Table Topics
Mind-stretching brain games and conversation starters. It's the perfect opportunity for sharing stories, building knowledge, strengthening character, and having fun!
Fractions are used to express many different types of number relationships. For example, we use fractions to name part of an area of a shape (two of six parts of the square), part of a group of things (there were 23 dogs out of the total of 100 pets), part of a length (a third of the distance from here to there), or a rate (four cents for ten gumballs.
Mastering fractions is a difficult task for many students. The ability to visualize fractional relationships makes them much easier to learn. When a child can look at the fraction 4/9 and see that it is a little less than half, working with fractions becomes much easier.
Challenge each other to name as many fractional relationships as you can think of (use the examples in the first paragraph to get you started).
Here are some good links to aid you in understanding fractions:
Read another issue of Table Topics
Giving Oral Directions
Good, old-fashioned Twenty Questions is one of the best learning games ever! Younger learners practice categorization, advanced learners develop skills of logic, deductive reasoning, and elimination.
Review the rules or play an online version of the game here:
Can this object fly? Yes or no. That's my 12th question. I'm ready to give up!