Designed by: Deborah West, A. C. Moore Elementary

1) CORE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE(S):  - Compare and order fractions using manipulatives and pictorial representations. (1NR5-2)

2) OVERVIEW: The students will read and discuss "food fractions" in Eating Fractions. Students will use manipulatives (cookies) to demonstrate (halves and fourths) fractions and determine which is larger.

3) FOCUS/ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S): How can you use manipulatives to compare fractions? Can you use manipulatives to show 1/2 and 1/4? Which is larger - 1/2 or 1/4?

4) TIME FRAME: One period, approximately forty minutes

5) RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan (Scholastic, Inc., New York, (c) 1991).
2 sugar cookies for each student
1 spreader (plastic/wood stick) per student
1 can icing (strawberry is fun!)
math journals
pencils/crayons
1 paper plate for each student
2 M & M's for each child

6) CULMINATING ASSESSMENT: Teacher observation/checklist of students' ability to correctly divide cookies into halves, fourths.

Teacher observation/checklist of students' ability to correctly identify larger of 2 fractions.

Journal entry - Students will illustrate cookies and show 1/2 cookie and 1/4 cookie. Students will describe the method of cutting cookies into halves/fourths, and explain which fraction is larger.

Score journals as follows:

7) INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Teacher will engage students in reading/discussing Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan. (Optional: have available banana, muffin, and tarts to demonstrate cutting foods that are shown in the book.

Distribute plates, 2 cookies, and spreader to each child. Put spoonful of strawberry icing on the side of each plate.

Teacher will model cutting the first cookie into 2 equal pieces. Students cut.

Say: "Boys and girls, how many pieces of this cookie do you have?" (2) "Let's put icing on one of those 2 pieces." (Model icing 1/2, students spread icing). "Each piece is now one half"." (Write 1/2 on the board). Say: "Now let's cut your second cookie. (Model cutting second cookie into 4 equal pieces." Students cut.) "How many pieces of this cookie do you have?" (4) "Let's put icing on 1 of those 4 pieces."

As students ice cookies, circulate and ask questions about: "Which one is 1/2? Which one is 1/4? Which fraction does this show?" Mark checklist. Have students use M & M's' to answer next question. "Which cookie piece is larger, 1/2 or 1/4? Put the M & M's on the largest fraction cookie." (Observe/check students who recognize greater fraction.) "Remember, we want to eat the larger one. Which fraction would you want to eat?" This activity can be extended - put another M & M on the smaller fraction. Question: "How many halves can we eat? How many fourths can we eat?" Students EAT cookies!!!

Distribute math journals. Give these directions: "Draw the cookies in your journal. Show how you cut the cookies to make 1/2 or 1/4. Label the cookies. Write a story to tell about the cookies and how you know which one is larger."

The concept of larger fractions can, in future lessons, be related back to: remember the cookies? Which would you rather eat? (1/3 or 1/4; 1/3 or 1/2, etc.).