How to Read a Fraction
A fraction describes part of a whole. The bottom number, the denominator, tells how many equal parts the shape is divided into. The top number, the numerator, tells how many of those parts are taken. In a circle cut into four equal parts with three parts shaded, the fraction is 3/4.
On reading pages, children count the shaded parts and all the parts, and write both numbers in the boxes. On coloring pages, they read the fraction and color as many parts as the numerator says.
How do the levels work?
The first level uses halves, thirds, and quarters, the fractions children meet first. The next levels add fifths and sixths, then go all the way to tenths, with more parts to count in each shape. Every fraction is smaller than one whole: at least one part is taken, and never all of them.
Tips for learning fractions
- Count the parts carefully: the denominator is the total number of equal parts.
- Check that the parts are equal before naming a fraction.
- Compare shapes: a shape cut into more parts has smaller parts.
- Use colored pencils on the coloring pages to make each fraction easy to see.