Embedded Files
Click the "Fair Sharing Fraction Continuum" image below for an interactive PDF that opens a video explanation for each strategy (e.g., Coordinating Whole and Partitioning By Number of Sharers).
Why do we progress from Fair Sharing to Fractions?
The research states that educators should use a meaningful approach to teaching fractions and that learning fractions follow a progression that moves students from concrete to abstract representations. To help students understand fractions deeply, educators need to address more than a simple understanding of part-whole relationships by expanding to fractions as a quotient, fractions as a comparison, and fractions as an operator. It is important for students to understand fractions to have flexibility when using fractions in context.
The introduction to fractions typically begins by guiding students in understanding the concept of fractional parts within a whole. This involves dividing the whole or unit into equally sized parts or fair shares. Students often understand the idea of separating a quantity into two or more parts to be shared fairly among friends. They will then begin to make connections between the idea of fair shares and fractional parts.
Students need experience with fair sharing, equivalence, unit fractions, and partitioning to develop their understanding of what a fraction is. This all needs to happen before they can begin doing operations with fractions.
Fair Sharing in the Curriculum
Fair Sharing in the Curriculum
Fair sharing exists throughout the grades in the curriculum. The LKDSB Fair Sharing Fraction continuum can be used for all grades, to better understand where your students are in the process of fair sharing and their most basic understanding of fractions.
The LKDSB Fair Sharing Fraction Continuum was adapted from Empsom & Levi 2011 and informed through student work.
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