Fractions - Graph paper - Practical Maths Activity

The bar model serves as a highly effective tool for teaching fractions, offering a visual bridge that connects hands-on learning with pictorial representation. This practical maths activity involves drawing bars, which can be done neatly using a ruler or graph paper to ensure precision. By dividing these bars into different segments, children can visualize various fractions and their respective sizes. This method is particularly useful for comparing fractions, as it clearly illustrates how different fractions can be equivalent when they are compared to bars of the same length.

Children are encouraged to actively participate by creating their own fraction bars. They practice marking and labeling the segments with the correct fractions, reinforcing their understanding of how fractions represent parts of a whole. The required equipment for this activity is simple and accessible: pens, plain paper, and graph paper. The activity aligns with the National Curriculum objectives for Year 2, where students are expected to recognize, find, name, and write fractions such as 1/3, 1/4, 2/4, and 3/4 of a length, shape, set of objects, or quantity. They also learn to write simple fractions, like 1/2 of 6 = 3, and to understand the concept of equivalent fractions, recognizing that 2/4 is the same as 1/2.