Wholes and Parts

Wholes and Parts

In this unit students will build a deeper understanding of fractions. One important idea is that fractional parts must be equal in size. You cannot know the size of a fraction unless you know the size of the whole: a half can be large or small depending on what it is half of.

Equivalent Fractions-The same amount can be named in different ways: two-fourths, five-tenths, and one-half are all the same number.

If students can understand the basic concepts of fraction then they will be more proficient later when they calculate them.

Practice: When cooking have your child help you. Ask what the whole is when you measure something. Ask if there is another name for a fraction in a recipe.

Talk with your child about fractions you encounter in everyday life. "If we live 10 blocks from the park, how many blocks do we walk to get halfway there?, etc."

Links:

http://www.kidsolr.com/math/fractions.html

http://www.aaaknow.com/fra16_x2.htm

http://www.coolmath.com/fractions/index.html