Finally finished our Fractions unit... As our release days are dwindling, this time we cranked out four lessons throughout the day at lunch and after school as able, rather than during a release day.
I found it rather a challenge to "get into" the math planning frame of mind for a short time and then be forced to leave the work session -- often mid-lesson -- and move on to something else (like teaching our classes, running out to do yard duty, or leaving school to go home and make dinner for my own kids!!), but it was an important experience for us to remember what it is like for the average teacher, who doesn't have a bunch of release days specifically for planning purposes.
Using Vandewalle as our philosophical guide, we consulted the curriculum to ensure we stayed focussed on what was actually being asked of grade threes, then set forth to plan a series of lessons that would introduce students to and engage them with halves, quarters, sixths and other fractions. Knowing from Ministry of Ed findings a few years back that fractions are a part of the math curriculum that seem to cause some students grief and heartache, we made sure to include problems from all three perspectives: area, linear and set models.
We hope you enjoy this series of lessons (scroll down to the bottom of that page).
Our next and final Smart Bansho unit will be "Probability", and it will hopefully be complete and uploaded by the end of the month. Thanks to all who have been using or experimenting with our lessons. Please feel free to leave comments or drop us a line with any feedback.
I found it rather a challenge to "get into" the math planning frame of mind for a short time and then be forced to leave the work session -- often mid-lesson -- and move on to something else (like teaching our classes, running out to do yard duty, or leaving school to go home and make dinner for my own kids!!), but it was an important experience for us to remember what it is like for the average teacher, who doesn't have a bunch of release days specifically for planning purposes.
Using Vandewalle as our philosophical guide, we consulted the curriculum to ensure we stayed focussed on what was actually being asked of grade threes, then set forth to plan a series of lessons that would introduce students to and engage them with halves, quarters, sixths and other fractions. Knowing from Ministry of Ed findings a few years back that fractions are a part of the math curriculum that seem to cause some students grief and heartache, we made sure to include problems from all three perspectives: area, linear and set models.
We hope you enjoy this series of lessons (scroll down to the bottom of that page).
Our next and final Smart Bansho unit will be "Probability", and it will hopefully be complete and uploaded by the end of the month. Thanks to all who have been using or experimenting with our lessons. Please feel free to leave comments or drop us a line with any feedback.