Large Fraction Skittles (also known as Divided Pieces) are a Montessori sensory and mathematical material used to introduce the concept of division and fraction in a three-dimensional way.
Unlike flat (2D) fraction circles, these pieces give the child a tactile experience of the volume being fragmented.
1. Set Structure
A standard set consists of 4 large wooden pieces, usually painted red, yellow and green, that stand on a wooden base. Each represents a unit (the whole), but they are cut differently:
First piece: It is whole (represents the number 1).
Second piece: It is cut vertically into two equal halves (represents 1/2).
Third piece: It is cut into three equal slices (represents 1/3).
Fourth piece: It is cut into four equal quarters (represents 1/4).
2. What does the child learn with them?
This material is usually introduced around the age of 4.5 - 5 years and serves several purposes:
Visualizing Division: The child physically sees how a whole object breaks down into smaller parts.
Nomenclature: Learns the terms half, third, and fourth/quarter.
Introducing Division: The pawns are often used in conjunction with the Division Board. They represent the "people" or "children" among whom the beads (quantity) are divided.
Equivalence: The child notices that although the pawn is cut into 4, if you put all the pieces together, they take up the same space as the whole pawn.
3. Difference from "Fraction Circles"
While metal or wooden fraction circles (the flat ones) go down to 1/10 divisions and are used for complex calculations, pawns are an introductory material, much more intuitive for little hands, as they can be grabbed and moved like figurines.
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-200x200.jpg "Fraction Circles")
