Participants stand in a circle. Each person makes eye contact with another person across the circle. The two walk across the circle and exchange positions, while maintaining eye contact. Many pairs can exchange at the same time, and the group should try to make sure that everyone in the circle is included in the exchange. Tip: Begin by trying this in silence and then exchange greetings in the middle of the circle.

Variations: If the teacher considers, knowing the class atmosphere, that some students might be left not participating, i.e. they try to make eye contact but nobody responds to them and they have no chance to move from their initial position, the moderator could divide the class in 2 groups and introduce a competitive element – after the activity each group will be marked on the ‘team spirit thermometer’ (which could be printed on a A4 paper and the teacher marks the degrees with a marker). The more people you have left not participating in the ‘eye contact’ activity – the lower the degrees to be marked on the thermometer.

Teacher asks students to make a circle and do the following exercises, repeating each one few times and alternate them. Teacher can also add new ones.

Breathing in raise your arms above your head and say “Elevator Up!”  Breathing out, float your arms back down to your sides, saying “Elevator Down.”  Repeat.

Take three quick breaths in while wiggling your nose.  Wiggle your nose on each breath in.  Then wiggle your nose on each breath out.

Hold your hand in front of your nose and hiss hiss hiss while breathing out.

• To understand that a unit fraction has a numerator of one and a non-zero denominator.
• To explain the equivalence of fractions and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.

Material Preparation: Ensure all necessary materials are prepared and accessible before the lesson begins. This helps avoid disruptions and ensures a smooth flow of the activity.

• Colored Paper: A variety of colors for students to choose from.
• Black Cardstock: One 8 ½” x 8 ½” sheet per student. (Each student will need one sheet of black cardstock that measures 8 and a half inches by 8 and a half inches. This square piece of paper will serve as the background for their art project, where they'll arrange and glue their fraction pieces.)
• Scissors: One pair per student.
• Pencils: For marking measurements before cutting.
• Glue Sticks: For assembling art pieces.
• Plastic Cups or Compasses: For tracing circles.

• Begin with a simple explanation of fractions, emphasizing how they represent parts of a whole.
• Use everyday examples, such as slicing pizzas or dividing a bar of chocolate, to illustrate how fractions work.
• Introduce key terms like numerator and denominator, explaining their roles in fractions.

• Interactive Demonstration (5 minutes): Demonstrate tracing a circle using a cup or compass on colored paper in front of the class.
• Hands-On Art Creation (35 minutes):
• Tracing: Students trace their own circles on colored paper using the tools provided.
• Folding and Cutting: Show students how to fold the circles into halves, quarters, eighths, and sixteenths, and guide them as they cut along the folds.
• Arranging and Gluing: Instruct students to experiment with different arrangements on their black cardstock before gluing, encouraging them to think about balance and symmetry.
• Peer Learning and Artistic Discussion (15 minutes): Allow students to share their projects with peers and discuss the fractions represented.

• Art: Using art to visualize mathematical concepts enhances understanding and retention.
• Geometry: Discussing the shapes and how they fit together touches on principles of geometry.

• Special Education Resource Teacher: Can provide tailored support to students who struggle with mathematical concepts, ensuring they understand fractions through personalized instruction or tools.
• Art Teacher Collaboration: An art teacher can offer insights into color theory and composition, enriching the artistic aspect of the lesson.

Fraction, Numerator, Denominator, Equivalent Fractions, Unit Fraction: Use visual aids and actual fraction pieces to demonstrate these concepts during the introduction.

Step 1: Introduction to Fractions (10 minutes):

Objective: Engage students by discussing what fractions are and how they represent parts of a whole.

Activity: Use real-life examples like dividing pizzas or pies to introduce the concept of fractions.

Step 2: Interactive Demonstration of Tracing (5 minutes):

Objective: Demonstrate how to trace and fold circles to create different fractions.

Activity: Show tracing and folding techniques using plastic cups or compasses on colored paper, preparing for the art project.

Step 3: Trace, Fold, Cut, and Arrange - students’ activity (35 minutes):

Objective: Students create their own fraction art pieces.

Activity Breakdown:

Tracing & Cutting: Students trace and cut circles into fractions (½, ¼, ⅛, 1/16).

Arranging & Gluing: Students arrange these fractions on black cardstock and glue them to create unique art designs.

Peer Interaction: Encourage students to discuss their choices and the fraction concepts used during the creation process.

Step 4: Gallery Walk and Peer Discussion (5 minutes):

Objective: Share and critique artworks to understand diverse ways fractions can be visually represented.

Activity: Students walk around the room, view peers' artwork, and discuss the fraction concepts displayed.

Step 5: Application of Concepts Using "Pizza Fraction Quiz" (10 minutes):

Objective: Reinforce fraction concepts through practical application.

Activity:

• Use the Annex 1 as a class-wide activity. Project each question and discuss possible answers. This quiz focuses on different ways to divide pizzas, aligning with the earlier discussions and activities:
• Present each quiz question, allowing students to answer based on their understanding of fractions from the day's lesson.

Discuss why certain divisions (e.g., into thirds, fourths, fifths) are used for different numbers of people sharing a pizza.

1. Ask students to share their thoughts on what they learned about fractions.
2. Discuss how understanding fractions can be helpful in real-life situations beyond the classroom.
3. Encourage students to provide feedback on the lesson, highlighting what they enjoyed most and what they found challenging.

Instruction Readiness: Be prepared to provide extra guidance for students who may find the concepts challenging. Have additional simple examples and hands-on demonstrations ready to help these students grasp the concepts more clearly.

Adaptability: Be mindful of the students' comprehension levels and adapt the complexity of the fraction tasks accordingly. This might involve simplifying or complicating the fractions used based on the group's overall or individual readiness.

Annex 1