1. Elementary Math Support Fractions I March 28 th, 2013 Session 7

2. Let’s Talk About Fractions…  In your words, what exactly is a fraction?  What makes sense to you about fractions?  What is confusing to you about fractions?  What fraction concepts are you most worried about teaching?

3. Fractional Parts  Big Idea: Fractional parts are equal shares or equal sized portions of a whole unit.  On a piece of paper, draw or write as many examples of fractions as you can…

4. Fractional Parts (contd.)  Big Idea: Fractional parts have special names that tell how many parts of that size are needed to make the whole.  Ex: thirds require three parts to make a whole.

5. Common Fraction Models  Circles, Bars, Pattern Blocks

6. Exploring with Pattern Blocks…  Determine for each pattern block piece, what part of the whole it represents.  Use pictures and fractions to represent your findings.  Hexagon (Yellow)  Trapezoid (Red)  Rhombus (Blue)  Triange (Green)

7. Explore with Pattern Blocks…

8. What is a “unit”?  Big Idea: A unit can be an object or a collection of things.

9. Thinking about number of parts in a whole, and the relative size of those parts…  Big Idea: The more fractional parts used to make a whole, the smaller the parts.  Ex: Compare the size of the pieces in the circle representing eighths to the circle representing fifths.

10. Fraction Symbols  What do the top (Numerator) and bottom (Denominator) numbers really represent?  Big Idea: The denominator of a fraction indicates by what number the whole has been divided.  Big Idea: The numerator counts or tells how many of the fractional parts.

11. Sharing Tasks  Four children are sharing 10 brownies so that each will get the same amount. How much can each child have?  5 brownies shared with 2 children  5 brownies shared with 4 children  3 brownies with 4 children

12. Parts of the Whole Activities  Draw a rectangle. Find ¼, 2/3, and 5/3  If 8 counters are the whole set, how many are in ¼ of the set?  If 15 counters are the whole set, how many are in 3/5 of the set?  If 12 counters is ¾ of a set, how many counters are in the whole set?

13. Mixed Numbers & Improper Fractions  Find a single fraction name for 3 and 2/5.  Find the mixed number for 17/4.

14. Equivalent Fractions  Big Idea: Two equivalent fractions are two ways of describing the same amount by using different sized fractional parts.  Demonstrating Equivalency  Find more than one way to show ½  How could we find more than one way to show 2/3?  How about 7/8?

15. Fraction Strips  Fold your paper strip in half. Label this fold: A  A represents ½  Fold in half again. Label these folds: B  What fraction does B represent?  Fold in half again. Label these folds: C  What fraction does C represent?  What happens if you do this sequence one more time? Tow more times?

16. Connection Math & Literature  Go, Fractions! by Judith Stamper, Grossett & Dunlap, 2003  Apple Fractions by Jerry Pallotta, Scholastic, 2002  The Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar Fractions Book by Jerry Pallotta and Robert C., Bolster, Cartwheel Books, 1999

17. Lesson/Activity Look Up  Take a few moments to explore what kinds of lessons and activities support understanding of fractions by doing a search online…