Personal Learning Path Blog - Molly Terry

 This week I wanted to continue working on strategies for teaching and working with fractions. Last week I explored an online interactive practice, this week I wanted to look into resources that would be fun and engaging for students to practice, and that do not require internet or a computer. The resource that I found is from  https://mathgeekmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/getting-to-know-fractions.pdf . It proves a printable set of fractions that teachers can quickly cut into “cards” to play with.  This aligns with 4th and 5th grade standards: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.A.1 Explain why a fraction  a / b  is equivalent to a fraction ( n  ×  a )/( n  ×  b ) by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size. Use this principle to recognize and generate equivalent fractions. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.A.2 Compare two fractions with different num...

 Fractions  For the next few blog posts I want to focus on fractions. Fractions are a large topic with different rules when it comes to adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing (I also wanted to cover this optic because this week’s async work made me realize how much I’d forgotten!).  The resource I found is an interactive practice from PBS- schoolyourself.org for 5th grade math.  https://schoolyourself.org/page/embed?partner=pbslm&id=algebra/fractions CSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.A.1 Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers) by replacing given fractions with equivalent fractions in such a way as to produce an equivalent sum or difference of fractions with like denominators.  For example, 2/3 + 5/4 = 8/12 + 15/12 = 23/12. (In general, a/b + c/d = (ad + bc)/bd.) Reflection The interactive model prompts students to solve fraction questions. One of my favorite things about this model is that it provides links for students to r...

For my 5th blog post I wanted to continue working on strategies for long division. When I was a student I remember this topic was one of the first in math that I struggled with. I think that it impacted my confidence in my mathematical abilities and I want to make sure that when I teach, my students are confident in their abilities. I have already written about long division videos, activities, and worksheets. This week I wanted to find a website that allowed students to practice long division. I think that it’s really important that students are able to have fun when learning so that they do now associate using their agh skills with having to follow orders and do work. The lesson aligns with CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.2 Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. The website I found is  https://mrnussbaum.com/divide-pal-online-workshop  which is an online game for division. The website allows you to select how many divisor digits, and dividend digits you w...

 For this week I wanted to continue my work on long division. This time, however, I wanted to focus on a resource that would allow myself and other teachers to easily differentiate instruction and activities for students. Some students comprehend and master long division very quickly, and others (myself included) struggle with remembering all of the steps and where to place all of the numbers. I found a resource that provides two different worksheets for students. The first one is highly scaffolded to help students remember where to place each of the numbers as they work through the equations. The second sheet is less scaffolded to allow students the opportunity to work through the problems without prompts for where to place each number. The lesson aligns with CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.2 Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. First sheet: scaffolded Second sheet: less scaffolded  Example of what the scaffolded sheet looks like filled out Reflection I ...