Pieces of Me

I.
II.

III.

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V.

VI.

Big Idea
Parts make up a whole
Reference to PA and Common Core Standard(s)
CC.2.3.1.A.2 Use the understanding of fractions to partition shapes into halves and
quarters.
Essential Question
How many different parts make up you?
Are there multiple parts to a whole?
Lesson Objectives
TSWBAT break a whole into a half, and then quarters, using a piece of paper once
demonstrated by the teacher, ending with 4 parts with 100% accuracy.
TSWBAT identify four parts of themselves that make up themselves as a whole, after
reading I am I, with at least four different items and 100% accuracy.
Materials
Paper
Markers
Pencils
I am I by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
Smart board
Computer
Projector
Fraction strips
A. Introduction
Read I am I by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick and discuss how you can be more than
one single thing. Give the students an example using yourself, i.e. I am a teacher
to you, but I am also a mom to my kids. I also have a mother, and I am her
daughter. I am married so I am a wife also. The four parts of me are teacher,
mother, daughter, and wife.
B. Lesson Development
1. Have students brainstorm things that they are, and make a list on the smart
board as a class for them to look at if they are stuck.
2. When students get back to their seats, have students get the fraction strips
out and discuss halves and fourths with them, beginning with the whole strip.

Show students that two halves make a whole and then four fourths make a
whole. Have students experiment with halves and fourths making one whole.
3. Pass out blank papers. Ask students how many pieces of paper they have in
front of them, (1). Tell students to fold their paper hamburger style, and do an
example in front of the class. Tell students to open it, and then ask students how
many sections they made their paper into, (2). Prompt students to the concept
of folding the paper in half, or into halves. Then, tell the students to fold the
paper again where they folded it before, and then fold it one more time, into a
skinny rectangle (do with students). When unfolded the paper should have four
rectangles stacked on top of each other.
4. Have students unfold the paper, and then ask how many sections the made
their paper is folded into now, (4). Then prompt students to the idea that we
made the paper into fourths.
5. Explain to students that we folded this paper into fourths, and that each part
makes up this whole piece of paper. Then explain that before when we read our
story, we were talking about how we can be more than one thing.
6. Tell students to think of four things that they can be, or four parts that make
them up, and write a sentence about one in each rectangle. Tell students to look
at the list on the board that we created before if they are stuck, but to only use
things that they actually are (i.e. do not say you are a sister, if you do not have
siblings).
C. Closure/Summary
When students are finished, ask students if any would like to share the parts that
make them up as a whole. Have students share the parts that make them up as a
whole.
VII.

Assessment/Evaluation
Collect students papers, and verify that each student has folded their paper into
four rectangles, and have four different parts that make them up as a whole.

VIII.

Adaptations, Modifications and Extension Activities

Physical/Fine motor- offer to accompany student in folding; offer student a paper
with lines of where to fold on.
Gifted- ask student to write more details in their sentence, for example, adjectives,
verbs, nouns, why that makes up a part of them.

IX.

Autism Spectrum- offer one-on-one instruction while other students are working
independently to focus students attention and help student complete work in a
timely manner.
Interdisciplinary Connections
Writing- Students are writing a sentence in each quarter about something that
makes up themselves.