Family and Homeschool Activities: Basic Parts of a Whole

These family and homeschool activities are designed to complement the Basic Parts of a Whole topic on BrainPOP Jr.

Part-time Cook

Use measuring cups and spoons to cook with your child. You may want to research together in cookbooks or on the Internet to find simple recipes that use simple fractions, or you may want to write up your own recipes that your child can do on his or her own, such as fruit salad or trail mix. Read the recipe together and have your child identify the fraction and measure the ingredients. As an extension, your child can make up his or her own recipe for a snack mix using cereal, dried fruit, and nuts. He or she can write recipes using fractions.

Clay Parts

Have your child make different shapes out of clay. Then use a plastic knife to cut up the shapes into equal parts. Have your child name the fraction of one part. Continue the activity by having your child make different shapes and you cutting different number of parts. Make sure the parts of the whole are equal. Then switch roles and repeat the activity. Your child can sketch the clay shapes and write down the fractions in a notebook to keep as a reference guide.