I have discussed how I love to teach math in the kitchen. Fractions are one of the topics that are great to learn as they are a hard concept to understand, but in the kitchen you can get a lot of hands on learning. Whether it is cutting a sandwich into half or quarters, or having the children compare measurements when following recipes, fractions become real to the children.
A while back I saw this really cool book called The Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar Fractions Book.
I had taken it out of the library and we used part of the book a while back. Since then if we have a Hershey bar in the house, the girls will get it out of the drawer after lunch and ask to do fractions.
I do not remember exactly how the book taught the fractions, but this is one way we learn about fractions.
First we write down that we have 1 bar.
This time I broke it into quarters to start with (I've been known to start with halves).
I explain to the girls that each piece is one out of the whole and there are four pieces. So they put 1 (piece) over 4 (total) underneath each piece.
Then we slide two of the quarters together on the right and the other two together on the left.
I explain to the girls that we have 2 (pieces) out of 4 (total). Then we look and see that it is 1/2 of the whole bar.
Then we slide all the pieces together and see that we have 4 (pieces) out of 4 (total). We add: 1/4 plus 1/4 plus 1/4 plus 1/4 which equals 4/4 or 1 whole bar.
One whole bar that they really really want to eat. So...
they each get 1/4 of the bar. And mommy and daddy have to share the last quarter. Unless the girls are nice enough to share their quarter, which they usually are.
Of course now, Harold also wants some.
Here is our finished fraction paper.
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This is so cute! And chocolate grabs anyone's attention!
ReplyDeleteMost definitely!
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Look at those cutie pies already learning about fractions! =) Happy Monday!
ReplyDeleteThey love it. We've actually been doing it for over a year. Such a simple way to make it real to them.
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I'm definitely using this idea for my boys, they love Hersey's bars. What a great way to teach math.
ReplyDeleteHershey bars are delicious, I think Hershey is my favorite brand of chocolate. Glad you like the idea.
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Hershey bars are both delicious and educational, who knew? :)
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Isn't it great!
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Great way to teach fractions!
ReplyDeleteThat is what I thought. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteBribe them to learn with candy that is too funny.
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Actually, I wouldn't call it bribing. We are learning all the time. Sometimes we use sandwiches and discuss fractions, sometimes we talk about it while baking, other times we use our dessert. Hershey bars just happen to work really well because they are already divided up so you can get equal portions.
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It is a great way to bring the book to life and solidify learning. I used the same book when I taught second graders. It is not bribing. Great job!
DeleteWhat a great way to teach math!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to teach kids math!
ReplyDeleteI love that your daughter is licking her lips. LOL. That is exactly what I do when chocolate is involved. I used to bring in chocolate bars to teach fractions after reading this book to second graders. It was sooo much fun! Alyssa and I did a lesson on fractions as well. Here is the link if you are interested http://totplay.blogspot.com/2013/04/f-is-for-fabulous-fraction-kite-designs.html. Teaching Math is loads of fun - isn't it?
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