Fractious Fractions (Y4)
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Approach:  One to one
ACCESS
Level: Year 4
Focus: Fractions of an amount  
Resources:
24 multilink blocks, 4 cards
160Kb
Questions/instructions:

Hand students 24 multilink blocks and card 1.
Here are 24 blocks.
 
% responses
2009 ('05)
y4
1. What is 1/2 of 24? 12 77 (79)  
Tell me how you worked this out.
You can use the blocks if you want to.		    
Calculation strategy: 24 ÷ 2 = 12 2 (4)  
2 × 12 = 24; 12 + 12 = 24 22 (23)  
2 equal groups with blocks, count 1 group 26 (23)  
any other appropriate strategy 21 (30)  
Hand student card 2.
    
2. What is 1/4 of 24? 6 53 (54)  
Tell me how you worked this out.
You can use the blocks if you want to. 		    
Calculation strategy: 24 ÷ 4 = 6 2 (2)   
4 × 6 = 24   4 (2)   
4 equal groups with blocks, count 1 group 18 (12)  
any other appropriate strategy 29 (37)  
Hand student card 3.
    
3. What is 1/3 of 24?
8 36 (34)  
Tell me how you worked this out.
You can use the blocks if you want to.		    
Calculation strategy:
24 ÷ 3 = 8 2 (2)  
3 × 8= 24 5 (5)  
3 equal groups with blocks, count 1 group 22 (21)  
any other appropriate strategy 5 (6)  
Hand student card 4.    
4. What is 2/3 of 24? 16 16 (13)  
Tell me how you worked this out.
You can use the blocks if you want to.		    
Calculation strategy: double question 3’s answer 9 (5)  
24 ÷ 3 = 8 and 2 × 8 = 16 1 (1)  
3 × 8 = 24 and 2 × 8 = 16 1 (2)  
3 equal groups with blocks, count 2 groups 3 (3)  
any other appropriate strategy 2 (4)  

Total score:
 4 14 (12)  
3 18 (18)  
2 26 (27)  
1 22 (26)  
0 20 (17)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4
Commentary:
Very few students used division as a strategy. There was no meaningful change in performance between 2005 and 2009.