Issues in fraction

Guiding Questions

What does it mean to understand fractions? What kinds of problems help children develop their understanding of fractions? How do you use the details of childrens thinking in your teaching?

Some main points

Children use what they already understand to solve new problems. This leads to new understanding.

Understanding is generative Listening to childrens problem solving, Figuring out what they understand, and Building on that understanding

Teaching involves

Circle the bigger fraction

1/6 1/3 1/7 2/7

1
3/6

4/3
1/2

3/10

1/2

Write as improper fraction or mixed number

5 2/3
13/6

What she said:

1 is bigger than 4/3 because its a whole number 1/7 is bigger than 2/7, because usually (with fractions) you go down to the smallest number to get to the biggest number 1/2 is bigger than 3/10, because you just change the bottom number 1 more digit and it would be 1 1/2 is bigger than 4/6, same reason

A common curriculum approach to fractions:

If children learn fractions by doing lots of exercises like this one, what are they likely to think about fractions?

How much is shaded?

They think

Fractions are pieces

A fourth is a little pie shape.

Fractions are always smaller than a whole

4/3? Thats impossible!

Fractions values are determined by counting parts

Its 1/3 because 1 part out of 3 parts is shaded.

II. What kinds of problems help

children develop their understanding of fractions?

Problem #1

3 children want to share 2 candy bars equally. How much can each child have?

Sample childrens strategies

I cut the candy bars in half, to see if it would work and it did. Everybody gets a half. Then I cut the last half in three parts. Everyone gets another piece.

Each child gets 1 third from the first candy bar.

Each child also gets 1 third from the second candy bar. Thats 2 thirds for each person.

Mental strategy

I know that everyone can share each candy bar and get 1/3 of a candy bar. Theres 2 candy bars, so that 1/3, 2 times. Its 2/3.

Mental strategy

2 3 = 2/3

Problem #2

Eric and his mom are making cupcakes. Each cupcake gets 1/4 of a cup of frosting. They are making 20 cupcakes. How much frosting do they need?

Sample childrens strategies

1/4 of a cup

1 cup

2 cups

3 cups

4 cups

5 cups

so 5 cups altogether.

1/4 of a cup So, 5, 6, 7, 8 -- thats 2 cups. 9, 10, 11, 12 -- thats 3 cups. 13, 14, 15, 16 -- thats 4 cups. 4 of these is 1 cup 17, 18, 19, 20 -- thats 5 cups.

so 5 cups altogether.

1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 1

1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 1 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 1

5 cups

1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 1

1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 1

Q: Whats a number sentence for this problem? A: 20 x 1/4 = 5 (there are others)

Problem #3

Ohkee has a snowcone machine. It takes 2/3 of a cup of ice to make a snowcone. How many snowcones can Ohkee make with 4 cups of ice?

Sample childrens strategies

1

Ohkee can make 6 snow cones.

2/3 plus 2/3 is 1 and 1/3. If I add 1 and 1/3 three times, I get 4. I remember this from another problem. So there are six 2/3s in 4. The answer is she can make 6 snow cones.

Q: Whats a number sentence for this problem? A: 4 2/3 = 6 (there are others)

Problem #4

4 children are sharing 10 pancakes, so that each child gets the same amount. How much pancake can each child have, if they eat all the pancakes?

Sample childs strategy

1 1 1 1 1

Each child gets 1 fourth from each pancake. There are 10 pancakes. So each child gets 10 fourths altogether.

What do teachers need to know to develop fractions?

Childs Strategies | Understanding

Problems

Mathematics

III. How do you use this information in instruction?

Three approaches to teaching fractions

Introduce procedures and explain concepts Emphasis on student discovery, with no conceptual analysis of discoveries Discuss and extend concepts and procedures that come up in childrens problem solving (from Saxe et al., 1999)

Developing childrens understanding

Use problem contexts to elicit childrens thinking about fractions

Equal Sharing good place to start Then problems that involve combining like fractional units
Equal Groups Division (Total divided by size of group)

Ask children to solve problems in ways that make sense them. This helps children develop fundamental concepts with understanding

Developing childrens understanding, contd

Ask children how they solved problems. Probe their understanding. Introduce symbols, number sentences, and mathematical language to go with strategies Dont rush using and manipulating symbols

For example, instead of starting here

start with an Equal Sharing problem

There are 3 candy bars for 4 children to share equally. How much candy bar can each child have?

Have materials for children to create fractions (nothing fancy)

By drawing By folding or cutting

Set expectation that children solve in way that makes sense to them (i.e., that builds on their understanding) Share and discuss strategies Use your own judgment about what to do and when to do it, by listening to children

Thank you..