Fractions for 7 yr old child

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mh1
Posts: 100
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:48 pm

Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by mh1 »

Dear All

My child has worksheet age appropriate for 6-7 yr olds on fractions.

In total there are only 6 questions with pictures of flowers, animals etc. and the objective is to "colour 1/3 and write how many"

1/3 0f 9 is (9 pictures of butterflies)
1/3 of 12 is (12 pictures of balls)
1/3 of 6 is (6 pictures.. shown)
1/3 of 3 is (3 pictures..)
1/3 of 15 is (15 pictures...)
1/3 of 18 is (18 pictures....)

I'm having difficulty in explaining how to complete this worksheet to my child. Whats is the most effective/simplist way I can communicate how to tackle simple fractions to a 7 year old.

Help appreciated.

Thank you
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by yoyo123 »

I would use counters or beans and explain that the line means divided by.
The number on the bottom is the denominator which tells us how many to share it by.

1/3 of 9: 9 counters, divide into three groups. Etc, she needs to colour 3 petals. Start by doing this then move on to trying to work out answer and check it using the counters etc.

Is she familiar with the idea of fractions? Maybe you could go back to basics and cut a piece of paper into thirds :1 whole divided by 3.

There are some good fraction games online too.

Try
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent. ... aths/index" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.mathsisfun.com/fractions-menu.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by ToadMum »

mh1 wrote:Dear All

My child has worksheet age appropriate for 6-7 yr olds on fractions.

In total there are only 6 questions with pictures of flowers, animals etc. and the objective is to "colour 1/3 and write how many"

1/3 0f 9 is (9 pictures of butterflies)
1/3 of 12 is (12 pictures of balls)
1/3 of 6 is (6 pictures.. shown)
1/3 of 3 is (3 pictures..)
1/3 of 15 is (15 pictures...)
1/3 of 18 is (18 pictures....)

I'm having difficulty in explaining how to complete this worksheet to my child. Whats is the most effective/simplist way I can communicate how to tackle simple fractions to a 7 year old.

Help appreciated.

Thank you
First question - have you asked your DC whether s/he has done this at school (mine are all rather older and I have no idea what is taught when now in infant school, but if the sheet is 'age appropriate', presumably it covers stuff from the year 2 syllabus?) and the method his / her teacher told them to use?

Totally non maths teacher suggestion - write '1...' 2'...'3'... on pictures in turn, then colour in all the '1's and count them?

(Crossed with a faster typist!)
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by yoyo123 »

1/2, 1/4, 3/4 and 1/3 in Ks1.

http://www.primarycurriculum.me.uk/year ... Fractions-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So should have been covered, I like toadmum's idea of writing number on petals etc.

Get your child to look at denominator, tell you how many equal parts it means and then write the numbers.

Some children find frictions a difficult concept, so lots and lots of practice.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by Amber »

Why is a 7-year old doing fractions worksheets in the summer holidays? Has the school set this? Sad. :?
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by kenyancowgirl »

+1 Amber....

If you MUST make her sit down and do worksheets (which I promise will make no jot of difference to an 11+ exam at the age of 7) then why not try and do it in a more fun way? Bake a cake and divide it up and ask her how many slices can she eat before she has eaten a third etc....make the exercise about the cake baking and the fun eating and less about the maths. Better still, go outside and find some real butterflies and flowers and marvel at their wonder.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by Guest55 »

+ million

A practical approach to sharing out anything is much more fun - fractions are a difficult concept and using 'things' is a better foundation than writing on paper.

Sharing out shells, strawberries, marbles etc, especially amongst a group of children, will 'stick' in the memory.

Have a look here too but don't use as worksheets, use the ideas in a practical way.

http://nrich.maths.org/content/id/5540/preview/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by yoyo123 »

Best fraction lesson ever our year 5 teacher baked a massive gooey chocolate cake and divided it up
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by moved »

Grouping in 3s and selecting 1 of each group. It reinforces the relationship between division and fractions as well as showing division as grouping.
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Fractions for 7 yr old child

Post by yoyo123 »

3 Cakes, take one..you have to love maths!

And it just gets better, 9 cakes take 3
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