Fraction Circles
Lift red pieces from the ten circle insets — whole through tenths — to name fractions, prove equivalences, and add and subtract like pieces.
Loading material…
For parents
The fraction circles are the classic Montessori metal insets: ten red circles in green square frames, one left whole and the rest cut into two through ten equal pieces. Your child lifts pieces onto the mat to learn each fraction’s name, rebuilds one piece from a different family to discover equivalence, and joins or removes like pieces for the first fraction addition and subtraction — watching a sum like 5/8 + 6/8 close into one whole circle with three eighths left over. Because every piece is an exact part of the same circle, the material checks itself: anything wrong leaves a gap or spills past the outline. This work is the concrete foundation for all later fraction arithmetic and for decimal fractions.
Make the real thing
- Paper Fraction Circles — Ten labeled fraction circles — the whole through tenths — each inside a green frame ring, ready to cut into sectors.10 circles (whole through tenths) → 55 sectors, with frame rings
Lessons for this material
- Introduction to Fractions ages 6–8
- Fraction Equivalence ages 7–9
- Adding & Subtracting Fractions ages 7–10
Printable follow-up work
- Fractions — Circle-picture fraction practice: naming, shading, same-denominator addition and subtraction, and equivalent fractions.
- Command Cards — Cut-out task-card decks for the golden beads, stamp game, hundred board, bead frames, fraction circles, and checkerboard — the child draws a card and works independently with the material; the key lets a parent check each card.