Cooking with Fractions By Dorothea Avenaut EDU 5369: Elementary Math, Science and Technology

Introduction Students will work in cooperative groups to solve a WebQuest involving fractions. The students are given the responsibility to make food for an end- of-the-year party. However, the recipes they have do not feed enough people. The students must convert the recipes so that they can feed their entire class. The students will visit specified websites to retrieve required information in order to solve the WebQuest..

Purpose The purpose of this WebQuest is to extend the concept of fractions outside the classroom to a “real- life” situation, cooking. Students will practice using fractions while rewriting recipes for an end-of-the- year party.

Standards Standard 1 - Analysis, Inquiry, and Design: Standard 1 - Analysis, Inquiry, and Design: Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions. n n Standard 2 - Information Systems: Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies. Standard 3 - Mathematics: Students will understand mathematics and become mathematically confident by communicating and reasoning mathematically, by applying mathematics in real-world settings, and by solving problems through the integrated study of number systems, geometry, algebra, data analysis, probability, and trigonometry. Standard 7 - Interdisciplinary Problem Solving: Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real- life problems and make informed decisions.

Growth Through the creation of this WebQuest and webpage, I have learned many more ways to incorporate technology into the classroom and how technology can be used as a motivational tool. In addition, by integrating technology and multimedia tools into the classroom, students will be able to flourish in our highly technological society.

Vision I envision creating many more WebQuests in the future. I believe WebQuests engage and motivate students to build upon what they have learned. In the process they are able to develop cooperative, decision making, and problem solving skills. One vision that I will pursue is to keep a class webpage. This webpage will keep parents connected to the classroom with daily homework assignments, long-term projects, and educational sites. Not only will technology be incorporated into my classroom through WebQuests and the class webpage, but I will have the students create their own multimedia presentations using such programs as Powerpoint and Hyperstudio.