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Introducing Fractions
Key Ideas
Until recently, students were first introduced to fractions around year 1. With recent changes to the Australian mathematics curriculum, however, fractions are now being taught to students in year 2 with the first content descriptor being:
Recognise and describe one-half as one of 2 equal parts of a whole and connect halves, quarters, and eighths through repeated halving
The most important thing to note about this content descriptor is the focus on the one-half. When students master the half, they can then transfer this skill into every other fraction. The following video discusses the fraction three-quarters and the explicit ways to introduce a fraction to students.
Links to external websites:
Fraction principles addressed:
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Representing one-half
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Area models
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Part-whole
Content descriptions addressed:
Year 2
AC9M2N03
recognise and describe one-half as one of 2 equal parts of a whole and connect halves, quarters, and eighths through repeated halving
Fraction principles addressed:
-
Representing one-half
-
Set/discrete models
-
Part-whole
Content descriptions addressed:
Year 2
AC9M2N03
recognise and describe one-half as one of 2 equal parts of a whole and connect halves, quarters, and eighths through repeated halving
Fraction principles addressed:
-
Representing different fractions
-
Area models
-
Part-whole
Content descriptions addressed:
Year 2
recognise and describe one-half as one of 2 equal parts of a whole and connect halves, quarters, and eighths through repeated halving
Year 3
recognise and represent unit fractions including 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, and 1/10 and their multiples in different ways; combine fractions with the same denominator to complete the whole.
Fraction principles addressed:
-
Representing different fractions
-
Area models
-
Part-whole
Content descriptions addressed:
Year 2
AC9M2N03
recognise and describe one-half as one of 2 equal parts of a whole and connect halves, quarters, and eighths through repeated halving
Year 3
AC9M3N02
recognise and represent unit fractions including 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, and 1/10 and their multiples in different ways; combine fractions with the same denominator to complete the whole.
Fraction principles addressed:
-
Representing different fractions
-
Volume models
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Part-whole
Content descriptions addressed:
Year 2
recognise and describe one-half as one of 2 equal parts of a whole and connect halves, quarters, and eighths through repeated halving
Year 3
recognise and represent unit fractions including 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, and 1/10 and their multiples in different ways; combine fractions with the same denominator to complete the whole.
Fraction principles addressed:
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Representing fractions on a number line
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Number lines
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Sequencing of fractions
Content descriptions addressed:
Year 3
AC9M3N02
recognise and represent unit fractions including 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, and 1/10 and their multiples in different ways; combine fractions with the same denominator to complete the whole.
Year 4
count by fractions including mixed numerals; locate and represent these fractions as numbers on number lines
Fraction principles addressed:
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Finding fractions
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Fractions as a measure
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Part-whole
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Number lines
Content descriptions addressed:
Year 3
AC9M3N02
recognise and represent unit fractions including 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, and 1/10 and their multiples in different ways; combine fractions with the same denominator to complete the whole.
Year 4
find equivalent representations of fractions using related denominators and make connections between fractions and decimal notation.
AC9M4N04
count by fractions including mixed numerals; locate and represent these fractions as numbers on number lines.
Year 5
compare and order fractions with the same and related denominators including mixed numerals, applying knowledge of factors and multiples; represent these fractions on a number line.
Year 6
apply knowledge of equivalence to compare, order and represent common fractions including halves, thirds and quarters on the same number line and justify their order.
