Exploring Quarters

Overview

Year Group: Year 2
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 10 students
Unit: Fun with Fractions! (Lesson 1 of 3)
National Curriculum Links:

• Mathematics: Number – Fractions (Y2)
• Pupils should recognise, find, and name a quarter as one of four equal parts of an object, shape, or quantity.
• National Curriculum references:
  • "Recognise, find, and name a quarter as one of four equal parts of an object, shape, or quantity." (DfE, Mathematics Programme of Study, Y2)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

• Understand the concept of a quarter as one part of four equal parts.
• Be able to divide simple shapes into four equal parts using practical visual aids.
• Recognise and name quarters in everyday objects and images.
• Use correct mathematical language related to quarters.

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Resources

• Large fraction circles (divided into halves, quarters, thirds)
• Paper shapes (circles and squares) for cutting
• Paper pizzas divided into quarter parts (print or cardboard models)
• Scissors
• Crayons/colours
• Visual aids: images of real pizzas, pies, chocolate bars showing quarters
• Whiteboard and markers

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Engage (10 minutes)

• Begin with a discussion: Show a whole pizza picture. Ask: "What if we wanted to share this pizza among four friends?"
• Introduce vocabulary: whole, parts, equal parts, quarter.
• Show a large fraction circle, divided into quarters. Explain that a quarter is one of four equal parts. Emphasise equal size parts.
• Demonstrate: Colour or cover one quarter and say, “This is one quarter.”
• Display everyday examples (e.g. chocolate bar, pie, cake) and ask students to spot quarters.

National Curriculum links: Recognise and name a quarter (Number - Fractions Y2)

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2. Main Activity: Hands-On Exploration (20 minutes)

Activity 1: Dividing Paper Shapes

• Give each pupil a paper circle and square.
• Demonstrate how to fold and cut to divide each shape into 4 equal parts (quarters).
• Students colour one quarter after cutting and label it as a quarter.
• Circulate, support cutting and reinforce correct use of language: "one quarter", "four equal parts", "equal size".

Activity 2: Fraction Pizza Model

• Show a cardboard pizza divided into quarters.
• Ask students to take turns picking one quarter and explaining what it represents.
• Discuss that four quarters make a whole.

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3. Guided Practice & Discussion (10 minutes)

• Using fraction circles, mix fractions: display whole, halves, quarters and thirds.
• Ask students to identify which parts are quarters and explain how they know.
• Use questioning to check understanding:
  • “How many quarters make a whole?”
  • “Are these parts equal?” (pointing to an uneven division)
• Encourage pupils to use correct vocabulary throughout.

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4. Plenary and Assessment (5 minutes)

• Quick quiz on the whiteboard: show different shapes divided into parts; pupils say whether these show quarters or not.
• Ask: "If this pizza is in 4 parts and I eat one part, what fraction did I eat?"
• Collect students’ cut shapes for informal assessment.
• Encourage pupils to express what they have learned about quarters.

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Assessment

• Observe students during cutting activity to ensure correct division into four equal parts.
• Listen for correct use of vocabulary in discussions.
• Use plenary quick quiz responses to assess recognition of quarters.
• Collect and review folded, cut, and coloured paper shapes to assess practical understanding.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide pre-folded shapes, pair pupils for cutting. Use visual step-by-step guides.
• Challenge: Ask pupils to find quarters in more complex shapes or everyday objects, and explain their reasoning. Encourage finding quarters in quantities (e.g., sharing 8 sweets into quarters).

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Cross-Curricular Links

• Art: Cutting and colouring shapes develop fine motor and creative skills.
• PSHE: Sharing pizza reinforces concepts of fairness and equality.

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Reflection / Teacher Notes

• Note which pupils struggle with equal partitioning; plan intervention with more practical resources next lesson.
• Consider using digital fraction tools (interactive whiteboard apps) for upcoming lessons to deepen understanding.
• Encourage use of fraction language daily to embed terminology naturally.

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This lesson plan is designed to be lively, interactive, and hands-on, using real-life examples aligned with the England National Curriculum for Year 2 mathematics. It lays a strong conceptual foundation for pupils to explore more complex fractions in subsequent lessons.