Fractions make more sense when children can see and make the
parts themselves. Before asking pupils to compare 1/2 and 1/4 on a worksheet,
let them fold, share, draw, and explain. The key idea is that a fraction names
equal parts of one whole.
Start with equal
sharing
Show a paper circle or rectangle and ask, “How could two
people share this fairly?” Let a pupil fold the shape. Open it and check
whether the two regions are the same size. Name each equal part a half. Repeat
with four equal parts and connect the words **one quarter** and **four quarters
make one whole** to the model.
If the class uses familiar food examples such as roti or
fruit, use a drawing or paper model. The lesson is about equal parts, not about
bringing food to school.
Try a paper-strip
investigation
Give each pair three strips cut to the same length. Ask
pupils to fold one into two equal parts, one into four, and one into eight.
They shade one part on each strip and place the strips side by side. Ask:
- Which is larger, one half or one fourth? How can the
strips prove it?
- How many fourths cover the whole strip?
- What happens to the size of each part when the whole is
split into more equal parts?
Have students record a drawing and a sentence, such as “One
fourth is smaller than one half because the same strip is divided into more
equal parts.” This reveals their reasoning, not only whether they can name a
symbol.
Move from materials
to pictures to notation
Use the sequence **make it, draw it, write it**. After
folding a strip, pupils draw the whole divided into equal sections and shade
the required number. Then label the drawing, for example 3/4. Explain that the
bottom number tells how many equal parts make the whole, while the top number
tells how many of those parts are being considered.
Keep the whole the same size when comparing fractions. A
half of a small strip and a half of a large strip are not the same amount, even
though both are called halves. This is a useful moment to ask what “one whole”
refers to in each picture.
Respond to common
errors
If a child calls two unequal pieces “halves,” ask them to
place the pieces back together and compare their sizes. If they think 1/8 is
larger than 1/4 because 8 is larger than 4, return to equal-sized strips and
count the parts. Avoid moving to cross-multiplication until pupils can explain
the models.
Check learning before
the lesson ends
Ask each learner to draw a shape divided into four equal
parts, shade three, and write the fraction. Then ask: “How do you know the
parts are fourths?” A correct answer should mention both three selected parts
and four equal parts in the whole. Use any drawings with unequal sections to
plan a short reteaching group.
