in this issue >>>
Using Technology to help
students understand important
math concepts such as fractions:
1) Motion Math: Fractions!
2) nlvm.usu.edu
Technology in Math
iPad Apps and Virtual Manipulatives
Hi Parents!
Welcome to Math 5! I want to
reach out to you all to tell you
about two incredible programs,
Motion Math:Fractions! and
NLVM, which we will be using in
class to help your child build a
deeper understanding of
mathematics, and in particular,
our recent unit on fractions!
February, 2018 Math 5: Volume 1, Issue 1
Motion Math: Fractions!
(iPad App)
This app allows students to learn the concepts of fractions, decimals, ratios,
and proportions by having students tilt their device to bounce a ball on a
numberline between 0 and 1 based on a given value. We will be using this
app over the next unit in class as we delve into the concepts of equivalent
fractions.
Scaffolding learning as students are given only
This app scaffolds students’ growing the amount of support they need
mathematical knowledge of fractions while keeping the material
by providing students with visual challenging and engaging for them,
scaffolds. When the ball Another scaffold is that
bounces in the incorrect Helpful for both the game has 3 levels-
location on the number Kinesthetic and Visual beginner, medium, and
line, first lines appear, hard. At the hard level,
Learners in Building
dividing the number line students are introduced to
into equal pieces, that are Understanding of decimal and percent as it
equivalent to the number Fractions! relates to fractions which
of the denominator. This helps students connect
helps students see the value of the these concepts.
fraction. After this, if students still Kinesthetic and Visual
have trouble placing the ball on the Learning
correct location of the number line Students learning and
that corresponds with the given understanding of fractions is further
fraction, the app adds labels to other enhanced by the visual aspect of the
places on the number line. Finally, if number line and kinesthetic aspect
students still have trouble, the app of tilting the iPad to move the ball
points to the correct place on the and represent length in that manner.
number line for students to bounce This helps solidify the concepts for
the ball. All of this scaffolds student different tyoes of learners.
 National Library of Virtual
Manipulatives (NLVM)
nlvm.usu.edu

The National Library of Equivalent

Virtual Manipulativees can
be accessed online and
allows students to use
virtual manipulatives to
explore important math
concepts and build
conceptual understanding.
They can do this by
choosing different applet
activities by grade level and
topic!
Fractions
Applet
Understanding Equivalent Fractions is
an important part of the Grade 5
curriculum. As such, we will be
spending lots of time in class learning
how equivalent fractions relate to one
another. A great tool we will be using
is the Equivalent Fractions Applet on
nlvm.usu.edu. The great thing about
this is that it can be accessed at home
or lcal libraries since it is jut a website!
The applet, as shown above, uses color
coding and an interactive format for
students to experiment with different
fractions to see which ones are
equivalent. Students can use this tool to
test out dividing a square into different
numbers of pieces to explore the
underlying ideas behind equivalent
fractions.

Multiplication of Fractions Applet

Key Features of NLVM
 Accessible from any
internet enabled device
 Variety of Applets
organized by Grade Level
and Topic
 Interactive Learning-
Students can manipulate
numbers to explore how
this affects different
mathematical models
In addition to using equivalent fractions, another important part of the
Grade 5 standards is understanding multiplication with fraactions as it has
to do with area and scaling. In the next week, students will be using the
Multiplication of Fractions Applet on NLVM, as pictured to the left, in
order to build on this understanding of how multiplying fractions relates to
area!
How it works Why is this helpful?
This applet allows students to This allows students to
change the fractions on either experiment with the idea of
fractions and area. By
side of the square. As they do
this, the graphic changes so manipulating the numbers and
that students can see the two seeing the visual representation of
shaded areas that represent the the fractions, students can gain
fractions they are multiplying, conceptual understanding of what
and then the overlapping it means to multiply fractions,
shaded region, which which will help them when they
represents their answer. are later asked to use this
knowledge in problem solving
tasks such as word problems.
Any questions? See something you want to know more about? Please
feel free to contact me with the information below:
Ms. Rosasco
rosascoa@bc.edu
(631) 371-6767