The Pizza Fraction Kit

The pizza fraction kit is a simple model of the rational numbers developed by Tom Kieren that allows children to explore almost all the important properties of fractions and operations on them.  Included below are just a couple of ideas for activities.  Many more are possible.

Making a pizza fraction kit.

What you need:
Coloured paper — seven or eight colours, two sheets of each per kit, except one colour of which you need only one sheet.Different sizes are good for different kits.Regular letter size (8by 11) or 9 by 12 construction paper is best for the kit described here.
Something to cut paper with — A paper cutter makes life easier.
A big envelope to keep your kit in.

What to do:

The sheet of paper, which is the only one of that colour, is your unit. Put it in the envelope. Pick a colour that contrasts with it and cut the two sheets of that colour in half width-wise: 

Pick another colour that contrasts with the half pieces and cut those two sheets in four equal width-wise strips: Pick yet another contrasting colour and cut those sheets into three length-wise strips:  You don't need to be too precise.

 By now you are getting the idea. With the remaining sheets of paper cut them into pieces according to these patterns:

The last one is optional. Make sure pieces that are similar sizes are contrasting colours. Put them all in the envelope and you have a pizza fraction kit of your very own. You can get students to make their own on a day that isn't much good for teaching anyway, like the Friday before the Christmas holiday.

Adding activity 1



 

Adding activity 2




 

Filling the orders game


[Fractions P-8] [Teaching Elementary Math]
[Copyright -- David A Reid]  [School of Education] [Acadia University]