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Personal Learning Path 9

 This weeks learning path is focused on facilitating discussions, deep thinking, and perseverance among students. The resource I found is from 5280Math.com and it provides “creative math prompts” for students to work through, examine, and discuss. The website provides prompts for all grade levels, covering a variety of topics. The prompt that I chose to use can be use in elementary grades to explore equivalent fractions and potentially area. 

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 numerators and different denominators, e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as 1/2. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.B.3
Understand a fraction a/b with a > 1 as a sum of fractions 1/b.
The prompts begin with a picture, in this instance a picture of equivalent


Students can then be given a chart where they can write what they notice and what they wonder about the image. This chart can be used for any of the prompts on the website. 



The website then provides some ideas for how teachers can guide discussions and reflections on the prompt. The site shares first some of the observations that students should be making about the image, and then some things they should be thinking or wondering about. These are the things students should be discussing with each other or writing on their worksheets. The teacher can then extend the lesson by having students write or discuss one of the creating prompts. 

 


Reflection

I really liked how this resource prompts students to think and observe freely. As we learning in our class readings, it’s important to shift the focus in class from teacher directions and explanations to student thinking and wondering. This allows students to build perseverance, self reliance, and creativity. I also really liked how this resource provides extensions for how to build on student thinking . One thing I think this resource could really benefit from is more differentiating and categorizing. The website divides the prompts from elementary, middle school, and high school, but I think it would be more useful for teachers if it was broken into grade levels or groupings of grades. I also think it could differentiate what observations and wondering could be expected from students at different levels to help teachers better assess student understanding. Overall, I think this is an easy and straightforward way to encourage problem solving, reasoning, and discussion in the classroom.

Comments

  1. Ana J SpencerJuly 11, 2021 at 3:12 PM

    Hey Molly, beautiful post! I do agree with you that it’s important to shift the focus in class from teacher directions and explanations to student thinking and wondering because it allows them to build perseverance, self reliance, and creativity. Students must get what is being taught and this post shows me this is an amazing find. There are many types of learners and we must be able to accommodate them which is awesome that there are teachers guides providing some ideas for how teachers can guide discussions and reflections on the prompt. Its beautiful to feel guided and helped in our careers.

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