Fraction Misconceptions

Are you guys finding that your students are overwhelmed or downright confused about fractions? The students in my class are having a really hard time and I think we had a break through this past week, so I wanted to let you guys know in case it might help your students.

One thing that had never been explained to the students in my class is that fractions represents part of a whole. So, we spent some time talking about the different parts of things and how they can be represented with fractions. First, we used our class. 15/27 are girls and 12/27 are boys. Then we talked about dollars and how a quarter is literally 1/4 of a dollar. And one dollar is 1/10 of a ten dollar bill. Then, we broke them into groups and asked each group to come up with several more examples and then to draw pictures of it, labeling each whole and fraction. This basically took the form of a pie chart, but with percentages as the labels.

Basically, I highly recommend you show your students the idea of a whole and how that applies to fractions. Especially explain how 3/3 is 1 whole and 4/3 is a whole and then 1/3 more. Our kids really seemed to have a break through when they started picturing and drawing fractions.


I've included this picture that might be a good starting point.


Also, if you just have a couple that need help: send them to the computer! Here are some links for good practice with fractions (multiplying, dividing, simplifying, adding and subtracting).

Great practice

Great explanations

And for kids that are just advanced and might want to do more, there is a website called free rice, where every right answer a student puts in earns 10 grains of rice to impoverished children around the world. It's a great way to get them to think globally while also working math problems (and the more they answer correctly, the harder the problems get!).

Technology in the classroom: Smart boards

Ok, so I just have to tell you: if you are not using your smart board in the classroom, you are missing out. I LOVE THIS BOARD. Today in class I did a lesson on how to do exponents and how to solve simple one and two step equations. The content of this lesson was based off a power point, which leads to a problem - I love to move around the room and I hate being stuck behind the desk, clicking through the presentation. Instead, I was moving around the room, coming and clicking the smart board to move forward a slide and better yet: getting kids to go click the board. Nothing gets my students more involved in the lesson than having them move to help the class! I feel like giving them this responsibility gets them more invested in the lesson and it means I am not trapped behind the computer or at the smart board!

The next crucial part of the smart board: when students did not understand how to do a problem, I could work the problem right on the smart board. This way, I am not constantly erasing or finding room. I also like to ask students to work problems with the smart board pens. Again, this is another way to get them moving (which we know is so important for this stage in adolescence) while also working math problems.
I also embedded a video into the power point and with the smart board, a single click activated the video: PERFECT!

All this to say: if you are not using your smart board, you should be! I've attached this video to help you get started.