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Sharing is Caring: An Intro to Fractions

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Lesson Plan

Sharing is Caring: An Intro to Fractions

Students will be able to identify halves and quarters, understand that fair sharing means equal parts, and practice empathy by considering others' needs when sharing.

Learning about fair sharing and fractions at an early age helps students develop a strong mathematical foundation and essential social-emotional skills like empathy and cooperation, which are crucial for positive relationships and problem-solving.

Audience

2nd Grade

Time

30-45 minutes

Approach

Hands-on activity with visual aids and guided discussion.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Sharing is Caring Slides, Large paper circles (representing pizzas, cookies, pies, etc.), Scissors (child-safe), Markers or crayons, Warm Up: Sharing Scenarios, Activity: Fair Share Fractions, and Cool Down: My Sharing Pledge

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10-15 minutes

  • Review the Sharing is Caring Slides and practice the discussion points.
    - Gather large paper circles, scissors, markers/crayons for the Activity: Fair Share Fractions. You may pre-cut some circles for time saving.
    - Prepare the whiteboard or projector for the warm-up and slides.
    - Review all generated materials as needed.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Sharing Scenarios

5-7 minutes

  • Begin with the Warm Up: Sharing Scenarios. Present a few scenarios and ask students to discuss with a partner: 'Is this fair sharing? Why or why not?'
    - Bring the class back together to share some responses, focusing on the concept of 'equal parts' for fairness.

Step 2

Introduction: What is Fair?

5-7 minutes

  • Use Sharing is Caring Slides (Slide 1-3) to introduce the idea of fair sharing in math, relating it to fractions. Explain that when we share fairly, everyone gets an equal piece.
    - Introduce the terms 'half' and 'quarter' using visual examples on the slides or the whiteboard.

Step 3

Activity: Fair Share Fractions

15-20 minutes

  • Distribute paper circles, scissors, and markers to each student or small groups.
    - Explain the Activity: Fair Share Fractions. Guide students to fold and cut their circles into halves and then quarters. They can label each piece.
    - Encourage discussion about what happens when sharing with 2 friends (halves) vs. 4 friends (quarters). Emphasize that each person gets an equal piece.
    - Have students share their creations and explain how they made fair shares.

Step 4

Cool Down: My Sharing Pledge

5 minutes

  • Conclude the lesson with the Cool Down: My Sharing Pledge.
    - Ask students to write or draw one way they will practice fair sharing or kindness with others.
    - Briefly share pledges as time allows.
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Slide Deck

Sharing is Caring: An Intro to Fractions

How can math help us be fair and kind?

Welcome students and introduce the lesson's big question. Ask them to think about times they've shared things.

What is Fair?

When everyone gets an equal piece!

Why is it important to share fairly?

Lead a discussion on 'fairness.' Ask students for examples of fair and unfair sharing. Emphasize that in math, fair means equal.

Meet the Fractions!

• Half (1/2): When you share something equally with 1 other person (2 equal pieces).
• Quarter (1/4): When you share something equally with 3 other people (4 equal pieces).

Introduce the terms 'half' and 'quarter' with simple, clear definitions. You can use visual gestures or draw on the board.

Let's Make Fractions!

Today, we will create our own fair shares!

We'll fold and cut paper shapes into equal parts.

Explain the upcoming activity. Show an example of how they will fold and cut their paper circles.

My Sharing Pledge

How will you show fair sharing or kindness today or this week?

Transition to the cool-down. Encourage students to think beyond the classroom about how they can apply fair sharing and kindness.

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Warm Up

Sharing Scenarios

Discuss these scenarios with a partner. Is it fair? Why or why not?

  1. Scenario 1: You have 2 cookies and your friend has 0 cookies. You eat both of your cookies.






  2. Scenario 2: You have a whole pizza and want to share it equally with one friend. How many pieces do you each get if you cut it into 2 equal pieces?






  3. Scenario 3: You and three friends want to share a pie equally. How many pieces should the pie be cut into so everyone gets a fair share?






Be ready to share your thoughts with the class!

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lenny

Activity

Fair Share Fractions Activity

Objective: To create visual representations of halves and quarters, and understand fair sharing.

Materials:

  • Large paper circles (like a pizza, cookie, or pie)
  • Scissors (child-safe)
  • Markers or crayons

Instructions:

  1. Get Your Circle: Each of you will get one large paper circle.

  2. Make Halves:

    • Imagine you want to share your circle equally with one friend. You need two equal pieces.
    • Carefully fold your circle exactly in half. Make sure the edges match up!
    • Cut along the fold. You now have two halves! Write "1/2" on each piece.

  3. Make Quarters:

    • Now, take one of your halves and fold it in half again. You are making smaller, equal pieces.
    • Cut along this new fold.
    • If you put all the pieces back together, how many equal pieces do you have now? You have four quarters! Write "1/4" on each of these pieces.

  4. Decorate and Discuss:

    • You can decorate your halves and quarters like a pizza, a pie, or anything you like!
    • Discussion Questions:
      • Why is it important that the pieces are equal when we are sharing?
      • When might you share something into halves in real life?
      • When might you share something into quarters in real life?
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lenny

Cool Down

My Sharing Pledge

Before you leave today, take a moment to reflect on what we learned about fair sharing and kindness.

  1. What is one specific way you will practice fair sharing or show kindness to someone today or this week?






  2. Who will benefit from your fair sharing or act of kindness?






Be ready to share your pledge with the class if you feel comfortable!

lenny
lenny

Lesson Plan

Kindness Ripple Effect

Students will be able to identify and describe acts of kindness and understand their positive impact on others. They will practice empathy by considering how their actions affect their classmates.

Understanding kindness helps students develop empathy, build positive relationships, and create a supportive classroom community. These foundational social-emotional skills are crucial for personal growth and academic success.

Audience

3rd Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and a hands-on activity to illustrate the ripple effect of kindness.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Kindness Ripple Slides, Warm Up: Kindness Brainstorm, Activity: Ripple Effect Chain, Construction paper strips (various colors), Markers or crayons, Tape or glue, and Cool Down: One Act of Kindness

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

  • Review the Kindness Ripple Slides and practice the script.
    - Gather construction paper strips, markers/crayons, tape/glue for the Activity: Ripple Effect Chain.
    - Prepare the whiteboard or projector for the warm-up and slides.
    - Review all generated materials as needed.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Kindness Brainstorm

5 minutes

  • Begin with the Warm Up: Kindness Brainstorm activity. Ask students: 'What does kindness look like? How does it feel to give kindness? How does it feel to receive kindness?'
    - Encourage students to share their ideas with a partner or as a whole group.

Step 2

Introduction: The Ripple Effect

5 minutes

  • Introduce the concept of a 'ripple effect' using Kindness Ripple Slides (Slide 1-3).
    - Explain that just like a drop of water creates ripples, one act of kindness can spread and affect many people.
    - Ask students for examples of how one kind act might spread.

Step 3

Activity: Ripple Effect Chain

15 minutes

  • Distribute construction paper strips and markers/crayons to each student.
    - Explain the Activity: Ripple Effect Chain. Each student will write one act of kindness they can do for someone else on a strip of paper.
    - Have students connect their strips together with tape or glue to create a classroom 'kindness chain.'
    - Discuss how the chain shows how one act connects to another.

Step 4

Cool Down: One Act of Kindness

5 minutes

  • Conclude the lesson with the Cool Down: One Act of Kindness.
    - Ask students to reflect on one specific act of kindness they will commit to doing before the end of the day or week.
    - Briefly share reflections as time allows.
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Slide Deck

The Kindness Ripple Effect

How can one small act make a big difference?

Welcome students and introduce the day's topic. Ask students to think about what kindness means to them.

What is Kindness?

• Being friendly
• Helping others
• Sharing
• Saying nice things
• Listening to a friend

Lead a brief discussion. Ask: 'What does kindness look like in our classroom? How does it feel when someone is kind to you?'

The Ripple Effect

Imagine dropping a pebble in water...

What happens?

It creates ripples that spread out!

Explain the metaphor of a ripple in water. 'Just like a tiny drop can make big circles in water, a small act of kindness can spread far!'

Our Kindness Chain

Today, we'll create our own Kindness Chain!

Each link will be an act of kindness.

Introduce the activity. Explain that each student's act of kindness is like one link in a chain, and together they create a powerful ripple.

What's Your Kindness Act?

Think of one kind thing you can do for someone:

• At school
• At home
• In your community

Write it on your paper strip!

Encourage students to think about who they can be kind to and how. Emphasize that even small actions count.

Connect and Share!

Let's connect our acts of kindness.

See how far our kindness can spread!

Facilitate the creation of the chain. Reinforce the idea of interconnectedness.

Be a Kindness Spreader!

Remember, your kindness can make the world a brighter place. Keep those ripples going!

Conclude by reiterating the power of their actions and the positive impact they can have.

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Warm Up

Kindness Brainstorm

Take a moment to think about kindness.

  1. What does kindness look like? (What actions show kindness?)






  2. How does it feel when you give kindness to someone?






  3. How does it feel when someone shows kindness to you?






Be ready to share your ideas with a partner or the class!

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lenny

Activity

Ripple Effect Chain Activity

Objective: To visually represent how acts of kindness can spread from one person to another.

Materials:

  • Strips of construction paper (one per student)
  • Markers or crayons
  • Tape or glue

Instructions:

  1. Think of an Act of Kindness: On your paper strip, write down one specific act of kindness you can do for someone else. Think about a kind thing you can say or do at school, at home, or in your community.

    • Examples: "I can offer to help a friend with their homework." "I can give my mom a compliment." "I can share my toys with my brother." "I can smile at someone who looks sad."

  2. Decorate Your Strip: You can draw a small picture or decorate your strip to make it colorful and unique.

  3. Create the Chain: When you are finished, you will connect your paper strip to a classmate's strip using tape or glue. We will keep adding links until we have a long kindness chain!

Discussion Questions after creating the chain:

  • How does our kindness chain show how kindness can spread?
  • What does it feel like to see all of our kind acts connected together?
  • How can we keep our kindness ripples going in our classroom and beyond?
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Cool Down

One Act of Kindness

Before you leave today, take a moment to reflect:

  1. What is one specific act of kindness you will commit to doing today or this week?






  2. Who will benefit from this act of kindness?






Be ready to share your commitment with the class if you feel comfortable!

lenny
lenny