Packaged candies that come in small boxes can be used to teach valuable lessons about fractions and decimals. For example, with small candy bars and M&Ms, you can show both fractions and decimals. By cutting bars into pieces, you can illustrate fractions. If you explain to your students that a bar cut down the middle is half of a full bar, much like the number "1" is half the number "2," your students will have an easier time understanding the meaning of the fraction "1/2." If you then explain that five M&Ms is half of a line of 10 M&Ms, your students will understand that "half," "1/2" and "0.5" all have the same meaning. Getting your students to experiment with ratios using these snacks will increase their understanding.
Paper can be used to show how to turn fractions into decimals. By getting your students to fold a piece of paper evenly in various proportions, you show them how to make fractions: one fold is 1/2, two folds is 1/4, three folds is 1/8. To explain to your students how to transfer from these fractions (which are visibly represented by paper folds), get them to use their calculators to divide any given number of folds inside the paper by the total number of folds. Explain how this number is the same as a fraction (or what is on the paper).
Electronic devices, like computers and calculators, are some of the best tools for showing students how to convert fractions into decimals. Simple calculators with no button for easily converting between fractions and decimals are best. In this activity, you provide students with a piece of paper and a calculator. On the paper, you ask them to draw a fraction, e.g., 3/4. Then, you ask them to do the operation "3 / 4" on their calculator. They will get a result (0.75). Once they have done this, note that the fraction "3/4" uses the same notation as the equation "3 / 4 = 0.75" because it says the same thing; thus, 3/4 = 0.75.
Number blocks can be used to easily depict fractions and decimals. By putting one number block on top of another, you create a fraction. By putting one number block beside another with a marble in between the two, you create decimal numbers. An activity involving number blocks, fractions and decimals asks students to build a corresponding decimal with number blocks after being given two number blocks arranged into a fraction. The students may use a calculator to find the number. Dice can be used as number blocks, while marbles or coins may be used as decimal points.