Second and Third Grade Math Fractions Lesson
Teach Whole, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 with an Animal Book and Manipulatives
Aug 23, 2008
Fractions have traditionally been viewed as a difficult to teach math concept. To increase fraction lesson retention teachers can use a picture storybook. The plot and illustrations in a picture storybook serve as memory aids and assist primary students in internalizing math concepts.
Harper Collins’ MathStart series is a line of picture story books by Stuart J. Murphy that help kids learn math concepts. His book Jump, Kangaroo, Jump! [Harper Collins, 1999] explains the concepts of whole, half, third, and fourth to second and third graders and is a great way to begin a fractions lesson.
Second/Third Grade Math Fraction Lesson Objective
Students will use plastic animals to demonstrate the concepts of whole, half, third, and fourth.
Materials Needed to Teach Fractions to Primary Students
- Jump, Kangaroo, Jump! by Stuart J. Murphy [Harper Collins, 1999]
- Magnetic whiteboard
- 12 laminated animal pictures with magnets on the back
- 1 laminated rope picture with magnet on back
- 3 laminated pool lanes with magnets on back
- 4 laminated canoes with magnets on back
- 36 sticky name tags
- Overhead projector
- Plastic bag of 12 plastic animal manipulatives for every two students in class
- 12 plastic animals for teacher
- Construction paper
- Crayons
Fraction Lesson Introduction Using Jump, Kangaroo, Jump!
The teacher will show the students the pictures to preview the book Jump, Kangaroo, Jump! and will question the students to determine prior knowledge of the math terms whole, half, third, and fourth. She will then read the story aloud to the students highlighting the sections illustrating fractions.
The teacher will discuss the story with the students using the math terms whole, half, third and fourth. The class will then reread the story and act out the plot with the magnets on the whiteboard. The teacher will label all of the animals as the “whole group” and then write 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 under each team as they are divided up.
Primary Fraction Lesson Procedure
The teacher will then choose 12 students to come to the front of the room. The students will each receive a sticky name tag with one of the animals written on it. The teacher will then review the tug of war event in the story and divide the students into 2 groups.
She will add 1/2 to each of the name tags and discuss how the whole group has now become two halves. The teacher will repeat the name tag activity for the swim and canoe races in the story.
The teacher will then place 12 plastic animals on an overhead projector. She will ask the students what math word is used to describe the big group of animals. The class will answer whole. The teacher will have the students use construction paper and crayons to draw the 12 animals and label the group. She will then continue to divide the animals into 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4, stopping each time so the class can draw and label each fraction.
Fraction Lesson Conclusion and Informal Assessment
The class will be divided into pairs and given a set of plastic animals. The teacher will have each group divide the animals into fractions. She will informally assess their fraction knowledge and use it to plan the next day’s lesson.
Primary teachers can use a picture storybook to teach students about fractions. The book’s illustrations help the students visualize the math concepts of whole, half, third, and fourth while the plot explains what each term means in a kid-friendly way. Using Jump, Kangaroo, Jump! by Stuart J. Murphy facilitates fraction learning in all students.
