Finding One Third

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Overview

Time: 1 minute activity (can be extended to 5-10 minutes if desired)
Class Age: Year 2
Ability Group Targeted: Middle ability
Group Size: 28 pupils
Curriculum Area:
Mathematics – Fractions
National Curriculum Strand:
Recognise, find, name and write fractions 1/3, 1/4, 1/2 of a length, shape, set of objects or quantity

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Objective

By the end of this short activity, pupils will:

• Visually represent one third using pictures and their own drawings.
• Demonstrate their understanding that one third means splitting something into 3 equal parts and taking one of those parts.
• Practise identifying ‘a third’ in a creative, practical way using mini whiteboards or their maths books.

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'No Worksheet' Activity: “Third It Yourself!”

This exciting 1-minute activity is designed to be quick, dynamic, and rooted in engagement, perfectly aligned with a classroom ethos that avoids worksheets.

Setup:

• Pupils must have their maths books open with a pencil ready.
• Teacher at the front with board and coloured pens or an IWB (Interactive Whiteboard).

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Quick Script & Steps:

🗣 Step 1: (10 seconds)

“Listen closely! Today we are becoming Fraction Artists! We are going to draw objects and split them into THREE equal parts. What’s that called again?”

Pupils respond: “A third!”

✍️ Step 2: (15 seconds)

“Draw a big pizza in your book – just the circle. Think about how you’d cut it to share with TWO friends so everyone gets the SAME amount.”

• Teacher models drawing a circle and splitting it into thirds with dotted lines.
• Pupils follow by drawing a circle and splitting it into three equal parts.

“Now colour in ONE of those pieces. How much did you eat?”

Pupils shout: “One third!”

🖌 Step 3: (20 seconds)

“Now fast! Draw a rectangle chocolate bar and split it into 3 pieces. Colour in one third again!”

• Pupils draw a rectangle and partition it.
• Teacher circulates quickly, praising accurate thirds.

“Tell your partner: ‘I have one third of a chocolate bar!’”
“Do they look equal? How do you know?”

🎯 Step 4: (10 seconds)

“Final challenge! Think of your own object – it could be a cake, a pencil, a sandwich – and show me a drawing of it split into three equal parts with one third coloured.”

• Pupils quickly get creative with their own example.

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Assessment for Learning (AfL)

• Listen for vocabulary: “equal parts”, “one out of three”, “third”.
• Observe children splitting shapes confidently with roughly equal parts.
• Look for creative thinking – who visualised something unique?

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Adaptations for Depth & Support

For those needing support:

• Scaffold with dotted guide lines on the board and use repetition.

For those ready for a challenge:

• Ask: “What would two thirds look like? Can you show me that in a different shape?”

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Extension Idea (if a few more minutes are available)

“What if I had 6 strawberries and I wanted to give one third to my friend? How many would they get?”
Children can draw 6 objects in their books and circle a third (2 of them).

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Why This Works

• Quick, purposeful, and relies on pupil imagination – perfect for no worksheet environments.
• Sharp focus on the meaning of a third in a mathematically rich and creative context.
• Draws from real-life contexts, grounding abstract concepts in everyday understanding.
• Encourages a variety of representations, fostering deeper conceptual understanding as guided by the NCETM’s mastery approach.

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Final Tip for the Teacher

Consider displaying a “Fraction Wall of Fame” in the maths area with photocopied or redrawn brilliant fraction pictures by the pupils. This reinforces their understanding and celebrates success without worksheet dependency.

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Let’s make fractions feel fun, visual, and meaningful from the very beginning!