Fractions Sometimes Always Never

The 'Sometimes, Always, Never' activity is an interactive teaching resource designed for Year 3 students to deepen their understanding of fractions. It presents a series of statements about fractions that students must categorise as either 'sometimes true', 'always true', or 'never true'. This activity encourages critical thinking as children are prompted to justify their reasoning by finding examples or counterexamples. Teachers are advised to guide students in exploring the conditions that make 'sometimes' statements true and to challenge them to rephrase these statements to make them unequivocally 'always true' or 'never true'. This serves as an excellent way to start lessons, engaging students in discussions that utilise mathematical vocabulary and concepts.

The series of statements covers various aspects of fractions, prompting discussions on whether a fraction is equal to one half only when the denominator is double the numerator, or if equal parts are necessarily the same size. Other statements for consideration include whether a fraction always has a numerator of 1, if a fraction can have only one equivalent fraction, and the correct methods for comparing and subtracting fractions. Students are also asked to think about whether the numerator represents the division of the whole, if fractions are always less than 1, or if the denominator is always 10 or less. Finally, they explore the condition that makes a fraction equal to 1 whole, which is when the numerator and denominator are identical. This exercise not only reinforces factual knowledge but also fosters a deeper comprehension of the principles behind fractions.