Fraction Flowers
Common Core Standard:
Reason with shapes and their attributes.
2.G.3 Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares using
the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds,
four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.
Standards for Mathematical Practice:
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
4. Model with mathematics
5. Use appropriate tools strategically
6. Attend to precision
Student Outcomes:
• I can partition a circle into halves, thirds and fourths.
• I can describe the whole flower as two halves, three thirds, four fourths.
Materials:
• 18” x 12” white paper for each student
• Precut circles in a variety of colors—diameter of the circles about 3inches
• Scraps of paper
Advance Preparation:
• Use a die cut or other way of cutting circles to cut 3-4 circles for each student
• Student should have previous experiences with partitioning circles into two, three, or four equal shares.
• Vocabulary to use during the lesson: partition, half, third, fourth, halves, thirds, half of,
a third of, a quarter of.
Directions:
1. Explain that they are going to create a garden of flowers. Their flowers will be circles that
are partitioned into halves, thirds or fourths.
2. Talk about ways to cut the circles into halves, thirds and fourths. Have students demonstrate
partitioning the circles. Demonstrate with circles.
3. They will use the partitioned parts to create flowers. Examples: one flower could be one half
yellow, one half pink. Another flower could be one half yellow, one fourth blue, one fourth purple.
4. After making flowers, glue the flowers on the paper and add stems, leaves and other things
to the picture using scrap paper.
5. Label the flowers with the appropriate words. An example, one flower might be labeled one
third pink, two thirds yellow, and the whole flower is three thirds.
• After students have completed the flower pictures, reconvene the whole class. Show
two pictures. Ask students to talk about each picture using the vocabulary: partition,
half, third, fourth, halves, thirds, half of, a third of, a quarter of. The vocabulary can
be listed on the board/chart paper.
6. After modeling the discussion, pair students. Each student describes his/her partner’s flowers.
NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
89
SECOND GRADE
Questions to Pose:
Before:
• How could we partition this circle into halves?
• How could we partition this circle into thirds?
• How could we partition this circle into fourths?
• How do we know we have partitioned the circles equally?
• If a flower is one half red and one half blue how much of the circle have we used?
During:
• As students are making flowers ask how do you know this is one third?, one half?, one fourth?
• If the circles are the same size, ask, “Which is larger one third or one fourth?
• How did you figure out how to cut this circle into fourths?, thirds?, halves?
After:
• Which flower shows one fourth red?
• If we changed this half to fourths how would the flower change?
• How is one fourth of a flower like one fourth of a dollar?
Possible Misconceptions/Suggestions
Possible Misconceptions
Students do not make equivalent fractions
equal.
Students may have difficulty-cutting circles
into thirds.
Suggestions
Have students lay the pieces together and
compare sizes.
Have students make thirds on the geoboard.
Have them look at the geoboard to help them
determine how to cut the paper circle. Some
students relate the third to the “peace sign” or an
upside down Y.
Special Notes:
These websites have additional tasks:
• Mr. Zed’s Cake is a geoboard task:
http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/support-files/mr-zeds-cakes.pdf
• Additional geoboard tasks:
http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/support-files/geoboard-fourths-2g3.pdf
http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/support-files/geoboard-fourths-2g3.pdf
Solutions:
NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
90
SECOND GRADE