This activity reinforces what fractions mean. Children arrange the 42 cards in each set along a line from 0-1. For example, which side of ¾ does 7/8 go? Why? A given fraction is illustrated in different ways: as a number; as a picture of a familiar object, such as half an apple or pizza; as a diagram or as a fraction of a whole number such as half a box of 6 eggs. There are four sets at different levels which I have listed separately because the file sizes are huge.
Set 1 1⁄2, 1⁄4, 3⁄4, 1⁄3 ,2⁄3, 1⁄5, 1
Set 2 1⁄6, 5⁄6, 1⁄8, 3⁄8, 5⁄8, 7⁄8, 1⁄12
Set 3 Equivalent fractions: 1⁄2, 1⁄4, 3⁄4, 1⁄3, 2⁄3, 1⁄5, 4⁄5
Set 4 Equivalent fractions, including decimals and percentages 1⁄2, 1⁄4, 3⁄4, 1⁄5, 4⁄5, 1⁄8, 1⁄10,
The equivalent fractions help to explain how the same value may appear in different forms. In set 3, 1⁄2 can be matched with 2⁄4, 3⁄6, 4⁄8, and 5⁄10, for example.
Set 4 introduces the idea that the same value can appear as a fraction, as a decimal or as a percentage. 1⁄2 can be matched with 0.5 and 50% as well as with 3/6 of a box of eggs, for example.