Half Full, Half Empty
.
What
you'll need
Clear
container with
straight sides, that holds at least 4 cups
Masking
tape
Marker
Measuring
cup with 1,
1/2, 1/4, 1/8 cup measures on it
Uncooked
rice, popcorn
kernels, or water
Other
containers with
which to compare
What
to do
1.
Have your child run a
piece of masking tape up the side of the container so that it is
straight from the bottom to the top.
2.
For younger children,
use a 1-cup measure. For older children, use a 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 cup
measure. Pour
the chosen amount of
a substance listed above into the container.
3.
Mark the level of the
jar on the masking tape by drawing a line with a marker and writing 1
for one cup or 1/2, 1/4, or 1/8 on the line.
4.
Follow this procedure
until the container is full, and the tape is marked in increments to
the top of the container. Now,
the jar is marked
evenly to measure the capacity of other containers.
5.
While filling
different containers, ask your child "thinking" questions.
How
many whole cups do
you think this container will hold?
How
many 1/2, 1/4, or 1/8
cups do you think the container will hold?
How
many 1/2 cups equal a
cup?
How
many 1/4 cups equal a
1/2 cup? A cup?
How
many 1/8 cups equal a
1/4 cup? A 1/2 cup? A 1/8 cup?
This
activity provides a
"hands-on" opportunity for children to experience fractions while
making connections to the real world. |
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