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Halves & Fourths: Equal Shares!

First graders take their first step into fractions — splitting shapes into two equal halves and four equal fourths — and learn that fair shares must always be equal in size.

Grade 1Fractions45 minutes1 class periodGradual ReleaseExplicit teaching4 StandardsCommon Core
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Split a shape into two halves.
  • ✓Split a shape into four fourths.
  • ✓Know that shares must be equal.
  • ✓Name a half and a fourth.
Essential Question

If two friends share a cookie, how do you make it fair? Splitting things into equal parts — halves and fourths — is the beginning of fractions!

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Model · Interactive Tool

Fair Shares

Project each item and have students choose the answer. The tool explains halves, fourths, and why the parts must be equal.

🍕 Halves and fourths — equal shares!Try it
Answer each question about halves and fourths.
The Lesson · Gradual Release (I Do · We Do · You Do)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Launch — Sharing Fairly

5 min

Two friends, one cookie — how do you make it fair?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose sharing a cookie.
  • Ask how to make it fair.
  • Set the goal: equal shares.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Consider sharing.
  • Say “equal!”
  • Predict the idea.
2

I Do — Halves & Fourths

10 min

Teacher models.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Fold a shape into 2 equal halves.
  • Fold into 4 equal fourths.
  • Name each part.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch the folds.
  • See halves/fourths.
  • Name them.
3

We Do — Share Together

12 min

Class uses Fair Shares.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Answer each question.
  • Check that parts are equal.
  • Name halves and fourths.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer them.
  • Check equal.
  • Name the parts.
4

You Do — On Your Own

10 min

Students make shares.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Split shapes into halves.
  • Split shapes into fourths.
  • Color one part.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Make halves.
  • Make fourths.
  • Color a part.
5

Close — Close

5 min

One shape.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Give a shape to split.
  • Name the parts.
  • Hand out the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Split it.
  • Name the parts.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

CCSS
1.G.3

Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares (halves, fourths).

CCSS
1.G.3

Describe shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters.

CCSS
1.G.2

Compose shapes from simpler shapes.

SMP
MP.6

Attend to precision — equal shares must be truly equal.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Use folded-paper shapes.
  • Sentence frame: “Two equal parts are ___.”
  • Show equal vs. unequal.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with halves only.
  • Use pre-folded shapes.
  • Match equal parts.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Split into more equal parts.
  • Compare a half and a fourth.
  • Show halves of different shapes.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • ✂️Paper shapes to fold
  • 💻Fair Shares
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🍕Play food to share
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

fractionan equal part of a wholehalfone of two equal partshalvestwo equal partsfourthone of four equal partsfourthsfour equal partsquarteranother word for a fourthequalthe same sizewholethe complete thing
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
If you cut a sandwich into 2 equal parts, what is each part called?
A half.
QUESTION 2
How many equal parts are in fourths?
Four.
QUESTION 3
Why must the parts of a half be the same size?
Because halves (and all fair shares) must be equal — the same size — to be fair.

Growing at home? Share it in half!

Have families practice splitting snacks and foods into equal halves and fourths — a fair share for everyone — and name the parts. A printable fraction sheet is in the Math library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Halves & FourthsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Halves & FourthsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Halves & FourthsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: equal, fourth, fourths, fraction, half, halves, quarter, whole
  1. two equal parts
  2. an equal part of a whole
  3. the complete thing
  4. one of four equal parts
  5. one of two equal parts
  6. another word for a fourth
  7. four equal parts
  8. the same size

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. If you cut a sandwich into 2 equal parts, what is each part called?
  2. How many equal parts are in fourths?
  3. Why must the parts of a half be the same size?
Answer key — Part A: 1) halves · 2) fraction · 3) whole · 4) fourth · 5) half · 6) quarter · 7) fourths · 8) equal
Part B: 1) A half. 2) Four. 3) Because halves (and all fair shares) must be equal — the same size — to be fair.