### Year 2 Mathematics Lesson Plan: Introduction to Fractions
#### Lesson Overview
**Topic**: Introduction to Fractions
**Duration**: 60 minutes
**Year Group**: Year 2
**Key Concepts**: Understanding halves and quarters, recognising fractions in everyday contexts, partitioning shapes and sets into equal parts.
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### Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
1. Understand the concept of fractions, specifically halves (1/2) and quarters (1/4).
2. Identify fractions in everyday objects and scenarios.
3. Partition shapes and sets of objects into equal parts.
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### Materials Needed
- Whiteboard and markers
- Fraction circles or fraction bars
- Colourful paper shapes (e.g., circles, squares, rectangles)
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Fraction worksheets
- Practical items such as fruit (e.g., an apple), chocolate bars, or other food items that can be easily divided
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### Lesson Procedure
#### Introduction (10 minutes)
1. **Greeting and Engagement**: Begin with a warm greeting and briefly review what fractions are.
2. **Real-life Connection**: Show a whole item (e.g., an apple). Cut it into two equal parts and explain that each part is called a half. Repeat with another item, cutting it into four pieces to introduce quarters.
3. **Learning Objective**: Explain to students what they will learn today - understanding and recognizing halves and quarters.
#### Direct Instruction (15 minutes)
1. **Visual Demonstrations**:
- Use fraction circles or fraction bars to visually show halves and quarters.
- Demonstrate with paper shapes how cutting them in different ways can create halves and quarters.
2. **Interactive Examples**:
- Draw shapes on the whiteboard and illustrate how to divide them into halves and quarters.
- Use items like a chocolate bar, showing how breaking it up different ways can represent different fractions.
3. **Introducing Vocabulary**:
- Discuss and write key terms on the board (e.g., half, quarter, whole).
#### Guided Practice (15 minutes)
1. **Hands-on Activity**:
- Give students coloured paper shapes and scissors.
- Have students fold the shapes to make halves and quarters, then cut along the fold lines.
2. **Group Activity**:
- Divide the class into small groups.
- Each group receives a different item (e.g., a pizza cut-out) and works to divide it into halves and quarters.
- Groups discuss and present their findings.
#### Independent Practice (10 minutes)
1. **Fraction Worksheet**:
- Students complete a worksheet where they identify and colour halves and quarters of different shapes.
- Includes tasks to partition a set of objects (e.g. drawing lines to divide an image of biscuits).
#### Plenary (5 minutes)
1. **Review and Summarise**:
- Recap what halves and quarters are.
- Invite a few students to share something they learned or enjoyed.
- Answer any remaining questions.
2. **Real-life Application**:
- Discuss where students might see fractions in their daily lives (e.g., cutting a sandwich, sharing items with friends).
#### Assessment for Learning
- **Observation**: Monitor students during activities and provide individual support where needed.
- **Questioning**: Ask questions throughout the lesson to check for understanding.
- **Worksheet**: Review completed worksheets to assess comprehension of the lesson.
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### Follow-Up Activities
1. **Homework**:
- Assign a simple worksheet with more fraction identification tasks and practical application questions.
2. **Extension**:
- Provide advanced students with additional shapes to fold and divide, exploring thirds and other fractions.
- Incorporate fraction-related stories or games for further engagement.
### Conclusion
Conclude the lesson by re-emphasizing the importance and use of fractions in everyday life. Encourage students to notice and discuss fractions outside of the classroom.
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This lesson plan for Year 2 Mathematics aims to introduce young learners to the fundamental concept of fractions in a fun, engaging, and interactive manner.