Introduction to Fractions
for Primary Students

These lessons are designed to guide young children through an introduction to fractions. Children learn to recognize parts of a whole and divide a whole into equal parts. Students use fractions to make connections to fruit or common objects. Students learn to represent simple fractions such as 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2.

Note: According to tne National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), at this level it is more important for students to recognize when things are divided into equal parts than to focus on fraction notation. Second graders should be able to identify three parts out of four equal parts, or three-fourths of a folded paper that has been shaded, and should understand that fourths means four equal parts.

Activities are aligned to the NCTM Standards and the Philadelphia Curriculum Framework.

Each of the lessons has been designed to include four types of activities:

1. interactive, manipulative-based projects
2. technology
3. paper/pencil practice
4. literature connections