Fractions

Fractions

I cannot think of a better way to learn about fractions than with baking. You get a hands on approach and a treat when you are finished! You can any throw in a side lesson on temperatures if you want!

Monster cookies! 

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp corn syrup

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup peanut butter

4 1/2 cup rolled oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup baking m&ms

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (How many degrees Celsius?)

2. In large bowl, beat the eggs.

3. Add all remained ingredients, stirring after each addition.

4. Use a scoop or spoon to place rounded cookie dough on cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Yield 6 to 7 dozen (How many cookies is that?)

What if you get 6 dozen remainder 7...6 7/12 dozen, unless you are using a baker's dozen.

My family can easily go through that many cookies in a short time...but what if you didn't need that many cookies? Cut the recipe in half....lots of new fractions. What if you wanted more? Double the recipe.

People use fractions everyday.  I use them all the time while I bake or cook. With having 5 boys to feed, I often have to double a recipe or make it slightly larger by having the recipe and adding that half back to the whole. I have to do this in my head fast or else something will burn!

My kids use fractions before they know what a fraction is. That is my side of the room, that is my half of the couch. One lesson was splitting the last cookie. One of my son's got to split it, and I let the other one pick the half. My first son did not know that his brother would be picking which half was whose. He was not pleased with his 1/8 of a cookie!

Fun Fraction Video!