Fair Share

Formative Assessment:

What is an equal share?

Does everyone always get the same amount when a pizza is served?

Instructional Strategies or Activities:

Divide class into groups of 3, 4, and 5. Have several types of manipulatives such as buttons, unifix cubes, beans, straws, or counters. Each group has a different item to divide. Explain that fair division means everyone should have the same. No one gets more than another. Give each group a handful of one manipulative. Working together students determine how many each student would get. Ask students what they did with any extras. Would it be possible sometimes to divide equally separate pieces. Use gummy worms and have students divide shares equally determining if they would get 1/3, ¼, or 1/5.

Summative Assessment:

Have students explain their findings and strategy in a paragraph.

3 points: clear understanding

2 points: partial understanding

1 point: still unsure

0 points: off task