About Fraction Skittles Fraction Skittles Material Description The Fraction Skittles are four large wooden skittles that are used to introduce and sensorially explore the concept of fractions from one whole to four fourths. The skittles, which are sometimes called the Large Fraction Skittles, are about 6 inches (15 cm) high. The wood is highly polished and the skittles are smooth to the touch. The first skittle is whole and undivided. The second skittle is divided into two equal parts, or halves, and its inner faces are red. The third skittle is divided into thirds, and its inner faces are orange. The last skittle is divided into fourths, and its inner faces are green. The real meaning of the word fractions, operations in fractions, the reduction of common fractions to decimal fractions all of this is made clear in the child s mind. Maria Montessori, The Advanced Montessori Method II, p. 260. The Fraction Skittles are stored together on a wooden stand or tray that is inset with four circles to fit the bases of the skittles. Discovering More The Fraction Skittles are the first Montessori material the child works with to learn about fractions. Working with the Fraction Skittles, the child learns through sensorial exploration that a fraction is an equal part of the whole. The Fraction Skittles are stored together on a wooden stand
Cutting an Apple: A Concrete Introduction to Fractions Before children are presented with the Fraction Skittles, Montessori teachers often present another simple, concrete presentation that builds on the children s indirect experience of fractions through practical life activities. The activity focuses on the familiar and delicious activity of sharing an apple with friends. The teacher usually presents the activity to a group of four children. She begins by showing the children the whole apple and discussing how it can be shared among them. She cuts the apple into two equal pieces, or halves, so the apple can be shared between two children. She then demonstrates how cutting the apple in half again results in four equal pieces, or fourths. She ends the presentation by sharing the four fourths with the children, giving them both a tasty treat and a concrete experience of fractions. The Fraction Skittles look like larger versions of the skittles the child used in the Stamp Game for multiplication and division. Understanding something new with a material that seems familiar makes the learning easier for the child. Prior to the introduction of the Fraction Skittles, the child has experienced fractions in an indirect manner. In everyday language, the child learns about sharing and dividing portions equally. In practical life, she learns to share food into equal servings and measure when working on a task such as baking cookies. In science, fractions are presented indirectly when ingredients must be measured in fractions for activities such as forming a chemical reaction. In math, the child learns about fractions indirectly through division and sharing quantities equally. Future Learning In the lower elementary classroom, students work with the Fraction Skittles as review work and to gain a more concrete understanding of the concept. In the upper elementary environment, Fraction Skittles are used to introduce fractional divisors (1/2, 1/3, and 1/4) in division equations. In the Montessori elementary environment, Fraction Skittles are used to represent fractional divisors
Activity Introducing Fractions with the Fraction Skittles Age 5 6 years old Direct Aims To become familiar with the names and quantities of whole, halves, thirds, and fourths. To learn about fractions. Indirect Aim To sensorially experience the division of one. Control of Error The teacher. The colored inner faces of the skittles. Introducing fractions with the Fraction Skittles Purpose To help a child become familiar with the names and quantities of fractions from whole to fourths. Material Fraction Skittles. Presentation Invite a child to the math shelf to introduce the Fraction Skittles. Ask her to carefully carry the Fraction Skittles to the table. Points of Interest Seeing the colors on the inner faces of the skittles. Putting the skittles together to form a whole. Vocabulary Fraction. Whole. Half/halves. Third(s). Fourth(s). Note The term quarters is introduced in later activities.
Teacher tracing the circular base of the whole Fraction Skittle Place the Fraction Skittles at the top of the table with the whole skittle on the left and the fourths skittle on the right. Remove the skittles from the stand from left to right, placing them on the table in a row below the stand. Move the stand to the top right side of the table. Starting on the left-hand side, move the first skittle toward you slightly. Point to the skittle and name it: This is one whole. Invite the child to repeat the name. Using your non-dominant hand, pick up the skittle and turn it over so the child can see the base. Trace the edge of the circular base with the two primary fingers of your dominant hand, moving counterclockwise. As you do so, say again, One whole. Return the skittle to the table and invite the child to explore it. Ask her to return the skittle to its place on the table when she is finished. Move the second skittle toward you slightly. Move the two halves of the skittle apart so the child can see the red inner faces. Child exploring the whole Fraction Skittle Teacher showing the child the red inner faces of the Fraction Skittle for halves
Pointing to each piece in turn, say, This is one half, and this is one half. Invite the child to name the fractions. Count the pieces aloud as you point to them: One, two. Push the two pieces together and say, Together, the two halves make one whole. Using your non-dominant hand, pick up the skittle and turn it over so the child can see the base. Trace the bottom edge of each half with the two primary fingers of your dominant hand, showing the child that the base is divided into two pieces. Then, trace the whole circular base, showing her that the two halves together form a whole. Return the skittle to the table and invite the child to explore it, encouraging her to move the pieces apart and then put them back together. Ask her to return the skittle to its place on the table when she is finished. Repeat the steps with the thirds skittle and the fourths skittle. When the child is finished exploring the Fraction Skittles, ask her to return the material to the shelf. Tell the child that she is now free to work with the Fraction Skittles in the same manner. Child putting three thirds together to form one whole Child discovering through exploration that the fourths are all the same size Three-Period Lesson Perform with relevant vocabulary. Extensions Assembling the Fraction Skittles Invite the child to work with the Fraction Skittles in a different way. Remove the skittles from the stand from left to right, and move the stand to the top right side of the table. Take the skittles apart and place the pieces randomly on the table with the colors of the inner faces toward you. Scan the Fraction Skittles to find the whole skittle. Place it on the left side of the table. Assembling the Fraction Skittles
Scan the Fraction Skittles to find the red halves. Select the left half first and place it to the right of the whole skittle. Place the right half next to the left half and show the child how to put the two halves together to form one whole. Repeat with the thirds skittle and the fourths skittle, inviting the child to take over when she is ready to do so. Matching Fraction Skittles to Fraction Cards Child putting the two halves together to form a whole skittle Child putting the four fourths together to form a whole skittle Matching Fraction Skittles to Fraction Cards Lay out of Fraction Cards in the first presentation: one whole, one half, one third, and one fourth Invite the child to match the Fraction Skittles to Fraction Cards (see end of activity). Place the Fraction Skittles at the top of the table. Lay out the Fraction Cards below the stand. For the first presentation, use only the cards showing one part of the fraction: one whole, one half, one third, and one fourth. Remove the skittles from the stand from left to right, and place the pieces randomly on the table below the Fraction Cards. Orient the skittles so that the colored inner faces are toward you. Move the stand to the top right side of the table. Find the skittle that matches the first card, one whole, and place it on the card so that it covers the image. Say to the child, One whole. Find the skittle piece that matches the second card, one half. Place the piece on the card so that it covers the image. Say to the child, One half. Continue in the same manner to find skittle pieces that match the card for one third and one fourth. On another day, repeat the extension using the four Fraction Cards showing one whole, two halves, three thirds, and four fourths. When the child is ready, invite her to work with the remaining Fraction Cards: two thirds, two fourths, and three fourths. Lay out of Fraction Cards in the second presentation: one whole, two halves, three thirds, and four fourths
3-6 Math: Fraction Cards NAMC North American Montessori Center
The symbol in the bottom right-hand corner can be used as a reminder of how to orient the cards when laying them out on the work area. 3-6 Math: Fraction Cards NAMC North American Montessori Center
The symbol in the bottom right-hand corner can be used as a reminder of how to orient the cards when laying them out on the work area. 3-6 Math: Fraction Cards NAMC North American Montessori Center
The symbol in the bottom right-hand corner can be used as a reminder of how to orient the cards when laying them out on the work area. 3-6 Math: Fraction Cards NAMC North American Montessori Center