Math: Number Sense and Operations

3-8: Instructional programs from Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers and number systems.

In grades 3-5, all students should:

• develop an understanding of fractions as parts of unit wholes, as parts of a collection, as locations on number lines and as divisions of whole numbers.
• use models, benchmarks and equivalent forms to judge the size of fractions.
• recognize and generate equivalent forms of commonly used fractions, decimals and percents.

In grades 6-8, all students should compare and order fractions, decimals and percents efficiently and find their approximate locations on a number line.

Standards are listed with permission from Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, copyright 2000 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). NCTM does not endorse the content or validity of these alignments.

Source:Principles and Standards for School Mathematics

Fraction fringes are excellent math manipulatives that can be used to represent anything from equivalent fractions to standard measurement. Develop creative ways for using the fraction fringe in any subject area!

Figure A

Figure B

Note: This lesson can be created using either Ellison AllStar or SureCut Dies.

Supplies Used: Adhesive Letters, Black Permanent Marker, Cardstock, Stapler

The teacher will die-cut the materials for student use prior to the lesson.

1. Die-cut the Fraction Fringe set from five different colors of construction paper or cardstock. Laminate the paper prior to cutting for longer use (Figure A).
2. Use Press-On Letters or a permanent marker to label each piece: One Whole, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16. Students will write 1/2 twice and 1/16 sixteen times (Figure B).
3. Place the Whole die-cut face up and layer the remaining die-cuts with the 1/16th die-cut on top. Align at the top of the Fraction Fringe die-cuts, staple and use (see Main Photo).

Applications:

1. EQUIVALENT FRACTIONS can be demonstrated using the Fraction Fringe. Students lift up a 1/4 Fringe and see that two of the 1/8 Fringes and four of the 1/16 fringes are equivalent. Students lift up two of the 1/8 Fringes and see that those Fringes are equal to 1/4 and therefore will reduce. However, if students pick up three of the 1/8 Fringes, those Fringes are not equivalent to anything and will therefore NOT reduce.
2. PERCENTAGES AND DECIMAL POINTS can also be added to the Fringes to show conversions.
3. LIQUID MEASUREMENT can be shown by labeling the Whole Fringe as a Gallon, the 1/2 Fringes as Half Gallons, the 1/4 Fringes as Quarts, the 1/8 Fringes as Pints and the 1/16 Fringes as Cups.
4. LINEAR MEASUREMENT can be shown too. The Whole Fringe is 4" long (LG die), or 8" long (XL die). On the LG die, the 1/2 Fringes are 2" long, 1/4 Fringes are 1" long, 1/8 Fringes are 1/2" long and the 1/6 Fringes are 1/4" long.
5. GENEALOGY comes to life when the student lists his or her name on the Whole Fringe. Parents are listed on the halves, grandparents are listed on the quarters, etc.

Note:Fraction Fringe dies are also available with 1/3, 1/6 and 1/12 Fringes.