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Fractions

 It seems to be that every time there is a fractions unit, mass chaos ensues.

Teachers are rushing to find hands-on ways to share the concepts and make connections for students. However, our students that are algebraic in thinking seem to struggle more with fractions and those that are strugglers of algebraic thinking seem to soar with fractions.  I have noticed this over my years of teaching math. Even this year, I have a struggling algebraic thinker, however, he is doing better with fractions.

Our district is using a new math curriculum, and it doesn't use the words "numerator" and "denominator". However, it does use the words "unit fraction" and "fractional name" quiet frequently. I was excited to try the fractions unit with this new curriculum, but man alive we are struggling!

I had to create a quick song for my students to even know how to WRITE a fraction!  It is a catchy tune, but we just took a mid-module assessment and I still have majority of my students NOT write a fraction when it asked for the fraction! Please don't laugh at my high-pitched voice.


I even had my students complete their names in fractions to assist them with their learning, and they still struggled.

Yes, they understood vowels and consonants, the problem was being able to understand how to write the fraction. They also struggled with being able to write the sum of unit fractions.


I just don't understand why the learning, this early in the stage for fractions, is so difficult. 

Could it be because I didn't use the fraction strips? The fraction circles? I really don't know. They made their own fraction strips at the beginning of the unit, which is why I knew that we would be successful! Yet, they have bombed with the learning! 

Comparing fractions was an issue also because they think just because the denominator is larger, the slice is larger. On the mid-module test, many were able to draw models that showed one-fourth was larger than one-sixth; yet, they still told me that one-sixth was larger. I even had a few students show me number bonds and then tell me that one-sixth was more. I am going to assume that they were thinking that they had more parts to the number bond, so that is why it must be more! The frustrating part of this whole situation is that when we discussed a "classmate's birthday party cake" being shared, they all agreed that they wanted the one-eighth piece not the one-tenth piece.  Maybe I should have brought in brownies and cut it into the model pieces. Oh, wait!  I just thought about it!  Get some clay and have them cut it into eighths and tenths!  Then maybe they would be able to visually see the difference. Okay, now to make some dough for them to practice this tomorrow!  Pinterest has some great quick recipes to help you!

This week in classes, I will be having to focus on moving forward with fractions, but also having to reteach all the things missed on the mid-module test. Guess I should be happy that they didn't miss every single question! Yet, the major concepts did get missed. SO, I guess that isn't really a plus.

Until next time!

A. Ritter
Spring Board of Ideas



 


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