Eating Fractions by Bruce McMillan

McMillan, B. (1991). Eating Fractions. New York: Scholastic Press. Grades 1-4.

 

Award: American Library Association Notable Book (1991)

Subject Area: Mathematics

Genre: Picture Book

Summary: This book makes fractions of halves, thirds and quarters make sense in a delicious way. These fractions are presented through the use of bananas, strawberry pie and pizza. Two young children eat their way through the wholes of fractions. There are also recipes included.

Themes/Topics: Fractions, food

Initiating Questions & Activity:

• Questions: How many halves are in a whole? Have you ever had to split food with someone else? Or more than one person? Do you realize that you are using fractions all of the time?
• Activity: As a class we will discuss and review the basics of fractions that we have already learned in order to refresh our memories. We will also discuss the questions that were presented and I will prompt the students to begin to brainstorm even before the book about certain times that fractions are used that you may not have noticed.

Culminating & Extending Question:

• Questions: Did you like this book? Do fractions seem to make more sense now? Does it help to see fractions visually the way that they are shown in the book with foods? What are some of the other foods you can think of that are often divided into fractions?
• Activity: We will discuss the questions that were asked, getting input from each student if possible. Also, given the right environment, we will make one of the simpler recipes that is given in the book and make fractions out of it. If it is easier, pizza or pie can be bought instead of making it ourselves.