Focus Plan
Texarkana Independent School District
GRADING PERIOD: / 2nd 6 Weeks / PLAN CODE:Teacher: / Winton / Course/subject: / Mathematics
Grade(s): / 6 / Time allotted for instruction: / 1 – 1 ½ hours
Title: / “Picturing” Fractions
Lesson TOPIC: / Adding and Subtracting Fractions
TAKS Objective: / Objective 6:
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical processes and tools used in problem solving.
FoCUS TEKS and Student Expectation: / (11) Underlying processes and mathematical tools. The student applies Grade 6 mathematics to solve problems connected to everyday experiences, investigations in other disciplines, and activities in and outside of school. The student is expected to:
(C) select or develop an appropriate problem-solving strategy from a variety of different types, including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, acting it out, making a table, working a simpler problem, or working backwards to solve a problem
Supporting TEKS and Student Expectations: / (1) Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning. The student adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides to solve problems and justify solutions. The student is expected to:
(A) model addition and subtraction situations involving fractions with objects, pictures, words, and numbers
Concepts / Enduring Understandings/Generalizations/Principles
The student will understand that
Addition / Addition is the operation in which the sum of numbers is calculated.
Subtraction / Subtraction is the operation in which the difference between numbers of quantities is calculated
Fraction / A fraction is a number that expresses part of a whole. It contains a numerator and a denominator.
Common Denominator / A common denominator is where the bottom portion of two or more fractions is the same.
I. Sequence of Activities (Instructional Strategies)
A. Focus/connections
Prior to students entering the room, draw a large circle on the board. As student enter the room, give them each a Circle worksheet. Ask the following question, “How many circles are on your sheet?” The answer is one. Have them write: “There is one circle on this sheet.” Now begin the process of dividing the circle into fractional parts.
B. Instructional activities
(demonstrations, lectures, examples, hands-on experiences, role play, active learning experience, art, music, modeling, discussion, reading, listening, viewing, etc.)
Students will need to use a ruler to draw a line to divide the circle in half. Have them label the left side of the circle ‘’A”. Make sure that students use a pencil to label. Next have them divide the right half of the circle in half. Label the parts “B” and “C”. Model the way the circle should be dissected on the board. Now discuss what each labeled portion of the circle represents. (A = ½ B = ¼ C = ¼ ) Show students that A + B + C = 1 because there is only one circle, no matter how many ways it is dissected.
C. Guided activity or strategy
Students will continue to dissect the circle, following directions given by the teacher. Have students follow these directions to dissect the circle and label the parts:
· Erase the “C”. Divide the portion that was “C” in half. Label the new parts “C” and “D”.
· Erase the “D”. Divide the portion that was “D” in half. Label the new parts “D” and “E”.
· List what each fractional part is equivalent to.
Now ask the following questions:
· “What is E equal to?” Answer: 1/16
· “What is D equal to?“ Answer: 1/16
· “What is C equal to?” Answer: 1/8
· “What is A + B equal to?” Answer: ¾
· What is B + C + D + E equal to?” Answer: ½
· What is A + B + C + D + E equal to? Answer: 1
Make sure that each student understands the fractional parts of the dissected circle. Now give each student a Square worksheet. Discuss how the square is divided. After discussion about the fractional parts of the square, each student will need to work on the Picturing Fractions worksheet.
D. Accommodations/modifications
Students requiring modifications may work with a peer to complete the labeling/dissection of the circle.
E. Enrichment
II. STUDENT PERFORMANCE
A. Description
Students will complete the Picturing Fractions worksheet individually.
B. Accommodations/modifications
C. Enrichment
iii. Assessment of Activities
A. Description
Individual grades may be taken on the Picturing Fractions worksheet.
B. Rubrics/grading criteria
Grades may be taken based on the Picturing Fractions Answer Key and Grading Rubric.
C. Accommodations/modifications
D. Enrichment
E. Sample discussion questions
· Where are fractions utilized in the real world?
· Do you prefer working with fractions or decimals? Why?
IV. TAKS Preparation
A. Transition to TAKS context
The teacher will lead the students in a discussion of how fractional problems may look in test format by placing the TAKS questions below on the overhead.
B. Sample TAKS questions
1. Frank and Joe each bought a small pizza and ate only ate only part of their pizza. The pictures below show how much of the pizzas were left.
What portion of the pizza did Frank and Joe eat altogether?
A. 3/8
B. 1 3/4
C. 7/8
D. 1 5/8
2. John is going to make three kinds of cookies. He will need 2 1/3 cups flour for the first kind, 2 1/4 cups flour for the second kind, and 3 1/3 cups flour for the third kind. How much flour does John need for all three kinds of cookies?
A. 8 1/12 cups
B. 7 11/12 cups
C. 5 2/3 cups
D. 5 7/12 cups
V. Key Vocabulary
Addition, Subtraction, Fraction, Common Denominator
VI. Resources
A. Textbook
Math Advantage, Middle School I
Chapter 5: Adding and Subtracting Fractions
· Adding and Subtracting Unlike Fractions, pp. 108-111
VII. Supplementary materials
· Circle worksheet
· Square worksheet
· Picturing Fractions worksheet
· Picturing Fractions Answer Key and Grading Rubric
VII. Technology
For additional practice, students can be taken to the computer lab to utilize the following site:
http://www.funbrain.com/cgi-bin/getskill.cgi?A1=gba&A2=11&A7=0
Scroll down the page to find the fraction games.
VII. follow up activities
(reteaching, cross-curricular support, technology activities, next lesson in sequence, etc.)
· A lesson on estimating sums and differences.
· A lesson on adding and subtracting mixed numbers.
VIII. Teacher Notes
Extra introduction: Bring an apple to class. You could tell your class the following: Fractions are ways to show part of something. Cut the apple in half. The apple together makes one whole apple, but when you cut it in half, you have 2, 1/2 apples. Now cut the two parts in half again. This is 4, 1/4 sections of the apple. One section alone is a 1/4 section, then if you add another section (1/4 + 1/4 = 2/4 = 1/2) you have 2/4 that can also be shown as 1/2 because two is half of four. Then proceed to show the rest of the parts.
Anything visual you can use to teach fractions helps!
¨ Division of Curriculum and Instruction ¨ School Improvement Department ¨ Texarkana Independent School District