Get ready for a week long fraction unit! This post is a full week of activities and arts integrated lessons that your students will love engaging in. Go from Monday with "What are fractions?" to Friday where we asses how much the students have learned! You don't have to use these all in one week, but this is a fun way for students to get excited about learning fractions!
***Note that each day contains a "Fraction Journal" section. This journal can go in the same type of math journal as I showed in a previous blog post. On one page, after each day, have the students reflect on what they learned. Have them answer the question given with at least 3 facts and one question. This question can help you as the teacher know what you may need to go over a little more the next day! I will also ask a question about the art form that they learned about that day. SO look out for the journal entries at the end of each "day"!***
Monday:
What are fractions? and their parts!
General Fraction Info!
To start off this wonderful week full of fractions we need to give our students some basic information! Monday is all about the basic info and here is a great poster to share that info! Engage your students with this colorful poster!
Remember to focus on denominators, numerators, and part and whole to explain the basics of a fraction.
Remember to focus on denominators, numerators, and part and whole to explain the basics of a fraction.
Picture Source: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/cd/88/9f/cd889f7d99ee0217a3c8fee28da8a113.jpg
Fraction Songs!
Parts of a Fraction: Numerators and Denominators
Fractions Songs
Above are some cute examples of songs based on basic fraction ideas. Monday is all about teaching students about what makes a fraction a fraction, so these songs are great intros.
In my first blog post I did a lesson on subtracting where the students wrote poems and then made songs from those poems. To integrate the arts, I focused on lyrics, speed, repetition, and sound of the songs they created. They were able to work on these songs in small groups and share their song with the class. (If you have instruments feel free to let your students create sounds with them!)
I reviewed this lesson and decided it would be a great way to introduce fractions, or reintroduce fractions for a fraction filled week. It is so important to help student review and remember the information that can be difficult. By using song and poems, they can do this in a fun way.
Quick Steps: First, show your students the videos and songs above. Let them get up and dance. Having them move around will get their brains ready and excited to make their own songs about fractions! Have your students create songs as I said before for the basics of fractions. Have them start with a poem and explain how these poems with become lyrics.
Here is a word bank that they could use help them come up with ideas of what should be included in their poems:
Word Bank:
Fractions
Part
Whole
Denominator
Numerator
Add/ Subtract
Multiply/divide
Quarter
Half
This is a simple idea for Monday, but it will allow your students get acclimated with Fraction week!
In my first blog post I did a lesson on subtracting where the students wrote poems and then made songs from those poems. To integrate the arts, I focused on lyrics, speed, repetition, and sound of the songs they created. They were able to work on these songs in small groups and share their song with the class. (If you have instruments feel free to let your students create sounds with them!)
I reviewed this lesson and decided it would be a great way to introduce fractions, or reintroduce fractions for a fraction filled week. It is so important to help student review and remember the information that can be difficult. By using song and poems, they can do this in a fun way.
Quick Steps: First, show your students the videos and songs above. Let them get up and dance. Having them move around will get their brains ready and excited to make their own songs about fractions! Have your students create songs as I said before for the basics of fractions. Have them start with a poem and explain how these poems with become lyrics.
Here is a word bank that they could use help them come up with ideas of what should be included in their poems:
Word Bank:
Fractions
Part
Whole
Denominator
Numerator
Add/ Subtract
Multiply/divide
Quarter
Half
This is a simple idea for Monday, but it will allow your students get acclimated with Fraction week!
***Fraction Journal: What are all the parts of a fraction? How can you remember the parts of a fraction? What are lyrics? What is one question I could help you with tomorrow based on what we learned today?
Tuesday:
Addition and Subtraction of Fractions
To start off the lessons on math operations with fractions, we begin by teaching the basics of addition and subtraction of math. The most important thing for the students to remember is "common denominators". It is an easy concept for us, but for students it is something easily forgotten or confused. For this lesson, I am bringing in information and an activity for common denominators, as well as referencing an old blog post that used a great technique for addition and subtraction of fractions!
Basic Techniques:
Here are some great basic addition and subtraction anchor charts. These are great "introducers" to the lesson and the art that is coming next!
Photo Credit:
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/e4/e2/e1/e4e2e15d7fb7dec369b27b5c66fae066.jpg
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/e4/e2/e1/e4e2e15d7fb7dec369b27b5c66fae066.jpg
Photo Source: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/0d/a0/49/0da049fc82b5c890a494cb4f3f7a94d0.jpg
Fraction Rhythms!
Here is the link to the resource where I got this lesson! This website is another great resource, so when you are finished looking at this lesson, explore! It also has a lot of great ideas for all sorts of lessons that are arts integrated! Just another great resource for you to have!
http://educationcloset.com/2012/11/08/equation-rhyme-time-math-through-music/
-It is really interesting in the fact that you are actually creating a rhythm together and using musical rhythms to teach the actual fractions. The music helps guide them through the process of addition and the students add together the fractions.
- This lesson is from a past blog post that I think is the perfect way to engage your students in the learning of adding and subtracting fractions. It shows interesting ways to bring in rhythms and movement as well as the importance of sound and repetition while learning math or any subject.
http://educationcloset.com/2012/11/08/equation-rhyme-time-math-through-music/
-It is really interesting in the fact that you are actually creating a rhythm together and using musical rhythms to teach the actual fractions. The music helps guide them through the process of addition and the students add together the fractions.
- This lesson is from a past blog post that I think is the perfect way to engage your students in the learning of adding and subtracting fractions. It shows interesting ways to bring in rhythms and movement as well as the importance of sound and repetition while learning math or any subject.
***Fraction Journal: What did you learn about how to add and subtract fractions? What are 3 three things you need to remember? What is a rhythm? What is one question I could help you with tomorrow based on what we learned today?
Wednesday:
Multiplication
On Wednesday we are going back to our paper crafting! In my post about paper crafts I shared tons of foldables. For this fraction filled day, I am going to share links to some fun ideas about how to use fractions with paper crafts to teach multiplication of fractions!
But first as always... here is a general information anchor chart FULL of ideas! This is a great and detailed anchor chart, so when you make this for your classroom add what you need to!
But first as always... here is a general information anchor chart FULL of ideas! This is a great and detailed anchor chart, so when you make this for your classroom add what you need to!
Special thanks to http://www.teachingwithamountainview.com/2013/04/multiplying-fractions.html?m=1 for this awesome idea on Pinterest! This is one cool anchor chart full of information!
Paper Craft Time!!!
We learned from my post on paper crafts the importance of glue, scissors, and paper. Refer back to that post in order to teach about the art form of paper crafting! As a refresher, focus on the types of glue and what they are best used for. Then focus, especially for younger students, on ways to use scissors. Lastly, help your students discover the amazing options that lie beyond the normal construction paper, have them use some fun paper from scrapbook stores!
Paper craft ideas:
Source: http://horizonsanddreams.blogspot.com/2012/12/festive-fraction-fun.html
This is another fun activity to do in the winter time! To make this applicable to multiplication have your students multiply the size of the snowman by different amount this will help them discover the process of multiplication of fractions!
Source: http://iwanttobeasuperteacher.blogspot.com/2012/05/perimeter-area-and-fraction-math.html
This is another activity that I have posted about before! This can be used to teach fractions too! If you follow the link there are more examples and ideas for how to use this mosaic paper craft in your classroom!
***To make this a process of multiplying fractions talk about "halving" or "doubling" yourself. Ask the students how much of each color tile they would need if they "cut themselves" in half. Ask how many tiles they need if they would double the picture? And so on! This is s fun, different way to help your students think about fractions.
***Fraction journal: What does multiplying mean? What is needed in order to multiply fractions? What is the need to make a paper craft? What is one question I could help you with tomorrow based on what we learned today?
Thursday:
Division of Fractions
In a post recently, I shared a book and a lesson based on the illustrations and math concepts that book provided. I have found another book that is pretty great, and goes along with dividing fractions! Therefore, on Thursday of the Fraction Palooza we will focus on the book "Full House" By: Dayle Dodds.
Below is a quick dividing fractions video to introduce this awesome topic to your students before jumping into the book!
Below is a quick dividing fractions video to introduce this awesome topic to your students before jumping into the book!
Division Lesson with "Full House"
This is "Full House" by Dayle Dodds! It is illustrated by Abbey Carter!
Picture sources: http://www.bookworm.com/p/full-house-an-invitation-to-fractions-656899?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_bw&utm_term=QZ-091&utm_campaign=GoogleAW&CAWELAID=1611714614&utm_content=pla&adtype=pla&cagpspn=pla
Lesson:
1) Begin by reading "Full House" to your students. Focus on the math in the book and have them use division to talk about how the women in the book "divides" items up. But for this initial time, just read through the whole book!
2) After reading through once, have students focus on the pictures and read through again. Tell them to pay close attention to emotion, and style of drawing. Give them some information about Abbey Carter, http://www.mbartists.com/cgi-bin/iowa/artists.html?artist=4, using this link! It is a great resource into her life and her art. This is always a great lesson and way to inspire students!
3) Next have your student do each math problem that is given in the book. Make this fun! Have the students come to the board and share what they have learned and what they can do!
4) Have fun and enjoy reading this fun book!
1) Begin by reading "Full House" to your students. Focus on the math in the book and have them use division to talk about how the women in the book "divides" items up. But for this initial time, just read through the whole book!
2) After reading through once, have students focus on the pictures and read through again. Tell them to pay close attention to emotion, and style of drawing. Give them some information about Abbey Carter, http://www.mbartists.com/cgi-bin/iowa/artists.html?artist=4, using this link! It is a great resource into her life and her art. This is always a great lesson and way to inspire students!
3) Next have your student do each math problem that is given in the book. Make this fun! Have the students come to the board and share what they have learned and what they can do!
4) Have fun and enjoy reading this fun book!
***Fraction Journal: What did "Full House" teach you? What did you notice about the illustrations used? What is important to remember when dividing fractions? What questions do you have?
Friday:
Show us what you learned!
Friday will be full of non-standard methods of assessing your students. The students will be using forms of art such as cartoons and tableau. As teachers we will see the growth our students have made throughout the week, without doing a standard text.
Tableau what you know!
Lesson:
1) Teach students to tableau! Use the information that I provided in the past blog post about using tableau to teach math.
2) Focus on the past four days when choosing a theme for your tableaux. Divide the groups into groups of four or five students and have them create a tableau of one of the many topics they have learned (i.e.. addition, subtraction, basic fractions, multiplying, and dividing)
3)Encourage them to use their fraction journal entries to help them come up with ideas about how to tableau their topics! This can be a hard process because these are more abstract, so give them some more time to work on this!
4) Have the students share their tableaus with the class. You could even have the class guess what each group is supposed to represent!
1) Teach students to tableau! Use the information that I provided in the past blog post about using tableau to teach math.
2) Focus on the past four days when choosing a theme for your tableaux. Divide the groups into groups of four or five students and have them create a tableau of one of the many topics they have learned (i.e.. addition, subtraction, basic fractions, multiplying, and dividing)
3)Encourage them to use their fraction journal entries to help them come up with ideas about how to tableau their topics! This can be a hard process because these are more abstract, so give them some more time to work on this!
4) Have the students share their tableaus with the class. You could even have the class guess what each group is supposed to represent!
Go Animate it!!
This is a fun new idea that has not appeared on the blog before! Using goanimate.com have students create their own review cartoon! This is such a fun way for students to review their learning and share it with the class!
Here are some thinks that help students discover the art of animation! It will be fun to include this in the lesson!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phXEvBKonvg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOz0BUoGa3U
Quick Lesson:
1) Allow students to come up with some ideas for what they would like to animate
2) Guide them to goanimate.com and help them learn about how to make the animations. This is pretty easy because the website is very helpful! Make sure they go to the bottom of the page, and allow them to use the free versions!
3) Share the videos above on cartoons, and other animators.
4) Have them create and share their animation!
Click the button below for my example!
Here are some thinks that help students discover the art of animation! It will be fun to include this in the lesson!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phXEvBKonvg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOz0BUoGa3U
Quick Lesson:
1) Allow students to come up with some ideas for what they would like to animate
2) Guide them to goanimate.com and help them learn about how to make the animations. This is pretty easy because the website is very helpful! Make sure they go to the bottom of the page, and allow them to use the free versions!
3) Share the videos above on cartoons, and other animators.
4) Have them create and share their animation!
Click the button below for my example!
***Fraction Journal: List the 5 most important things you learned about fractions. List 2 things about tableau that you learned today. What is one question I could help you with tomorrow based on what we learned today?
Hope you enjoyed this week full of fraction fun! This was a super fun post to make and I hope you incorporate some of these activities into your classroom!