Fractions - Unit fractions - Planning

In a Year 2 lesson focused on fractions, specifically unit fractions, children explore the concept of one equal part of a whole. The lesson begins with a starter activity that encourages pupils to recall previous knowledge about fractions, particularly halves, thirds, and quarters. The teaching input emphasises the importance of recognising unit fractions, where only one part of a divided shape or quantity is highlighted, illustrating fractions such as ½, 1/3, and ¼. The children learn that the denominator of a fraction tells us into how many parts the whole is divided, while the numerator indicates how many of those parts are being considered.

Through a series of interactive activities, students observe patterns in fractions; as the denominator increases, the size of the fraction decreases. These activities also extend to applying fractions to quantities, using bar models to visualize splitting objects into groups. Reasoning and problem-solving tasks challenge the children to represent fractions in different ways, understand the concept of unit fractions, and compare the size of unit fractions when the whole is consistent. The plenary encourages reflection on what has been learned, the skills used, and how to remember the day's lesson. Differentiated sheets provide varying levels of support and complexity, tailored to the children's understanding, from those working towards expectations to those demonstrating greater depth in their comprehension of fractions.