Fractions - Equivalence of a half and two quarters - Presentation

In today's mathematics lesson focused on fractions, students will delve into the concept of equivalence, particularly examining how one half (1/2) is equivalent to two quarters (2/4). The lesson begins with a discussion to understand what equivalence means and where students might have encountered this term before. To explore the idea practically, students will use two identical strips of paper, folding them to create two and four equal parts respectively. This hands-on activity is designed to visually demonstrate the equivalence between one half and two quarters of the same whole. Students are encouraged to observe and discuss their findings, further cementing the understanding of fractional equivalence.

Following the initial activity, students progress to shading tasks where they shade one half and two quarters of various shapes, again reinforcing the concept that these two fractions represent the same amount. The lesson also includes reasoning exercises, such as determining if two children receive the same number of sweets when one is given half and the other two quarters of a total amount. Additional activities involve using counters or concrete objects to find halves and quarters, and building towers with yellow and red cubes to visually represent equivalence. The lesson concludes with independent work where students shade fractions to show equivalence and write explanations of their observations, ensuring a thorough grasp of how different fractions can represent the same portion of a whole.