NCSOS:

1.11 Compare & order fractions

1.12 Add & subtract fractions – like denominators

1.14 Use models/pictures to add & subtract fraction & mixed numbers

Big Ideas:

1. Fractions surround us and we encounter them on a daily basis.
2. The world does not always come in "wholes."
3. Students can learn about math and their world through individual activities as well as social interaction

Objectives:

1. TSW review simplifying fractions.
2. TSW recognize the relative size of fractions and compare fractions.
3. TSW identify proper and improper fractions.
4. TSW create fraction equations using addition and subtraction.

Multiple Intelligences:

1. interpersonal- groups work together to solve domino problems as a guided practice
2. visual/spatial- students representing fractions with dominoes, drawn pictures, and fraction circles
3. mathematical/logical- adding, subtracting, and comparing fractions

Universal Design:

ESL/EC- fraction circles make the concept of fractions more concrete and allow students who may not understand the verbal or written explanations another way of learning the material

EC/AIG- students will be given a bag of dominoes catered to their ability level; AIG students will have dominoes with challenging fractions; also, all students will have a degree of choice in this activity to add/subtract fractions they feel comfortable with

Materials: Ziploc bags of dominoes designated for particular students, board, fraction circle and fraction bar manipulatives, overhead

Procedure:

1. Take out a small bag full of dominoes.
2. Pull two dominoes out of the bag and show to class how the dominoes look like a fraction.
3. Draw on the board a bigger version of the domino. Explain to students that the dots above the line is the top number (numerator) of the fraction. Then count up the dots and write the number on the board. Then explain the dots below the line is the bottom number (denominator) of the fraction. Then count up the dots and write the remaining fraction. (repeat procedure with second domino pulled)
4. Now I will ask the students to compare the two fractions. A student will explain how they decided which one was larger. I will ask if there is another student who figured it out a different way and they will explain their method.
5. I will review the procedure of finding a common denominator with the two fractions and model adding the two fractions.
6. I will choose two new dominoes out of the bag and repeat the above procedure but subtract the two fractions instead.
7. I will then flip one of the dominoes over to make it an improper fraction. I will ask students how this fraction is different than most fractions. I will call it an improper fraction and write the term on the board. I will explain how an improper fraction means that it is larger than 1 and draw a picture of it.
8. I will explain to the students that they will be making their own problems today in class. They will each have a bag of dominoes to work with. They will use the same procedure I did. Once they pick the two dominoe fractions, they will decide to add or subtract.
9. I will write on the board the expectations I have. **

**I expect students to complete at least 10 problems using the dominoe fractions.

**I expect to see a mix of both adding and subtracting of fractions. Students must do at least 3 subtraction problems.

**I expect at least one problem using 3 or more dominoes. I will give an example of using 3 dominoes on the board.

Assessment:

1. Why do we only add the numerator (top number) when we are adding fractions?

2. If I am trying to add 3/5 and ½, why do I change the denominator? Why can we use 6/10 when we add the two fractions instead of using 3/5?
3. When there is a larger number on top like in the fraction 9/4, what is this called? What is special about this kind of fraction?

(I will be able to collect and look at the problems students did and assess their understanding of adding and subtracting fractions)

Reflection:

When I came in today to teach, Ms. Bateman warned me that they seemed a little groggy due to it being Monday. I was glad that I had a hook to their work on adding fractions today. When I announced they would be using dominoes during their lesson today, they got excited and perked up. I used the fraction bar manipulatives to reinforce visually what they had been doing. I have noticed that most of the students go through the process without understanding the meaning of what they are doing. They do not deeply understand that 3/5 is another way of writing 6/10 and that they are completely interchangeable. I was hoping the fraction bar manipulatives would make the concept a little more concrete for them. I also need to incorporate Universal Design better. Many of the students needed a visually structured way to go through the process of adding/subtracting fractions. I wish I had given them a sheet of paper with the format filled in and blanks for the actual fractions and work. When I went around the room working with individual students, I was able to work on structuring the steps with them like we had for comparing the fractions; this seemed to work much better for certain students. They would get stuck once they found the LCM, but when we began writing the problem by leaving a blank for the common denominator they were supposed to find, they were able to work through the glitch. I liked that the students who knew what they were doing could challenge themselves with difficult fractions to add and subtract and I could work one-on-one with students who were still struggling. There were still too many students struggling for me to address all of them; this is why I feel a sheet to structure the steps could have taken care of some of the struggling students.

My time is running short now for teaching this unit on fractions. Ms. Bateman and I have discussed how she would follow through the rest of this week reinforcing what was learned. We discussed the need for a visually structured process to add the fractions for certain students. From the work I collected today, there are still a number of the students who need help with adding fractions. If Ms. Bateman would allow me, I would like to work in a small group setting with some of these students while the other students are at their center time. I could work with the manipulatives and reinforce the step-by-step process we used to compare fractions to what we are doing to now add or subtract them.