Most kids love pizza, and it makes an appropriate tool for teaching children about improper fractions in a fun way. A cardboard backing has a large pizza picture attached, and the pizza gets divided into slices. The children must count the number of slices that make up the whole and must put the pizza together to form the whole. Each child gets a fraction number that he writes on a piece of paper or a chalk board. Then the child removes the appropriate number of slices from the whole pizza to match the improper fraction.
Children learn easily when teachers use visual aids or hands-on teaching methods. With graham crackers, there are 20 pieces of rectangles divided from the whole. The child must understand that four rectangles make a whole cracker. The child must calculate different improper fractions that start with small numbers. For example, 6 by 4 – the child should be able to select six pieces for the numerator and four pieces for the denominator.
Prepare a chart for each child by writing a number of fractions on each one. The fractions need to be a mix of proper, improper and mixed fractions. Each child uses a different colored marker pen to identify and circle the improper fractions on his chart. This method of teaching improper fractions may also be used to teach children about the other types of fractions.
The game is an easy-to-understand method of teaching a child about improper fractions. Paper strips are cut lengthwise out of a white paper. The first strip goes through a fold and is cut at the center into two halves. The teacher must explain as to how the two pieces make a whole, and there must be a 2 by 2 fraction written on the pieces. A child gets one piece of the paper and is asked to express the number as the fraction 1 by 2. Each strip of paper needs to be divided into varying numbers of pieces. Many strips of paper are given to children each time to teach about improper fractions until the child is capable of making up improper fractions independently.