It's Math Monday!
Join Mandy at Enjoy and Embrace Learning for the Math Monday link up!
Well, spring break is well and truly over. The Problem Solving With Fractions math quiz that my 5th graders took on the Thursday before break finally got graded Saturday night. Because of the importance of assessment driving instruction, I needed to grade that quiz before I knew what I would be teaching today in math.
We won't be starting with dividing fractions just yet, that's for sure. So many stitches were dropped in that quiz that we'll start off with a healthy dose of review. We need to go all the way back to reading a problem carefully to understand what it's asking, and paying attention to key words and phrases like "product," "how much more/less/farther/bigger," and "in all/total." Carefully reading the problem will tell us how to label our answers, or better yet, write the answer in a sentence.
We'll remember what we learned about multiplying a fraction by a whole number or a mixed number by a fraction, and how to take an answer that's an improper fraction and simplify it into a mixed number.
Then I'll give them their quizzes back, marked with the problems that need a second look, and we'll see if they can fix their mistakes, or finish their work by simplifying or correctly labeling answers.
And for the three students who got everything correct, I will give them this problem that NO ONE got correct (and that confounded me for a minute or two when I started grading). It doesn't make sense when you're solving for area to wind up with an answer that's less than the length of one of the sides. How can you solve this so your answer makes sense...and answers the question?
Jen makes a rectangular banner that is 1 3/4 yards long and 6/12 yards wide. What is the area, in square yards, of the banner?
I enjoyed how you used the phrase, "so many stitches were dropped" - fractions aren't a common topic on a daily basis for students which is probably why you need this refresher. I also love how you are giving them back the quiz to look at after your refresher and not just putting it away, having faith they will know what to do and your solution for the three who don't need the refresher. Thanks for joining this week.
ReplyDeleteI'm printing this because this year multiplying fraction almost killed me and Dividing did. Your choice of words and positive turns will help me when we review again later or yea maybe not.
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