Partitioning Rectangles

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Mathematics

Grade(s)

Overview

Students will use paper to model the partitioning of rectangles into two, three, and four equal shares. Students will transfer this concrete model to represent equal shares on a drawing, labeling the shares as halves, thirds, or fourths. Throughout the lesson, the teacher will use an interactive geoboard app to guide instruction and represent student ideas.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain

Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 2

MA19.2.27
Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares. Describe the shares using such terms as halves, thirds, half of, or a third of, and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds, or four fourths.

Vocabulary

Partition

Knowledge

Students know:

strategies for partitioning shapes into two, three, or four equal shares and reason about these shares.

Skills

Students are able to:

decompose circles and rectangles into halves, thirds, and fourths.
communicate the size of pieces using the appropriate fraction terminology.
recognize that equal shares may be different shapes within the same whole.

Understanding

Students understand that:

shapes can be equally partitioned into halves, thirds, and fourths.

Mathematics (2019) Grade(s): 2

MA19.2.27a
Explain that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.

Learning Objectives

Students will model the partitioning of a rectangle into two, three, and four equal shares using a concrete model.

Students will represent equal shares on a drawing.

Students will identify and describe equal shares using correct vocabulary: halves, thirds, and fourths.

Activity Details

Review the meaning of the word "equal." Equal means "the same as." Provide examples of things that are the same size, focusing on "equal parts."
You may use a Hershey's candy bar (full size and mini) to discuss equal sharing/parts. Discuss the number of equal parts found on the candy bar.
Use the geoboard app to draw the candy bar and divide it equally.
Give students several pieces of copy paper and dot paper.
Direct students to fold one piece of copy paper into 2 equal parts (half). Allow students to discuss with a partner how he/she folded the paper equally.
Ask a student to share his/her idea. Represent the idea on the geoboard app. While representing the shares on the geoboard, focus on the vocabulary "half," "halves," and "one half."
After the teacher representation using the geoboard, give students time to draw the rectangle on dot paper and divide it into halves. Pay attention to "equal" parts.
Repeat steps 5 through 7, dividing a rectangle into 3 equal parts (thirds) and 4 equal parts (fourths).
Give students drawn examples of rectangles divided into 2, 3, and 4 parts.
Encourage the use of academic vocabulary throughout the lesson. Have students describe the whole rectangle as having two halves, three thirds, or four fourths.

Assessment Strategies

Have students divide the rectangles into 2, 3, and 4 parts using the following formative assessment/exit ticket.

Partitioning Rectangles Exit Ticket

Variation Tips

Extend the lesson by discussing that equal shares do not have to be the same shape. I would make this part of the standard a separate lesson, but it may come up during student exploration of partitioning.

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need to provide plain copy paper for folding and dot paper for drawing rectangles.

Download the free geoboard app. Become familiar with the app before the lesson. The teacher will need a device that can display the geoboard app.

Total Duration

31 to 45 Minutes

Geoboard App

https://www.commonsense.org/education/app/geoboard-by-the-math-learning-center

Approved Date

2020-07-28

Owner (Author)

cpteach2

Design by Adaptive Theme