Hexagon/Fraction Cookies

I know we've posted a few fun activities using pattern blocks and I just wanted to put a plug in for what an awesome toy they are to have in your house. They are a great learning tool that allows you to talk about colors, shapes, patterns, geometry, fractions, . . . Plus they are fun to build with! 

You can find them at most learning stores or online and they would make a great gift for birthdays or Christmas. Anywho, back to the activity - 

My 3rd grader was asking me if we could practice fractions and this seemed like a fun activity that we could all do together. Since I am very pregnant and food is my happy place, we called them cookies instead of calling them fractions. I gave each of the girls a hexagon cookie paper. (Click here to download your own cookie paper.)

 

I asked my preschooler to find the block that is the same shape as a cookie and we reviewed the term hexagon.  Then, I challenged both girls to make more cookies using other shapes. When needed, I gave hints like: can you make a cookie using the red blocks or using the triangles, etc. 

 

After they found all of the possible cookies, without repeats, they made their favorite cookies in the extra hexagon shapes. Then, we split off to do some age specific learning. My preschooler and I talked about what shapes, colors, and how many blocks each cookie was made with. Of course she had to eat the cookies as we were done talking about each one. : )

 

My 3rd grader and I discussed fractions. She figured out what fraction each shape was (i.e. a diamond was 1/3 because it took 3 diamonds to make a whole cookie or a trapezoid was 1/2) Then she wrote the number sentence that corresponded with each cookie.  

To end our activity, the girls made their own pictures using the pattern blocks.

Emma sent you a message with her robot picture - Hello! 

 

I hope we've sold you on how great these blocks are, hopefully you'll go out and get some for your kids to enjoy!