ACTIVITY: Fractional Shapes           inspired by Fun Mathematics lessons by Cynthia Lanius

Basic shapes Shape logic Adding shapes

Shape designs Multiplying fractions with shapes

  Can pattern blocks like the ones below be used to help understand how to add and multiply fractions as well as figure out percentages?

For instance, if   = 1, then what does 1/3 look like?

If    +     = 2/3, then what does 1 look like?

Use either actual pattern blocks or virtual pattern blocks to complete some of these activities. 

Basic shapes starts out by relating the fraction to a part of the whole

Shape Logic gives students a chance to dig into using the shapes by allowing them to use the shapes for their answer. 

Adding Shapes now reverts back to using numbers but uses the shapes to aid in visualizing the addition of 2 fractions. 

Shape Designs challenges students by incorporating language arts into their math curriculum in addition to determining fractional and percentage relationships. 

Multiplying Fractions challenges students to use the pattern blocks to understand the resultant of multiplying two fractions is always a smaller fraction of the whole.