Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Parts of a whole and equivalent fractions (1)

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson from Max Maths, students explore the concept of 'Parts of a whole and equivalent fractions' through a relatable scenario involving sharing food. The lesson begins with a practical example where Jade buys a pizza to share with Toby, and the pizza is cut into five equal slices. To understand the fraction of the pizza Toby eats, students are taught that one slice represents one-fifth of the pizza, written as 1/5. Therefore, when Toby eats two slices, he has consumed two-fifths of the pizza, which is represented by the fraction 2/5. This simple, real-life context helps students grasp the idea of fractions representing parts of a whole.

To further aid comprehension, the lesson includes a visual model that illustrates the concept of fractions. The model depicts a whole pizza divided into five equal parts, with each part labelled as 1/5. This visual representation reinforces the understanding that Toby's two slices equate to two of these five parts, or 2/5 of the entire pizza. By using a tangible example of a pizza and a clear visual model, the lesson makes the abstract concept of fractions more concrete and accessible for Year 4 students, enabling them to see how fractions can be used to describe quantities in everyday situations.