Picture twelve hurling sliotars laid out on the table in front of two GAA teams. One team needs to take their fair share. If we give one half to one team and one half to the other team, how many sliotars does each team get? Have a think before any hands go up.

Watch the fraction strips on the board. First we split a whole strip into two equal parts and shade one half. Then we split a strip into four equal parts and shade one quarter. Then a strip into three equal parts for one third. Notice the rule: split the whole into equal parts first, then take the parts you need. The very same rule works when we share a set of counters into equal groups.

The board shows four strips as a reference: one half, one quarter, one third, then two quarters, each already split into equal parts and shaded. You each have your own paper strip. We read the board together, one strip at a time, and you fold or shade the same fraction on your own strip. One classmate at a time points to the next strip on the board and names it aloud, and the rest of us agree or correct. Each time, count the equal parts carefully before you shade, and check the parts are exactly the same size.

You each have counters and a 12 cm paper strip at your own desk. We work through these four together, one at a time.

1. Find one half of 10 counters.
2. Find one quarter of 8 counters.
3. Find one third of 9 counters.
4. Find one half of the 12 cm paper strip by folding.

What we learned today

• To find a fraction of a length, split it into equal parts, then take the parts you need.
• To find a fraction of a set, share the objects into equal groups, then take the groups you need.
• Both jobs start the same way: make equal parts first, then count.

Coming up

Next we place fractions on a number line, finding exactly where one half, one quarter and one third sit between 0 and 1.