2015 Placement: task 5- Unit of Work

Unit Overview
Unit title:
Exploring Fractions
Content maths area:
Fractions
Grade:
Grade 1 & 2
Learning Focus (ideas extrapolated from AusVELS):
The unit of work sits within the content strand of numbers and algebra, and sub-strand
of fractions and decimals. The learning focus will involve the exploration of fractions,
requiring students to recognise and describe one-half as one of two equal parts of a
whole and recognise and interpret common uses of halves, quarters and eights of
shapes and collections. All proficiency strands (understanding, fluency, problem solving
and reasoning) will be of focus as the four proficiencies must be experience across all
content areas for students to become proficient users of mathematics.
Rationale:
Students are required to begin learning about fractions in the early years. It is important
for the concept of fractions to be introduced early. Therefore, this unit of work will focus
on fractions, requiring students to learn how to recognise halves and quarter of
fractions.
Assumed prior knowledge of students:
Students are only in grades one and two so they have had limited experiences so far
with fractions. This units aim is to introduce students to fractions and focus on the
halves and quarters.
Grouping strategies to support learning:
Students will be working individually for most of the tasks throughout this unit of work.
However, there will be some tasks that will require them to work in pairs, this will allow
them to explore the fractions as part of a team with extra support.
Overview of assessment:
To strengthen students understandings, a number of anecdotal records and work
samples will be collected after each lesson to help inform the next. At the end of the unit
of work a post assessment test will be conducted to see how much the students
knowledge has grown.

MATHEMATICS UNIT PLANNER

Topic: Fractions

Year Level: 1&2

Term: 4

Week: 8-9

Date: 22/11/2015

Key mathematical understandings

Key AusVELS Focus / Standard (taken directly from AusVELS documents):
Content strand(s):
Number and Algebra
Measurement and Geometry
Statistics and Probability
Sub-strand(s): Fractions and Decimals

1. Understand that a half in split into two equal parts.

2. Understand that a quarter is split into four equal parts
3. Understand the bottom of a fraction tell you how many parts it in
split into and the top tell you how many pieces are taken or
shaded.

Level descriptions:

Recognise and describe one-half as one of two equal parts of a

whole. (ACMNA016)
Recognise and interpret common uses of halves, quarters and eighths of shapes
and collections(ACMNA033)

Key skills to develop and practise

Key equipment / resources:

1. Justify their thinking.

Kinder squares

2. Use multiple strategies.

Matching games

3. Make connections to different fractions.

Dice game

4. Recognise fractions represented in different ways.

Worksheets

Key vocabulary
Equal
Half
Quarter
Shared
Divided
Fraction

Learning
strategies/ skills

Key probing questions

1. What is a fraction?
2. Why do we need to count the total number of parts to know what the fraction will be?
3. How can we tell the difference between a half and a third?
4. How do you know what number needs to go on the bottom and which needs to go on the top?

Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Co-operating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating

Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying

Listening
Locating information
Making choices
Note taking
Observing
Ordering events
Organising

Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning

Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising

Seeing patterns
Selecting information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising

Testing
Viewing
Visually representing
Working independently
Working to a timetable

MATHEMATIC
AL
FOCUS

TUNING IN
(WHOLE CLASS
FOCUS)

Session 1
Students are
learning what
fractions are,
exploring a
whole, half,
third and
quarter.

Brainstorm on the
board what students
know about fractions.

Session 2
Students are
matching the
different
fractions to the
correct
headings.

Draw some squares

on the board and
model how to split
them into different
fractions. Discuss the
parts and what
fractions they make
when parts are
shaded.

Session 3
Students are
learning how to
recognise
different
fractions using
fraction circles.

Play a short fraction

clip on the interactive
white board. Fractions
for 2nd Grade KidsPartitioning Shapes
into Halves and
Thirds, 4:39.
https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?
v=6ooKWyPI0i4

INVESTIGATIONS
SESSION
(INDEPENDENT
LEARNING)

REFLECTION &
MAKING
CONNECTIONS
SESSION
(WHOLE CLASS
FOCUS)

ADAPTATIONS

ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES

Hand out four different

coloured kinder
squares to every
student. Have the
students cut them out
one at a time into a
halves, thirds and
quarters, keeping one
square as a whole,
label the squares as
they go.
Students play the
fraction matching
game. They must
match the correct
drawing of the fraction
to the correct heading.

Have students discuss

what they discovered
about the fractions
they cut out. Discuss
that a half always has
two parts, a third
always three parts,
and quarter is always
four parts.

Students that finish

early can make sure
they have labelled all
their kinder squares
correctly and write a
sentence of what they
have learnt today.

Work samples will be

collected, while
observational notes
will be taken to see
how well students
follow instructions
when cutting the
kinder squares.

Discuss the matching

game and the fraction
that wouldnt fit
underneath any of the
headings, discuss
why.

Students that finish

early can draw their
own fractions and
shade it in.

Work samples will be

collected, while
observational notes
will be taken during
the matching activity
to see how well the
students can match
the fractions to the
correct heading.

Students play the

Fraction Race Game.
Then complete the
Colourful Fraction
Circles worksheet.

Bring the students

back to the floor and
ask them to share
something they have
learnt today about
factions.

Students that finish

early will draw their
own squares and
shade it in, then write
the fraction correctly
next to the drawing.
This will be done in
their workbooks.

Work samples will be

collected, while
observational notes
will be taken during
the Fraction Race
game.

Session 4
Students are
learning how to
recognise
different
fractions using
kinder squares.

Discuss the first

lesson on fractions
when the kinder
squares were used,
reflect on the different
factions we cut out.

Students will collect

eight different
coloured kinder
squares. They will cut
them in half four
different ways, then in
quarters four different
ways then discuss
what they notice about
them.

Bring the students

back to the floor and
have a discussion on
what they noticed
about the kinder
squares they cut.
Discuss similarities
between the half and
quarters and if they
are cut differently are
they still the same.

Students that finish

early will continue on
drawing their own
squares and shade it
in, then write the
fraction correctly next
to the drawing. This
will be done in their
workbooks and
continued from the
previous lesson.

Work samples will be

collected, while
observational notes
will be taken to see
how well students
follow instructions
when cutting the
kinder squares.

Note: they will not be

told what each kinder
square was cut into.
Session 5
Students are
learning how to
recognise and
draw different
fractions.

Recall the fraction

game. Discuss what
they had to do during
the game.

In workbooks students
will roll a dice and
draw the two numbers
on the dice in the
workbooks. Next to
this, students will write
it as a fraction. Then
students must draw a
picture next to this
representing the
fraction.

Bring the students

back to the floor and
ask them to share
something new they
have learnt today
about factions.

Students that finish

early may continue to
see how many
different fractions they
can make or complete
any unfinished fraction
worksheets.

Work samples will be

collected of the
activity the complete
in their workbooks.
They will be
assessed on how
they can correctly
write a fraction and
draw it.

Session 6
Students are
showing what
they have
learning through
a post
assessment.

Show students the

assessment sheet,
explain the questions
to them and what they
are asking.

Hand the assessment

sheets out to the
students and have
them complete them
individually at their
tables.

Bring students back to

the floor and have a
discussion about what
they now know about
fractions.

A fraction colouring in
sheet will be provided
for students to
complete once they
have finished the
assessment.

Post assessments
will be collected and
marked to see how
much the students
have learnt over the
unit of work.