Fractions and a Freebie

I love math.  I always try to teach my students that understanding math is kind of like comprehension in reading.  In reading if you are just saying the words and not understanding what you are reading, your are just word calling. In math it is much the same.  If you can compute numbers but really can't interpret data or graphs, apply  math strategies and skills, or solve word problems, you are just computing and not understanding math. In math, it seems that the emphasis is put on computation skills too often and the students do not use their higher level thinking skills enough.  I often create word problems that make the students understand the terminology and apply their skills and knowledge. I tell my students that need to "know" math.  How are numbers and operations all related?  We are now studying fractions. I asked my class, How are fractions related to money or telling time?  They looked at me like I was crazy. We talked about the clock and how it was a circle and when you cut it half or quarters we use the same terminology in fractions and in telling time. In money we have a quarter and it represents 1/4 of a dollar.  I think when kids begin to see the relationship of fractions, money, and telling time, they really understand the terms such as "quarter" or "half" and now they are "knowing" math. Not just computing.

Well, I saw this cute fraction pizza on Pinterest by Amy Lemons at Step Into Second Grade Blog. I just had to make them with my class.  The kids loved it.  As you can see by the pictures below, some like to load up their pizza, while others were very careful about the amounts they put on each piece. Here is my recipe for a Perfect Pizza in our class:

6/6 cheese

5/6 pepperoni

4/6 sausage

3/6 green peppers

2/6 mushrooms

1/6 onions

I think I will let them make their own pizza and pick their own ingredients tomorrow.

Here's a little freebie about fractions that I just made tonight.  It would work great at a math center.  Students have to count the eggs and answer the questions in a fraction.  You can grab it free at my TPT Store.

Click here to grab it FREE!