Fraction Classroom Activities for the First Grade
Most first graders have probably dealt with fractions at some point in their lives. They may have asked to share half of a banana with mom or helped dad cut a pizza or pie into eighths. First graders might also be the first to point out if you break a candy bar into two unequal halves. Help your first graders develop a solid understanding of fractions by using visual models and a few hands-on fraction activities.
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Food Fractions
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Read books about fractions such as "Eating Fractions" by Bruce McMillan, or "Apple Fractions" or "The Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar Fractions Book," both by Jerry Pallotta. Bring in foods such as bananas, oranges, donuts or chocolate bars. Have first graders use plastic knives to cut bananas and donuts into fractions. Allow students to peel an orange, then divide the slices into fractions. Chocolate bars easily break into fractions. Have students draw pictures of the food fractions they made and write the corresponding fractions.
Fraction Art
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Read "Ed Emberley's Picture Pie" by Ed Emberley. Discuss how the author used circles cut into fractions to make pieces of art. Provide first graders with sheets of colored paper. Invite students to trace around circle templates of different sizes. Have students cut out circles. Then cut the circles in halves, thirds, fourths, sixths or eighths. Provide paper for students to create their own fraction picture pie art.
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Candy Fractions
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Give first graders a small scoop of jellybeans or other colored candies. Ask students to count the total number of candies. This number will be the denominator of their candy fractions. Invite students to sort candies by color. Have students write down fractions related to their scoop of candy such as 2/12 red, 5/12 yellow, 3/12 green and 2/12 brown. Invite students to eat two pieces of candy. Create new fractions with the remaining candies. Continue until only one piece of candy remains.
Fraction Action
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Write fractions such as 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 2/3 and 3/4 on the front of index cards and actions such as hop, skip, run or jump on the reverse side. Create fraction picture cards that represent fractions listed on the index cards. For example, draw four flowers and color three red to show 3/4. Spread the fraction picture cards around the gym. Give each student a fraction action card. Have students locate the matching picture for their fraction by doing the action listed on their card. For example, a student can skip around the gym looking for the picture card to match 2/3. See how many card matches each student gets in five minutes.
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