Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 3
Fractions: halves, thirds and quarters – Week 1 focus
Download the Lessonotes Mobile South Africa app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Fractions: halves, thirds and quarters – Week 1 focus
Download the Lessonotes Mobile South Africa app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Mathematics
Class: Grade 3
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 1
Theme: General lesson support
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
This week, we're diving into the wonderful world of fractions! Fractions help us understand parts of a whole. Just like when you share a chocolate bar with your friends, you're using fractions to divide it up fairly. Knowing fractions is crucial for everyday life, from sharing food and drinks to understanding time and measurement. In South Africa, we often share food within our families and communities, making fractions an essential concept to grasp. Imagine sharing a vetkoek with your cousins – you'll need to understand how to divide it into equal parts!
What is a Fraction? A fraction represents a part of a whole. The whole can be a shape, an object, or a group of objects.
A fraction has two main parts: Numerator: The number on top, which tells us how many parts we have.
Denominator: The number on the bottom, which tells us how many equal parts the whole is divided into. For example, in the fraction 1/4, 1 is the numerator and 4 is the denominator. This means we have one part out of a total of four equal parts. Halves (1/2) When we divide something into two equal parts, each part is called a half. Imagine you have a loaf of bread. If you cut it exactly in half, you have two equal pieces. Each piece is one half (1/2) of the loaf.
Example 1: Imagine sharing an apple equally between you and your friend. You cut the apple into two equal pieces. Each of you gets one half (1/2) of the apple.
Example 2: Draw a square. Divide it into two equal rectangles. Colour one rectangle. The coloured rectangle represents 1/2 of the square. Thirds (1/3) When we divide something into three equal parts, each part is called a third. Think about sharing a pizza equally between three people. You would cut the pizza into three equal slices. Each slice is one third (1/3) of the pizza.
Example 1: Suppose you have a vetkoek and you want to share it equally with two friends. You must divide the vetkoek into three equal pieces. Each person gets one third (1/3) of the vetkoek.
Example 2: Draw a circle. Divide it into three equal sectors (like pizza slices). Colour one sector. The coloured sector represents 1/3 of the circle. Quarters (1/4) When we divide something into four equal parts, each part is called a quarter. Think of a chocolate bar with four squares. If you eat one square, you have eaten one quarter (1/4) of the chocolate bar.
Example 1: Your mother bakes a cake and cuts it into four equal pieces. Each piece is a quarter (1/4) of the cake.
Example 2: Draw a rectangle. Divide it into four equal smaller rectangles. Colour one of the small rectangles. The coloured rectangle represents 1/4 of the big rectangle. Comparing Halves, Thirds, and Quarters It's important to understand that the bigger the denominator (the bottom number), the smaller each part is. A half (1/2) is bigger than a third (1/3). A third (1/3) is bigger than a quarter (1/4). A half (1/2) is bigger than a quarter (1/4). Imagine you have a whole pie. Would you rather have half of the pie, a third of the pie, or a quarter of the pie? You would want half, because that's the biggest piece!
Why equal parts are Important: Fractions only work when the parts are equal. If you cut a cake into unequal pieces, you can't accurately describe the parts using fractions. For example, you can't say each piece is 1/4 if some pieces are much bigger than others. Equal sharing is also important for fairness. Guided Practice (With Solutions)
Question 1: Colour one half (1/2) of the following shape: [Shape: A rectangle] Solution: Divide the rectangle into two equal parts. Colour one of the parts. [Diagram: A rectangle divided into two equal parts, one part coloured]
Commentary: We divided the rectangle into two equal parts because the denominator is 2 (representing halves). Colouring one part shows that we have one half (1/2).
Question 2: Shade one third (1/3) of the following shape: [Shape: A circle] Solution: Divide the circle into three equal parts (like pizza slices). Shade one of the parts. [Diagram: A circle divided into three equal sectors, one sector shaded]
Commentary: We divided the circle into three equal parts because the denominator is 3 (representing thirds). Shading one part indicates that we have one third (1/3).
Question 3: What fraction of the following shape is coloured? [Shape: A square divided into four equal squares, one square coloured] Solution: The shape is divided into four equal parts (quarters), and one part is coloured.
Therefore, the coloured part represents one quarter (1/4).
Commentary: We count the total number of equal parts (the denominator) and then count the number of coloured parts (the numerator).
Question 4: Nomusa has a loaf of bread and she shares half (1/2) with her neighbour. How many pieces will the loaf of bread be cut into?
Solution: The loaf of bread will be cut into two pieces because the denominator is 2, which represents halves.
Commentary: The question explicitly states half which can also be written as 1/2. 2 is the total pieces of the bread (denominator).
Question 5: Sipho has a packet of sweets and shares a quarter (1/4) of it with his friend. Into how many equal parts has the packet of sweets been divided?
Solution: The packet of sweets has been divided into four equal parts, because the denominator is 4, which represents quarters.
Commentary: The question explicitly states a quarter which can also be written as 1/4. 4 is the total number of parts of the sweets (denominator). Independent Practice (Questions Only) Draw a circle and divide it into quarters. Colour 3/4 of the circle.