Fun with fractions
Teaching fractions and measurement through filling beakers
During this enjoyable and captivating KS1 activity, students will have the opportunity to experiment with working out fractions while enhancing their comprehension of capacity. Fractions are like puzzle pieces that help us understand how to divide things into equal parts.
By the end of this activity, students will be able to explore and work confidently with fractions.
Activity introduction
This resource is part of a collection of STEM resources developed to aid the teaching of the primary national curriculum. It aims to support key topics in maths and science. Specifically, this resource focuses on exploring capacity and volume using water and various beakers/containers that are proportionally sized to each other.
Understanding fractions is significant as they enable us to divide objects into equal and measurable parts. They provide information about the portion of a whole that is needed, possessed, or desired.
This activity can be conducted individually or in small groups.
As an optional extension activity, students could use the combinations slide in the presentation below to experiment with a variety of half and quarter-sized glasses to fill a larger glass.
How long will this activity take?
This activity will take approximately 40-60 minutes to complete. Download the activity sheet below for a step-by-step guide on how to conduct the experiment.
The engineering context
Comprehending capacity and volume is crucial for engineers as they design containers for various liquids and materials. Whether it’s aircraft fuel tanks or a simple tube of toothpaste, knowing when they are half full or half empty is essential.
Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to describe and measure capacity and volume, and they will be able to understand that fractions, halves and quarters can be combined as part of a whole unit.
Download for free below!
All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable so that you can tailor them to your students and your schools’ needs.
The activity sheet includes teacher notes, guidance, helpful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in the four devolved UK nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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