fractions top down web

This year the Common Core added multiplying and dividing fractions to our list of standards.  The hardest part of fractions (besides overcoming the inevitable panic attack that accompanies them) is remembering which operations require a common denominator and which don't.  So I made this handy-dandy top down web to use as a resource.

Since were are well into the year, my class is well on their way to making their own top down webs.  So we did the addition portion together and then I let them create the rest.  I allowed them to choose where to place "simplify" in the multiplication and division sections since some wait until the end while others simplify within the problem.

Now whenever we review fractions, the kids pull out their web and review the steps.  Good luck and let me know how it goes if you try it.  Did it help?  Did you make changes?

Psst!  You can download a printer-friendly version, here, at my TeachersPayTeachers site.  Oh yeh, and it's FREE.

five for friday

I am excited to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for this Five for Friday linky party!  As this is my first Five for Friday, I didn't take a whole lot of classroom pics.  Note to self for next time.

                             



This week was a crazy one.  I was one sick puppy all week and the kids were jumping out of their skin with excitement for April vacation to begin.  But thankfully, we all made it through in one piece.



1. We continued our reading groups this week.  This is the second full week and so the kids are really getting   into them.  Below are the books we are reading:

                                           


                                   

In addition to reading their assignment, they all have to fill out a "Think Book" which helps them brainstorm topics to discuss when we meet.  One requirement is for them to record any new words they come across.  We discuss the strategies they used to discover the meaning or if they still don't know, we figure it out together as a group.  In particular, this set of books contain many words that are specific to the culture, location, or time period where the book takes place.  The kids are having fun pointing out these new words to their classmates.



2. We finished up our dividing fractions unit this week.  Since this was the last operation we studied on fractions, the kids had the chance to put them all together.  They worked in partners to solve word problems that included all operations on fractions.  To help them remember the steps, they used a top down web they created.

                                           





3. In Social Studies, we finished learning about how the 13 colonies were formed (I'll blog more about this later).  Instead of making them memorize the colonies, the kids learned where each one is located by piecing together their own maps.

4. A small group of teachers and I are training for the Tough Mudder in June.  We met a couple times after school this week to run together in addition to training individually.  It's so nice to have workout buddies!!

                                              

5. The third book in The Infernal Devices series came out last month, and I finally had the chance to begin it this week.  It's a young adult fantasy series and the second from this author.  I always like reading books that I know my students will be interested in because it makes my book talks much less contrived.  So I'll be excited when I finish this one and can add it to our classroom library. 

                                       

I hope everyone in the New England area has a wonderful April vacation!!

fractions in quilting

Several factors led to the making of this lesson.  1) Friday was Community Reading Day, 2) It was the end of a very long testing week (we NEEDED a fun project) and 3) my IA is getting her certification and needed practice creating and teaching lessons.  Therefore, my IA, Mrs. M, planned this great lesson that integrates quilting and the math behind it.  

First, while the kids were at Library, we draped the room in quilts that Mrs. M's mom made.  

These quilts are amazing, and the kids were so excited to see them.  They got a chance to look at each one, and Mrs. M taught them the history behind quilting in America.  She also discussed the different patterns, color choices, and materials that are used.  Then we went to the library where our community member read A Cloak for the Dreamer to celebrate Community Reading Day.  

This book lead to a discussion about which shapes can be used to make quilts and which ones cannot.  (BTW, this book is great for a lesson on tesselations!)  Then Mrs. M introduced the activity: each student was given a tangram template, scrapbook paper, scissors, and glue and told to create an original quilt square.  They were allowed to alter their tangram shapes as long as they kept to the shape of the square.   

It was interesting to watch how the kids problem solved throughout the activity.  This one planned hers out first and even used numbers to label the different patterns.  That's my girl!

The kids took time to check out each other's squares to get ideas, but each one ended up completely original.

After the kids finished their quilt squares, they needed to figure out what fraction of the square each shape represented.  This ended up being a real challenge: they needed to combine their skills of adding, multiplying, and dividing fractions.  It was refreshing to see them rise to the occasion (and without any complaints I might add).

When everyone completed their project, we put them all together to make our class quilt.

So amazing!  Thanks Mrs. M for putting together a great lesson!