Equal shares of shapes worksheets
Aligned with Common Core 2.G.A.3
Printable second-grade worksheets on equal shares: name halves, thirds and fourths, split shapes into equal shares, and split rectangles into rows and columns of squares.
The worksheets
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Halves, Thirds and Fourths Chart
Circles and rectangles in halves, thirds and fourths, plus equal shares that look different.
Halves, Thirds or Fourths?
Shapes cut into equal shares to name as halves, thirds or fourths.
Split into Equal Shares
Draw lines to split circles, squares and rectangles into 2, 3 or 4 equal shares.
Rows and Columns of Squares
Split rectangles into rows and columns of same-size squares and count them.
Print the whole packet
One copy of every sheet above, in order. Tap + for more copies (up to 10).
For the parent or teacher
What it is
Second graders split circles and rectangles into 2, 3 or 4 equal shares and name them halves, thirds and fourths. They learn that equal shares of the same shape don't have to look the same, and they split rectangles into rows and columns of same-size squares and count them. This is the start of fractions.
What comes next
Fractions in third grade, which give names like 1/2 and 1/4 to these shares.
How to teach it
- Fold paper shapes into halves and fourths, and cut paper strips into thirds.
- Share food fairly. Cut a sandwich or a pizza drawing into equal shares.
- Use the words a half, a third and a fourth, and say the whole is two halves, three thirds or four fourths.
- For rows and columns, draw the lines from mark to mark with a ruler.
Common mistakes
- Calling any 2 pieces halves, even when they are not the same size.
- Thinking more shares means bigger shares. A fourth is smaller than a half.
- Drawing rows and columns that are not straight, so the squares are different sizes.