Lesson 9: Fraction Review

Grade Level: 6

Unit: Fractions

Date: Wednesday, 11/16/11

Time: 40 minutes (short day)

Objectives

• SWBAT define the following: numerator, denominator, fraction, rational number, greatest common factor.

• SWBAT locate fractions on a number line.

• SWBAT turn mixed numbers to improper fractions, and vice-versa.

• SWBAT multiply, divide, add & subtract fractions with like and unlike denominators.

• SWBAT reduce fractions to their simplest form.

• SWBAT find relevance in fractions by identifying 2+ ways they use fractions in their everyday lives.

• SWBAT create a graphic organizer (in the form of a 12 page Burrito Book) that contains strategies that will help them solve arithmetic problems that involve fractions.

Prior Knowledge

Students should have learned about and practiced every objective.

Students should be able to fluently add/subtract/multiply/divide positive integers.

Students should have experience factoring.

Students should have a completed Burrito Book.

Materials/Resources

-burrito books

-10 tubs (size of butter tubs)

-Relay review problems

-1 piece of paper per group (for relay)

-How to book criteria sheet

-How to book topics

-2 blank 8.5”x11” paper per group (for how to book)

-colored pencils

-pencils

Adaptations/Modifications

ESOL Working as a team during the relay should increase his understanding of the topic. One of his teammates was a friend who volunteers to interpret for him. During the drafting process of the Fractions How to Book I made sure to check on his group's progress to make sure he was participating.

TAG The Fractions How to Book had fairly open-ended criteria so the students could take the project to any level.

Special Needs When assigning the role of the walker, I made sure not to assign the student with muscular dystrophy or the student with acute scoliosis since they could be injured if they were bumped or knocked down.

Literacy Discuss strategies for working together. The benefits of working together are that you have other people to help you/answer questions, and you can choose what tasks to take on.

Other

Reflection

What's next?

Finalize and present pages of Fractions How to Book, mini-conferences with every student.

What worked?

The students had a lot of fun with the relay game. The game got a little noisy and chaotic, which at first made me worried. Then I realized it was because they were enjoying themselves. The students loved the competitive aspect of the game. They worked quickly in their teams. It was an effective way to review and practice the different math problems.

I effectively assigned every team member a role. The students are seated by OAKS scores. The students with high OAKS scores sit diagonally in seats 1 and 4. The students with lower OAKS scores sit in seats 2 and 3. I assigned the students in seat 1 to be the recorders and the students in seat 3 to be the walkers. The student in seats 2 and 4 were the brains/fact-checkers. I hoped this would give everyone a role they were comfortable with.

What would I change?

When I asked the winning team to share their strategies they said they didn't have one. One winning team admitted to letting the recorder do all the work. I want to alter the game so that it requires every team member to participate. My mentor teacher and I brainstormed ideas. My mentor teacher and I considered rotating the recorder and walker role, but we worry some students may not like the pressure, may get stuck on a problem, or may not be able to write out the solutions to the problem. Instead, I want to try requiring every team member to initial each problem before the walker brings it to the teacher to have it checked. I like this because it will encourage every group member to review the problem and its solution.