Lesson 2 - Fractions as Parts of a Region

To encourage students to have fun on the Web while learning about Fractions as Parts of a Region, here are some games and interactive activities they can do on their own or in pairs.

Goal

Use fractions to describe parts of a region or a whole.

Builds Upon

Student Book pages 306-307

Instructions for Use

How Much Pizza is Left? lets students find the fraction of pizza left in the whole.

To use How Much Pizza is Left?. read the question, look at the illustration, and click on the fraction that represents how much pizza is left. Click the 'Next' button to continue.

Naming Fractions helps students relate the size of fractions to an illustration.

To use Naming Fractions, count the number of coloured sections in the illustration and input the number in the numerator text box. Count all the sections in the illustration and input the number in the denominator text box. Click the 'Check' box to see if the answer is correct. Click the 'New Fraction' button for the next question.

Fractions - Parts of a Whole lets students understand and represent commonly used fractions.

To use Fractions - Parts of a Whole, click on the up or down arrows to divide the shape into pieces. To make a fraction, click on pieces of the shape. This highlights parts of the whole in the illustration and a corresponding fraction statement appears. Have students describe, using math language, the number of highlighted pieces out of the whole. Click on the 'New Whole' button for another illustration.

Fractions lets students observe the division of objects into parts of a whole.

To use Fractions, answer the interactive questions, and move onto the "Fact Sheet". Try the test and fill in the text fields. Click 'Mark It!' to see the score.

Fraction Bars helps students manipulate the size of fractions within a whole to compare sizes and describe parts of a measure.

A fraction bar appears when the applet opens. To use Fraction Bars, determine the size of the denominator by clicking on the up or down arrows beside the fraction bar. Click the 'fdrp' button. This button allows students to see the sections on the fraction bar as fractions, decimals, ratios or percentage - click the 'f' for fraction display. Determine the size of the numerator by clicking on the sections inside the fraction bar - they change colour from green to yellow. Click on the bar button to make up to 5 new fractions bars. Click the 'Reset' button to start again.

Using several bars together at one time allows students to manipulate and compare the size of the sections in the fraction bars.

Exploring Fractions with Shapes prompts students to become familiar with different geometric shapes, and find the fractions in the shapes.

To use Exploring Fractions with Shapes, click on a shape and drag it into the workspace. Select a shape by clicking on it. Once selected, the shape can be moved to any location on the workspace. Click on the tools on the top panel to select and drag, rotate, find more information about the shape, or to clear the workspace. To remove a shape, drag it to the recycling bin.

Have students find how many triangles can fit inside the hexagon. Have students manipulate other shapes to create other fractions.