Whole & Half Heroes Lesson Plan Whole & Half Heroes
10-Day Math Curriculum | Pre-K Special Education
Mission Objective
Students will be able to identify 'whole' objects and understand the concept of 'half' as two equal parts, applying this understanding to various objects and situations.
Mission Duration
10 sessions, 30 minutes each. Explicit direct instruction, repetitive practice, and hands-on activities.
Hero Gear (Materials Needed)
Playdough & Paper plates
Plastic fruit / Manipulatives
Whole & Half picture cards
Construction paper & Scissors
Markers & Crayons
Storybook about sharing
Daily Training Schedule
Days 1 - 3: Training Begins
1
What is a Whole? What is a Half?
Focus: Identification & Vocabulary.
Intro whole vs. half with fruit and pizza images. Students echo terms and use playdough to make two equal parts.
2
Finding Halves All Around Us
Focus: Generalization.
Review classroom objects (books, crackers). Identify picture cards as 'whole' or 'half'. Quick check line drawing.
3
Making Equal Shares
Focus: Concept of Fairness.
Story time about sharing a cookie. Emphasize 'equal' means both get the same amount. Divide paper strips for friends.
Days 4 - 6: Skill Building
4
Halves & Equal Shares Review
Focus: Visual Discrimination.
Thumbs up/down assessment. Worksheet activity: draw lines to divide circles and squares into equal halves.
5
Halves Challenge!
Focus: Speed and Accuracy.
Game: "Is it a Half?" Identify correctly and incorrectly divided paper shapes using Yes/No voting cards.
6
Introducing 'Not a Half'
Focus: Non-Examples.
Compare equal vs. unequal divisions. Discuss why small pieces aren't "halves". Physical response movement activity.
Days 7 - 10: Hero Mastery
7
Whole vs. Half Sort
Hands-on sorting activity using bins and picture cards. Group check for misconceptions.
8
Creating Halves Art
Folding and decorating paper shapes to show mirrored halves. Sharing "Halves Art" with peers.
9
Story Time & Halves
Read 'The Little Red Hen' or similar. Identify fair sharing scenes. Role-play or draw equal sharing scenarios.
10
The Great Half Party!
Graduation ceremony! Split real crackers/cookies into equal halves to share. Final recognition of 'Half Heroes'.
Special Hero Accommodations
Use thick-line boundaries for shapes to support visual tracking.
Provide pre-cut shapes for students with motor difficulties.
Repeat vocabulary (Whole/Half) with hand signs or gestures.
Use high-contrast colors for sorting materials.
Day 1 Slide Deck Whole & Half
Heroes!
Today we're learning about WHOLE and HALF!
TEACHER: Welcome students! Use an enthusiastic voice!
What is a WHOLE?
This is a WHOLE apple!
It's one complete thing.
It's not cut.
It's ALL there!
🍎
TEACHER: Hold up a real apple. Emphasize it is complete!
🍕
WHOLE!
This is a WHOLE pizza!
Can you say 'WHOLE'?
TEACHER: Ask students to point to other whole things in the room.
What is a HALF?
We cut the WHOLE apple into two EQUAL parts.
Now we have two HALVES! Each piece is a HALF.
🍎
HALF
🍎
HALF
TEACHER: Cut the apple in front of them! Emphasize 'equal'.
🍕
🍕
HALF!
The pizza is cut into two
EQUAL parts!
Can you say 'HALF'?
TEACHER: Emphasize both pieces are exactly the same size.
Whole or Half?
🍪
Whole?
🍪 🍪
Half?
Remember, for it to be HALVES,
the pieces must be EQUAL!
TEACHER: Show a whole cookie vs. an unequal broken one.
Time to Make
Halves!
🧶
Playdough
⚪
Paper
Now it's your turn to be a Half Hero!
TEACHER: Model one more time. Focus on 'equal parts'.
Day 1 Script Day 1 Training Script
Topic: What is a Whole? What is a Half?
Teacher Guide
Before You Begin
Open Day 1 Slide Deck
Real apple + safety knife
Playdough or paper circles
Half Hero Activity Sheets
Slide 1: Whole & Half Heroes!
What to Say
"Good morning, my amazing 'Whole & Half Heroes'! Today we are going on an exciting adventure to learn about something called 'whole' and 'half.' These are super important words, and they help us understand shapes, food, and even how to share fairly!"
Slide 2: What is a WHOLE?
Action & Script
Action: Hold up a real, uncut apple.
"First, let's talk about 'WHOLE.' Everyone say 'WHOLE'! Look at this apple. Is it cut? Is it broken? No! It's one complete thing, all together. This is a WHOLE apple."
Slide 3: WHOLE!
Action & Script
Action: Point to the pizza on screen.
"Here's a picture of a WHOLE pizza! It hasn't been cut into slices yet. Can you all point to something in our classroom that is WHOLE? Maybe a whole book? Or a whole pencil? Excellent!"
Slide 4: What is a HALF?
Action & Script
Action: Cut the apple in half vertically.
"Now, let's learn about 'HALF.' Everyone say 'HALF'! Wow! Look what I did! I took our WHOLE apple, and I cut it right down the middle into two pieces. These two pieces are EQUAL ! That means they are exactly the same size."
Slide 5: HALF!
Action & Script
Action: Show the divided pizza image.
"Look at our pizza now! It was a whole pizza, but now it's cut into two EQUAL pieces. Each piece is a HALF ! For something to be a half, the two pieces have to be the same size."
Slide 6: Whole or Half?
Action & Script
Action: Discussion check.
"Let's practice! I have a picture of a cookie here. Is this a WHOLE cookie, or do we have two HALVES ? Remember, the pieces MUST BE EQUAL to be halves!"
Slide 7: Time to Make Halves!
Action & Script
Action: Distribute materials.
"Now it's your turn! I'm giving everyone some playdough. First, make it into a nice, round WHOLE piece. Then, try to cut it right down the middle to make two EQUAL parts. Let's make two halves!"
Day 1 Making Halves Activity Training Mission: Day 1
Making Halves!
Hero:
Date:
Your Mission
"Turn a WHOLE into two EQUAL HALVES!"
1
Make a WHOLE
Place Whole Playdough Here
"It is all one complete piece!"
2
Cut into HALVES
Half One
Half Two
"Are the pieces EQUAL?"
Teacher Check:
__________
I am a Half Hero!
Half Hero Sorting Cards Half Hero Sorting Cards
For Days 2, 5, and 7
Category 1
WHOLE
Category 2
HALF
Cut along the dotted lines to create individual flashcards for sorting activities.
🍎
Apple: Whole
🍎 🍎
Apple: Half (Equal)
🍎 🍎
Not a Half (Unequal)
🍕
Pizza: Whole
🍕 🍕
Pizza: Half (Equal)
🍕
Pizza: Slice (Not Half)
🍪
Cookie: Whole
🍪 🍪
Cookie: Half (Equal)
🍪
Question Card
Cut along all lines to use for "Is it a Half?" game or "Whole vs. Half" sorting.
Shape Divider Worksheet Training Mission: Day 4
Shape Splitter!
Hero Name: ________________
"Half means two equal shares!"
Mission: Draw a line to cut each shape into 2 EQUAL HALVES.
Circle
Square
Rectangle
Draw Your Own Shape!
Are they equal?
Fair shares for two!
Hero Power!