Fair Shares

Goal: Give everyone the same amount

1. Find how many items and how many people sharing

Children count or multipy to find out how many of each.

2. Divide up the total

We have 48 little empanadas. There are 20 of us today. How many will each person get?

Young children find and check their answers by dealing out the food, drawing a picture, or dealing out pretend food.

Older children find the answers in their heads and then explain their thinking.

3.  Decide what to do with the extras (optional)

If there will be any left over, discuss what to do with them.

Variations

Sharing Resources (Grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4)

Children share ribbon, yarn, or other craft materials so that everyone gets an equal amount.

Different Ways to Share (Grades 3, 4)

Children find a way to divide up the food to serve a larger group. For instance, if everyone in our group got two empanadas, could everyone in the preschool program also have one?

Equal Time in the Spotlight (Grades 3, 4)

Help children split up a block of time for a performance, so that everyone gets the same amount of time to put on a skit, sing a song, or do a dance.

 

Books and Other Resources

Book ideas to come!

Spotlight

Division: Sharing

Children learn about division as they share things with others.

Young children share by distributing things one at a time: “One for you, one for me, another for you….”

As children become more skilled in counting and grouping, their strategies become more efficient: “Two for me, two for you, another two for me…”

Older children call on their knowledge of addition and number facts: “We have 9 orange slices, so we each get 4, with one left over."

Sharing also gives children a real-life understanding of remainders, or the “extras” left over when everything has been given out equally.

Connections

Distributing limited resources

Sharing plays a large role in children’s lives as they figure out how to distribute treats, take turns with favorite toys, and compete for adult attention. With help, children learn to look for solutions that satisfy everyone. Sometimes solutions involve division; other times, individual needs are part of the decision process. For instance, a child who isn’t hungry might opt to take fewer crackers; a child whose bedtime is approaching may need the first turn with a toy.

In the wider world, hospital staff, rescue workers, and relief agencies need to make decisions about how to share limited resources to accommodate a wide range of needs.

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