Personal Learning Path

Personal Objective: For this week post, I wanted to find supporting materials to aide fourth graders comprehension of fractions and not just skate by. Students can find fractions difficult because fractions contain their own set of rules. Common Core Standard: Fourth Grade: 4.NF Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering. 1. Explain why a fraction a/b is equivalent to a fraction (n x a)/(n x b)  by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of parts differ even though the to fractions themselves are the same size. Use this principle to recognize and generate equivalent fractions. 2. Compare two frications with different numerators,  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 comparison with symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusi...

Personal Objective: This week I wanted to build on multiplication. The Common Core Standards requires fourth graders to be able to multiply one and up to four digits as well as multiply two by two digits. Multiplying larger digits can be intimidating to students so I would like to focus on techniques that would encourage students. Common Core Standard: Fourth Grade 4.NBT.B.5 5. Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models.  Activity: Education.com Other Resources: Long Multiplication Song Khan Academy Reflection: Multiplying with more than one digit can be challenging for students especially if they do not have a good multiplication foundation. As teachers, it is our responsibility to aid students in finding the be...

Personal Objective: This week I wanted to focus on ways to introduce division to third graders. Common Core Standard: Grade 3: 3OA 2. Interpret whole-number quotients of whole numbers. 3. Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem. 4. Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers.  Activity: K5 Learning Worksheet Other Resources: Division Mitten From Teachers Pay Teachers McCarthy Math Academy: Division Song Reflection: I found two helpful K5 learning worksheets that addressed the CommonCore standards. While tutoring, I found the division mitten puzzle very useful. My student was struggling with understanding division. The division mitten required the student to be able to understand division i...

Personal Objective: This week I wanted to focus on ways to enhance third graders comprehension of multiplication. The common core standard recommends that a third grade should be to understand that multiplication is the repetition of groups with the same quantity as well as be able to identify the missing number in a multiplication equation. Common Core Standard Third Grade 3.OA 1. Interpret products of whole numbers. 3. Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem. 5. Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division relating three whole numbers. Activity: Other Resources: Multiplication Flower  This technique can be used for numbers 1 through 12. Picture from weareteachers.com. YouTube Reflection: I found two great worksheets ...