If the idea of teaching your child fractions intimidates you, don’t stress! It’s actually much easier (and a lot more fun) than you think. Introduce your child to the concept of fractions with this simple corn kernel activity that goes with our Native + First People of North and Central America Unit.
Supplies:
- ¼, ½, and 1 cup measuring cups
- dried corn kernels
- large bowl or plastic bin
What to do:
1. Start by pouring the corn kernels into the bin. Encourage your child to play with the contents of the bin on their own for a bit before you direct the activity. (Trust us, they’re going to be dying to play with the corn!) Then, let the measuring begin!
2. Introduce the measurements one at a time, telling them the names of each cup size. Ask your child which cup is the biggest. Which is the smallest? See if they can put the cups in size order.
3. Next, tell your child to fill up the 1 cup with corn kernels using the ¼ cup. Before they begin, ask them to guess how many times they will have to fill up the ¼ cup.
4. Ask them to start the process, counting each time they fill the ¼ cup.
5. Once they have filled the cup, create the number sentence by saying something like: “You just figured out that ¼ cup four times is equal to 1 whole cup.”
6. Repeat the exercise using the ½ cup measurement.
7. Congratulations! You just taught your child the basic concept of fractions. You’re pretty a-maize-ing! 🌽
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