Fractions is a hard concept for many students to understand because it is abstract. They need to experiment with various fractions to help them to begin understanding them. This hands-on lesson will provide students with sensory experiences as well as the opportunity to experiment with fractions to see how they are related to one another.

• unit fraction
• measuring cup

• Students will be able to compare unit fractions.
• Students will begin to determine the relationship between given fractions (e.g. how many fourths make up a half).

45 minutes

• 8” round baking pans
• Measuring cups (1 c, ½ c, 1/3 c, ¼ c, and 1/8 c) – 1 set per group
• Measuring spoons
• Funnel
• Water bottles (water dyed)

W:	Teacher has the objectives and EQ on the board, and reviews them with students. Teacher will also utilize Total Participation Techniques.
H:	Introduce lesson by relating it to their experiences in the kitchen.
E:	Students will engage in hands-on learning and experimentation.
R:	Students will reflect as a group and as a whole class.
E:	Students will complete a worksheet. They will also defend their rationale/reasonings during group processing.
T:	Students with special needs or ELLs will flourish during this lesson because it is hands-on. This lesson also is beneficial to those with sensory needs. Gifted students have an alternative assingment to find all the possible combinations to creating a whole using the materials provided (more open-ended).
O:	The class will regroup at the end and explain their findings. They will also be asked follow-up questions to guage their level of understanding. Using measuring cups allows practice and knowledge of fractions to be transferred to home settings.

• Introduction

1. “How many of you help your parents cook? Do you use ever use these when you are helping them cook?” Teacher holds up measuring cups and spoons. “Have you ever noticed what is on the handles of these cups and spoons?” Teacher will place one cup or spoon at each group for students to look at.
2. “What do all these fractions on the cups have in common? Write it on your whiteboard and hold it up when you think you have the answer.” After students have responded, teacher will say, “Yes, the bottom number of the fractions change, but the top number on all of them is 1. This is called a unit fraction. Turn to your partner and tell them why you think it’s called a unit fraction.” Teacher can have students volunteer their answers.
3. “When is it important to use these measuring cups and spoons? Turn to your elbow buddy and talk to them.” Teacher can have students share their thoughts after they have pair-shared.
4. “Can I substitute these cups for one another? For example, can I use 1/3 instead of ½?  Does this mean that if I am missing the ½ measuring cup, and my recipe calls for ½ cup of water, I’m out of luck? Turn to your partner and tell them what you think.” Students will then turn to their group and explain their thinking. The teacher will have a few students offer their thoughts.

• During

1. “We are going to use water to help us answer these questions. Does anyone know why I am choosing to use water instead of ice? Think for 30 seconds, then turn to your partner and tell them.”
2. Teacher has students share answers. “Is water a liquid, solid, or gas?” Teacher will model alphabet signs for each of the three for hold-ups (i.e. l for liquid, s for solid, and g for gas). “What advantage does liquid water have over solid water? Turn to your partner and tell them.”
3. The groups (4 students per group) will gather their materials and the paper-passer will give out handouts.

• A- baking pans
• B- funnel
• C- water bottles
• D- measuring cups

4.  The teacher will explain the procedures:

• When you are experimenting, I want you to place your cups in the baking pan. Someone tell me why?
• Let’s do the first one together. It says How many ½ cups make 1 cup. I will put the cup that has a 1 C on it in my pan. I will then find my ½ C and pour my water in there. When the water reaches the top, I am going to carefully pour it into my 1 C. Am I done? No, my 1C still has room. I will pour more water into my ½ C again. When it is full, I will pour it carefully again into my 1 cup. Am I done? Yes. So how many ½ cups did it take to fill up my 1 cup? Record that on your paper.
• When I am finished, I will put the funnel in my water bottle, and carefully pour the water into the funnel back into the water bottle.
• Can anyone tell me why the water is colored? Discuss with your group members (then teacher asks for volunteers).
• Each group member should get a turn.
• When you are finished, you can clean up. Whatever material you gathered, you can bring back to the supply table. After you are done, you can start completing your worksheets.

5. The teacher will circulate and help groups as needed.

• After

1. After all groups have finished, the teacher will gather students on the carpeted area with their worksheets.
2. “What did you notice about the relationship between the cups? Turn to your elbow buddies and tell them.” Teacher may need to prompt students with “when the bottom number got bigger, what happened to the size of the cup?” Teacher can write examples on the board.
3. “What if I had the numbers 1/4, 2/4, and 3/4, which fraction would be bigger? How can you tell? Turn to your elbow buddies and talk.” Teacher may need to use connecting cubes to demonstrate these concepts.
4. “Let’s revisit our question that led to the experiment. If I do not have a 1/2 cup, am I out of luck? Thumbs up if I’m okay and thumbs down if I’m out of luck. Turn to your neighbors and talk.” After students have had time to talk to their peers, take another thumbs-up/down vote. Have students from each side defend their answer. Afterwards, teacher will reiterate that there are other ways to make ½, and have students give examples.
5. If time permits, students will continue work on the worksheet.

• Extensions

1. Gifted students can answer the following question: What are the different ways I can make a cup (using the measuring cup set provided). The students can support their answer by testing each possibility.

Students and teacher will be able to monitor thinking/learning through the use of pair-shares. Teacher will also use hold-ups (whiteboard or thumbs) as a quick survey of student understanding.  Students are also required to be able to verbally justify their reasoning.

none

water, fractions, comparing fractions

Khoan Ly

May 16, 2013