Fractions - Find a quarter of a quantity - Starter

In this engaging Year 1 mathematics session, part of the Summer Term's Week 6 Day 3 curriculum, students are introduced to the concept of fractions, specifically how to find a quarter of a quantity. The lesson starts with a 'Fluent in Four' revision exercise that helps students practice their addition skills by solving problems such as "Twelve plus five and one equals" and "Six plus thirteen equals." This warm-up activity primes the children's numerical understanding and prepares them for the main task of the day.

The core activity of the lesson involves a practical and visual approach to fractions. Students are instructed to use a ruler to divide various shapes into four equal parts and then colour in one of the quarters, giving them a concrete understanding of what a quarter represents. The shapes include cuboids, cylinders, pyramids, cubes, spheres, and cones. They are tasked with counting and recording the number of each shape they have. Additionally, the lesson includes a 'Fill in the missing numbers' exercise to strengthen the children's number sequencing skills. They are asked to identify the numbers that are one less and one more than a given number, further reinforcing their understanding of number order and the relationship between consecutive numbers.