Studying fractions, part 3

If you are just joining us on our adventures, you can check out these other posts about how to teach fractions to kids using the Montessori method:  part 1 and part 2.

Aikman loves command cards.  In fact, it really doesn’t matter what is the subject of the command card, he LOVES the aspect of doing and completing the cards.  I was quite excited when I discovered that Montessori Print Shop has fraction cards and labels. 

Since we have already worked so much on naming the parts of a whole using just our fraction circle manipulatives, I did not print off the 3 part cards from the set above.  Instead, I printed the label cards, which we are using as command cards.

As you see, he sets out the fraction circles box as well as the command cards on the table.  Then he draws a card and builds it. 

As I walked past a bit later, I noticed that a new command card had been added…

I guess he had not found the the card he was wanting to build.    (Did you spot the addition to the set?)

 

 

At one point as he was exploring, I overheard him say, “Wow, Mom, 5/10 is the same as 1/2.” 

Oh my!  I guess I need to start looking into the equivalent fractions presentations… eek!  Later, he also discovered that 4/8 is also equivalent to 1/2, so he placed an extra 1/2 below it so that he could clearly see that they were the same.

 

Think I’m teaching fractions too young?  Well, it’s entirely possible to teach the basics to the primary age.  In fact, over the past few weeks at our co-op classes, I’ve been doing just that, and amazingly, every single kid “gets it,” including a 3 year old, AND a 4 year old!  Wow, were their parents’ surprised to hear them rattling off fractions!

So, have you introduced fractions yet?

 

 

I’m linking up to Montessori Monday and Math Monday.