Max Maths, Year 2, Learn together, Unit fractions (1)

In an engaging lesson from the Max Maths curriculum for Year 2, children learn about unit fractions through a hands-on activity. The lesson begins with a simple and fun exercise where each child is asked to take a square piece of paper and fold it in half. This visual and tactile approach helps students to understand the concept of fractions in a very concrete way. Once the paper is unfolded, it reveals two equal parts, providing a clear representation of the whole being divided into sections.

After the folding activity, children are instructed to colour one of the two equal parts blue. By doing so, they can visually see that they have coloured one out of the two equal parts, which is effectively one-half of the square. This fraction is written numerically as 1/2, and it is explained that this represents one out of the two equal parts of the square. The lesson further clarifies that when both parts are coloured, which is written as 2/2, it signifies that two halves make up one whole. This interactive method of teaching fractions makes it easier for young learners to grasp the concept of unit fractions and their relation to whole numbers.