Grade 2 notation for fractions question

[nancymclaughlin]

Good Morning,

A team of 2nd grade teachers were working on 2.G.3 yesterday.  The group was wondering to what extent fraction notation for halves, thirds, and fourths was required.  We checked a couple of progressions and could not see the answer.  Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide.

[Bill McCallum]

The standards don’t require fraction notation at all in Grade 2. The relevant standard here is

2.G.3. Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds, four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.

This is not really about fractions as numbers, although it is clearly a precursor to that concept. Fractions as numbers and fraction notation are introduced in Grade 3.

[lhwalker]

How important is the word partitioning over dividing in 1.G.3 “Partition circles and rectangles into two or four equal shares…” I see the difference but noticed that a 2nd grade textbook I am evaluating consistently uses “dividing.”

[Bill McCallum]

I guess the word “dividing” could cause confusion with the operation of division. If you talk about dividing a circle into quarters, and then later talk about dividing by four, you might end up confusing division by 4 with division by 1/4. Maybe. I don’t think it’s a big deal.

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