Summer SAVY 2018: Session 4, Day 2 – Fractions at Work (Rising 3rd/4th)
It was another wonderful day stretching our brains around mathematical ideas. Our foundation of equivalent fractions led to much comparing and ordering using dominoes and complicated non-benchmark fractions [i.e. ordering 8/7, 5/6, 5/9, 6/7 and approximating 13/20, 11/16, 13/12, and 1 1/8 on our number line]. “Start with what you know” was a helpful strategy, using “friendly fractions” +/- 1 numerator or denominator. We noticed the fraction concept tenet that ‘there are an infinite number of fractions between any two fractions on the number line’. Our mathematicians became really interested in mixed numbers and finding common denominators, using The Wishing Club book and our family members’ ages as our unit fractions to add.
It’s fun to see the many “a-ha” moments that students are having as they notice math in our world. Our trip to the Pancake Pantry was delightful!! Ms. Sharde took us on a tour of the kitchen, and even showed us the recipe book they use. She showed us the ubiquitous applied math in the restaurant business, from table configurations to napkin folding. We also talked about their planning for as many as 800 pancake-eating customers on the weekends. The learners had many questions and enjoyed the experience.
Your mathematician might enjoy some fraction games on this site: http://www.visualfractions.com/Games.htm
As we are developing our urban planning designs, this brief city planner video helped catalyst some wonderful discussion of factors and criteria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnnUid8Hof0
Even though there is still 60% of our SAVY time left, we have already explored the 5 interpretations of fractions = parts of whole /parts of sets; fractions as result of dividing 2 numbers; fractions as ratio of 2 quantities; fractions as operators; and fractions as measures. Phew! SAVY is such a full and fun learning week. Thank you for joining us!
-Ms. Pfister
Photos From Our Field Trip
