Grade Level: 5
Fractions are an important concept for elementary students to learn. At the fifth grade level it is essential that the children are actively interested in the activities they are doing. Therefore, even math activities should be hands-on and creative.
One interesting way to incorporate fractions into the curriculum is to use Hershy's candy bars. As the chocolate bars are divided up into twelve sections, there are many things that teachers can ask children to do with them. For example, students can be asked to estimate how many rectangles are in each candy bar while the wrapper is still on it. Then, after opening the candy bar, the students can be asked to break off one column off of the Hershy bar at a time. They can answer questions dealing with the fraction of the candy bar that remains as well as the fraction that was removed. After dividing the candy bar into fractional pieces, the students can then be asked to determine a method in which the candy bar can be divided evenly among each group member. A worksheet containing these types of questions can be found by accessing the Hershy's Fractions Sheet. By completing these problems students can work on taking a whole and dividing it into its fractional parts. Not only will they use these Hershey chocolate bars to reinforce fractional concepts, but they will also use problem solving skills to solve challenging problems.
To begin this math activity, the class should first be divided into groups of three or four. In addition to the Hershy candy bars, students will also need to be provided with notepaper, pencils and the Hershy's Fractions Sheet. After the materials have been distributed, students should be instructed to follow the directions on the worksheet and to answer the questions that it contains. The teacher should walk around and help students with questions as they arise. As the Hershy bars are handled by the children for a long period of time, teachers that use this activity should realize that it is likely that a mess will be left after the activity's completion.
Latest update to this document: 30 November 2000
Leigh Dalton: ldalton@nmu.edu