Classroom Activities
Making a Navajo Sash
Students will be given two sentence strips to create a sash design using fractions. Each sentence strip is twenty-four inches long, which will represent one unit length, so the sashes will be two units long. Students will be assigned a fraction unit. For example, if a student is assigned a fraction unit of 1/2, the student will partition their sentence strips into halves. Each half will have a single shape design, which will be one long triangle, and the second half will have the inverse of the same shape, so the designs become symmetrical. The design for the sash that is partitioned into thirds will have three symmetrical designs, and fourths will have four symmetrical designs. Once all the sashes are designed, the students will compare the fractions. They will be looking for equivalent fractions, the intervals of the designs. Why do some sashes have more symmetrical designs than others? Students will discuss in collaborative groups the relationship between the denominators and find patterns in fractions.
Vocabulary Lesson
Mathematics has its own language, so it is like students are learning another language. Fraction has so many terminologies that students need to learn besides identifying a fraction representation, drawing a fraction representation using shapes, or just memorizing halves, thirds, fourths, sixths, or eighths. They also need to learn proper terms like numerator and denominator, instead of referring to it as the top number or bottom number. One of the reasons students do poorly on summative and formative assessments is because students neglect to learn the terms associated with the mathematical concepts, in this case fraction lesson. Students will define and use the terminologies in collaborative groups and throughout the lessons. It is important for students to learn mathematical terminologies.
Vocabulary activity will include matching a terminology with the definition, and an example using a game called Tap-Tap. In this activity, students will be given a worksheet with examples of fractions or fraction terminologies. The first step is for students to choose an example and make up a sentence about it. Then, once all the examples are tapped, the students will be given the terminology. They will match the terminology with the examples. The final activity is where the students are given the definition of the terminologies. They match the examples, terminologies, and definitions. Most of the time, students catch on after several practices. Furthermore, it gives them confidence to use the new words in their collaborative group discussions.
Growing Fractions Game
Students will be given fraction pieces that represent 1/2, 1/3. 1/4, 1/6, or one-eighth. In this activity, the students will add one fraction piece at a time and watch as the fractions “grow.” The growth will help students see that the fraction pieces that have smaller denominator will grow faster than a fraction that has a larger denominator. This activity is also a good activity for comparing fractions as well as finding equivalent fractions. Collaborative Groups will discuss why denominators are important.
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