Fractions - Recognise a quarter - Planning

In the Year 2 curriculum, a lesson on fractions introduces students to the concept of a quarter. The objective is for children to recognise and understand quarters as they relate to shapes, objects, and quantities. The lesson is structured with a starter activity to recap previous learning, class teaching input, independent learning tasks, and a concluding plenary. The teaching resources provided include differentiated activity sheets, teaching slides, scissors, and concrete resources to facilitate hands-on learning. Key vocabulary terms such as 'whole', 'part', 'fraction', 'numerator', 'denominator', and 'quarter(s)' are central to the lesson, with vocabulary cards and definitions available to support understanding.

During the lesson, children engage in partner work to discuss and articulate their understanding of quarters, using full sentences to explain their reasoning. Through a series of presentations, they learn to identify and notate quarters, with the numerator representing the number of parts shaded and the denominator indicating the total number of equal parts. The children are encouraged to explore different scenarios where shapes are divided into quarters, recognising that if the parts are not equal, the division does not represent a quarter. Reasoning and problem-solving activities challenge students to fold paper strips into equal parts and consider whether a triangle can be divided into four equal sections. The lesson concludes with a reflective 'Give me five' activity, where students consider what they have learned, the skills they have used, and any challenges they faced, ensuring they remember the key concepts of identifying a quarter. Differentiated worksheets cater to varying levels of understanding, from recognising quarters in simple four-part shapes to identifying and shading quarters in more complex divisions.