Fractions in Year 2 – a piece of cake!

“Fractions are simple if you know where to begin, every little fraction is a part of the same thing!” 

Year 2 have been continuing to develop their understanding of Fractions in Maths. This week we have been finding a quarter and a third of an amount and then using the inverse calculation to find the whole amount. For example, if ¼ = 6, the whole amount is 24 because 6 lots of 4 is 24. Exploring words such as ‘numerator’, ‘denominator’ and ‘non-unit fractions’, Year 2 have stepped up to the challenge and worked very hard to master this tricky subject.  

Our fraction journey started with practical equipment (such as fraction wheels and counters) to aid the children’s understanding and it is a great way to see how they work! The children were hooked from the moment Miss Cliffe mentioned ‘Rainforest Picnic!’ The children quickly developed a secure understanding of what is meant by ‘equal’ when they were given the task of sharing the biscuits out fairly. These pertinent connections to our topic help to give purpose and meaning to the Maths.  

We then moved onto more abstract methods as we explored fractions of amounts through the bar model. Children are encouraged to become more independent and confident in their own abilities as they move away from concrete resources and really take ownership of their learning. It wasn’t long before the children were spotting connections and applying their times-table knowledge to complete calculations mentally!