Equivalent fractions
Area
Math
Duration
1 session
Dimension of the advised group of students
15 - 20 students, divided in 5 groups
Specific objectives
Mathematics should be an enjoyable subject for all students. Through observation and interaction students should be able to understand and create equivalent fractions. Finally, they should be able to verify in an interactive way the creation to interactively create equivalent fractions. Teamwork gives great value to learning as well as observation, reflection and thinking help students to achieve their goal.
Needed Materials
Computer or laptop, internet connection
Software
The activities shall take place on site
Description
Fractions are encountered quite often in mathematics throughout school life. Create equivalent fractions. Notice the colored part of the square which fraction represents and then write which one it is. This activity focuses on creating equivalent fractions. Students experiment by moving the cursors and dividing the original square into more rectangles. Students should be instructed on what the goal is to be achieved through this activity.
Procedure on how to put in practice
Students observe which part of the square is coloured, i.e. they try to find which fraction of the square is the coloured part. First, to help them discover the fraction, they use a rectangle for comparison which they drag into the square and observe how many rectangles are needed to cover the coloured part of the square. This is followed by an activity in which students are asked to try to express the same coloured part of the square with another fraction. To achieve this goal, they move the cursors by partitioning the square horizontally or vertically or by partitioning both horizontally and vertically at the same time. In each case, they note the numerator and denominator of the fraction and check for the correct answer.
Of course, in each wrong answer there is the possibility of re-determining the correct answer. This activity has an extension. Students are given the opportunity to choose another fraction of the square and express it in two or more ways. They then compare the fractions they find with each other and through observation in each case find that these fractions express the same colored part of the square. The fractions are equivalent!
