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Standard 2 - Fractions Unit Planner
Standard 2 - Fractions Unit Planner
Standard 2 - Fractions Unit Planner
Unit title:
Exploring Fractions Comparing and Ordering
Content maths area:
Number
Grade/year level:
Grade 5 students; AusVELS level 5
Learning Focus (from AusVELS):
Content strand: Number and Algebra
Sub-strand: Fractions
Proficiency strand: Understanding and Reasoning
Rationale:
As explained by Van de Walle, Karp and Bay-Williams (2010) fractions are a critical content area
for students to understand as they are an important foundation for other content areas, including;
measurement, algebra, decimals and percentage. Fractions are also seen as important in
everyday life and in the world of work, as well as for mathematics in high school (Teaching and
Learning Research Programme, 2006, p.3).
Assumed prior knowledge of students:
-
Students should understand the notion of a fraction being an equal part of one whole/collection
Students should understand what is meant by a fractions multiple
Students will have an understanding of how to model and represent unit fractions, and their
multiples, in numerous ways
Students should be able to count by quarters, halves and thirds
Students should understand the idea of equivalent
2.1 & 2.5
fractions
This section demonstrates my knowledge of different
grouping approaches and their appropriate application
within the mathematics classroom.
Individual: allows the students opportunity to demonstrate their own knowledge and understanding,
also assisting to highlight any misconceptions or lack of understanding to assist the teachers future
action.
Pairs (similar levels of understanding and ability) chosen to allow the students opportunity to
bounce ideas and understands off one another. It was also an opportunity for students to explain,
justify and persuade one another using thinking strategies and fraction models.
Whole class allows the teacher time to pose questions and activate high order mathematical
thinking to help students gain better knowledge of the conceptual understandings and main ideas
for the lesson.
Focus group allows the teacher to be able to work closely with a select group of students who
are at the same level and need immediate assistance or extending. It can help with challenging
high achievers, developing basic understandings for struggling students and eliminating
misconceptions.
Overview of assessment:
Types of assessment used within this unit of work include:
-
References:
Clarke, D., Roche, A. & Mitchell, A. (2008). 10 practical tips for making fractions come alive
and make sense. Mathematics teaching in the middle school, 13(7), 373-379.
Sexton, M., Brown, J. & Downton, A. (2010). Understanding fractions. Prime Number, 25(4), 37.
Teaching and Learning Research Programme [TLRP]. (2006). Fractions: Difficult but Crucial in
Mathematics Learning [Research Briefing]. (13), United Kingdom. Retrieved from
http://www.tlrp.org/pub/documents/no13_nunes.pdf
Van De Walle, J. A., Karp, K. S. & Bay-Williams, J. M. (2010). Elementary and middle school
mathematics: Teaching developmentally (7th ed.). USA: Person Education Inc.
2.2 This unit planner as a whole demonstrates my ability to sequence and organise content for effective teaching and
learning. Evidently, consideration has been given to the organisation of content delivery within individual lessons (tuning
in, investigation and making/reflection sections) as well as to the overall sequence of the entire unit.
Year Level: 5
Term: 1
Week: 5
Date: 04/03/2013
Compare and order common unit fractions and locate and represent them on a number line
Investigate strategies to solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions with the same denominator
Proficiency strand(s):
Possible misconceptions
Level descriptions:
Understanding
Fluency
Problem Solving
Reasoning
Understanding: Includes making connections between representations of numbers, using fractions to represent
probabilitites, comparing and ordering fractions and decimals and representing them in various ways, describing tra
nsformations and identifying line and rotational symmetry (AusVELS, 2013, p.11).
Reasoning: Includes investigating strategies to perform calculations effectively, continuing patterns involving
fractions and decimals, interpreting results of chance experiments, posing appropriate questions for data
investigations and interpreting data sets (AusVELS, 2013, p.11).
Estimation
Benchmarking
Learning
strategies/ skills
Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Co-operating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating
MATHEMATICAL
FOCUS
(what you want the children
to come to understand as a
result of this lesson short,
succinct statement)
Session 1
Exploring
effective thinking
strategies and
ways of working
when estimating
the relative size
of fractions.
Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying
TUNING IN
(WHOLE CLASS FOCUS)
(a short, sharp task relating to the
focus of the lesson; sets the scene/
context for what students do in the
independent aspect. e.g., It may be a
problem posed, spider diagram, an
open-ended question, game, or
reading a story)
Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning
Key vocabulary:
Fraction proper/improper/mixed
Benchmarking zero/half/whole
Numerator
Denominator
Number line order/larger/smaller
Partitioned
Divided
Equal
Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising
INVESTIGATIONS
SESSION
(INDEPENDENT LEARNING)
(extended opportunity for students to
work in pairs, small groups or
individually. Time for teacher to probe
childrens thinking or work with a small
group for part of the time and to also
conduct roving conferences)
Questioning - tuning in
discussion:
Seeing patterns
Selecting information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising
ADAPTATIONS
- Enabling prompt
(to allow those experiencing difficulty to
engage in active experiences related to
the initial goal task)
- Extending prompt
(questions that extend students
thinking on the initial task)
Enabling Students:
*Focus Group
(those who have difficulty)
Model to the students
benchmarking and residual
thinking strategies.
Work as a group to make
estimates about the area
model fractions.
Extending Students:
(For advanced students
and those who complete
the task early and easily)
Estimating fractions
represented as a different
model. They use the
number line estimating
fraction sheet.
Testing
Viewing
Visually representing
Working independently
Working to a timetable
ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES
(should relate to objective. Includes
what the teacher will listen for,
observe, note or analyse; what
evidence of learning will be collected
and what criteria will be used to
analyse the evidence)
Looking for:
- Can they make
appropriate estimations?
- Did they successfully
justify their estimation?
- Could they recognise the
strategies they used?
Evidence from:
- Work sample
- Observation:
Checklist (of above
skills)
Anecdotal notes (taking
during whole class
discussion and during
Spin to win
Refer to Appendix 3a & 3b
Which is largest?
Refer to Appendix 4
Session 3
Exploring
effective thinking
strategies and
ways of working
to order unit
fractions from
smallest to
largest
Sticky Numbers
(Adapted from: Clarke,
Roche & Mitchell, 2008,
p122)
Each student has a
fraction, written on a sticky
note and stuck onto them.
The students work as a
Resources include:
- Circular pie pieces
- Rectangular regions
- Grid paper
- Paper strips
- Cuisenaire rods
- Counters
- Empty number lines
- String
Enabling Students:
(pairs who have difficulty)
Provide them with a
different set of fraction
pairs according to their
capability
e.g. using fractions where
the denominators or
numerators are the same.
Extending students:
(pairs of advanced
students and those who
finish the task quickly and
easily)
Provide them with a
different set of fraction
pairs according to their
capability
e.g. including mixed and
improper fractions
Looking for:
- Are they able to use
benchmarks to compare
fractions?
- Were they able to
successfully compare
relative size of fractions?
- Were they able to
successfully use a range
of the provided
resources/models to
assist their working and
justify their outcome?
Evidence from:
- Work sample
- Observation:
Checklist (of above
skills)
Anecdotal notes (from
roving during tuning in
and investigation
activities, asking
probing questions and
during whole class
discussion)
Enabling Students:
Looking for:
*Focus Group
- Could the students
Students having difficulty
apply previously
work with the teachers as a
practised comparing
small group to order the
strategies to
fractions. If necessary,
successfully order
provide them with simpler
fractions?
fractions to begin with e.g.
Were they able to use a
unit fractions.
range of models to
Session 4
Using number
lines to compare
and order
fractions
Fraction Rope
Refer to Appendix 6a & 6b
Line them up
Refer to Appendix 7
*Whole Class
Students estimate, explain
and persuade each other
about the placement of a
fraction on a manipulative,
life size number line.
*Individually
- What thinking strategies could
Give students 6 fractions
we use?
(difficulty according to
- How can we find the actual
students ability), and give
positioning of the fraction on the
them each an empty
rope?
number line (0-1).
Students show where each
During investigation:
fraction would be on the
*Teacher roving
one number line, therefore
Have students justify their
presenting them in order of
placement of the fractions to
smallest to largest.
you.
Students will compare their
Guide students having
number lines with peers,
difficulty
explaining and justifying
Using probing questions to
their decisions when
assist struggling students and
differences are discovered.
challenge more capable ones.
- How do you know this fraction
someone?
Questioning - during
tuning in:
- Which peg do you think is
closest? Explain?
Extending Students:
explain and justify their
(pairs of advanced
ordering?
students and those who
finish the task quickly and
Evidence from:
easily)
- Work sample (including
Provide extra fractions for
written justification)
these students to include. If
- Observation:
appropriate, use more
- Checklist (of above
difficult fractions (mixed
skills)
and improper numbers)
- Anecdotal notes (from
tuning in activity and
focus group discussion)
Enabling Students:
Guide struggling students
through modelling
examples and using
probing questions
0 AND 1 CARDS !!
belongs here?
Extending Students:
Challenge competent
students by having them
also represent more
challenging fractions e.g.
mixed/improper fractions
Looking for:
- Did students understand
the concept of representing
fractions on a number line?
- Could the students mentally
estimate the position of a
fraction on the number line
(the rope)?
- Could students give valid
justifications to their
estimation?
- Did they successfully order
the given fraction on a
number line?
- Could they justify their
placement of the fractions?
- Did they use appropriate
thinking strategies and
mathematical working to
complete the tasks?
Evidence from:
- Work sample
- Observation:
Checklist (of above
skills)
Anecdotal notes (from
tuning in activity and
roving during students
justifications to one
another)