Fractions, Decimals and Percents Mini-course Session Three

Review Fraction worksheets from last week’s session. BLM 11

Review Fraction worksheets from last week’s session. BLM 12

Bringing It Home 2 At your tables, discuss activities from the suggested list that you did with your children during the week. Any observations or discussions you had with your family related to fractions?

Fraction Problems I At your tables, discuss solutions to the problems, and write out at least one to share with larger group.

Objectives of Session 3 To maintain a positive tone for the class by promoting conversation and success with mathematical endeavors. To use pattern blocks as a manipulative for illustrating fraction concepts. To explore the fraction concepts of equivalence, mixed numbers, and the relationship between fractions and division. To introduce participants to NCTM Number and Operation Standard

Exploring with Pattern Blocks It is important to be able to visualize fractions in a variety of ways. Last week color tiles were used. This week pattern blocks will be used. Pattern Blocks- you will need: 6 yellow 6 red 9 blue 12 green

What Fraction do each of the other colors represent? Let’s Explore Consider the hexagon as a whole unit. How many red trapezoids make up a hexagon? How many blue rhombuses make up the hexagon? How many green triangles make up the hexagon? What Fraction do each of the other colors represent?

Equivalent Fractions What name is given to the space occupied by two blue blocks? (Are there two equivalent names?) What about a red and blue block together? What about 2 yellow, 1 blue, and 1 green? Show how you came up with the name of the fraction using your pattern blocks

A random handful…. Pick a random handful of pattern blocks How many whole units (hexagons) do you have? Describe the leftovers using a fraction. How did you justify its name? Try it a couple more times!

Sharing fraction ideas… At your tables, share what you have seen so far through the use of pattern blocks. The purpose of manipulatives is to clarify important mathematical ideas.

Sharing Cookies… Share 2 cookies (hexagons) evenly among 3 people. What fraction is each person’s share? Share 5 cookies among 2 people. What is each person’s share?

Sharing Cookies…BLM 16 Pull out BLM 16 Act out cooking sharing. Look for generalizations & patterns. Write out solutions with markers (easy to read). We’ll share solutions on overhead after about 15 minutes.

Any volunteers to explain? Varying the whole…BLM 17 What if the rhombus was now the whole instead of the hexagon? --What would the value of all the pieces be now? What if the green triangle was the whole? Continue with chart, and note that the last 3 rows starts with a fraction for a shape! Any volunteers to explain? We can do this! Yes we can!

NCTM Number and Operation Standard During grades 3–5, students should build their understanding of fractions as parts of a whole and as division. They will need to see and explore a variety of models of fractions, focusing primarily on familiar fractions such as halves, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, eighths, and tenths. By using an area model in which part of a region is shaded, you can see how fractions are related to a unit whole, compare fractional parts of a whole, and find equivalent fractions.

Reflection Keeping Building Knowledge!!! See you next week. What new mathematical idea have you learned as a result of tonight's session? How have the color tiles, pattern blocks and fellow participants helped your understanding of fractions? Bringing it home 3 – Fraction Problems II Come prepared to share your responses next week. Keeping Building Knowledge!!! See you next week.