify three equal parts or 1/3.
4.Fold the circle in half and the fold the circle again in half. Open the circle and trace along the creases with a pencil and ruler. This will identify four equal parts or 1/4.
5.Fold the circle in half; fold 1/5 toward the center, and fold 1/5 towards the center three more times. Open the circle and trace along creases with pencil and ruler. Last, cut along every other line (not cutting completely to the center) and this will identify five equal parts or 1/5.
6.Fold the circle in half, fold 1/3 of the half toward the middle, and then fold over the remaining toward the center. Trace the creases with a pencil and ruler. This will identify six equal parts or 1/6.
7.Fold the circle in half, fold 1/7 of the half toward the center and continue folding the seventh toward the center five more times. Open the circle and trace along the creases with a pencil and ruler. Cut along every other line (not cutting completely to the center) and this will identify seven equal parts or 1/7.
8.Fold the circle in half and then fold the circle in half two more times. Open the circle and trace the creases with a pencil and ruler. This will identify eight equal parts or 1/8.
9.Fold the circle in half, then fold 1/3 of the half toward the center, and then fold over the remaining third to make three sections. Trace along the creases with a pencil and ruler. Open the circle; this identifies nine equal parts or 1/9.
10.Fold the circle in half, fold 1/5 of the half toward the center, and fold that fifth toward the center three more times. Open the circle and this identifies ten equal parts or 1/10.

• These can be kept stapled together as a book for reference materials.