Makin' it Math Mid-Month Linky -- March

Good day!  Thanks for stopping by for our Makin' it Math mid-month linky!

Wanted to share a few things that have been going on in the classroom and a few made-it to go with them...

First, we just had open house this past week and I asked my kids to reflect on their learning thus far this year with a "Glow & Grow". This is something that can be done any time during the school year.  Students simply write something they are able to do well after all of their hard work and help, and they write about something with continued effort is an area they will "grow"/improve. Loved to see some of the students' reflections about math!  Feel free to download a copy to use with your students.

Second, we explored fractions with pizzas this week.  I purchased Amy Lemons' Pizza Fractions and adapted it for my students.  We used all of the toppings and pizza template divided into fourths and added four toppings to cover one fourth, one half, three fourths, and the whole pizza.  Students began by choosing a topping to use on the whole.  Then a topping to use only on a fourth, on half, and finally three fourths.  Afterward, they completed the sheet shown below.  This really tested their understanding of equal-sized shares of a whole and how to represent fractions by adding toppings accordingly.  Not to mention, it was fun!  You can use the sheet I created with other pizza fraction activities, so snag it if you like.

Lastly, we explored fractions with foods (faux foods) this week in guided math groups.  Students are developing a solid understanding of fractions at the second grade level and LOVED using the foods.  I shared this made-it in a previous post, but I decided to share it again here.  So many possibilities for using these gems, so you will want to download them!

Hope you find this month's made-it useful!  Have a blog and want to share your math-made its in a post? We would love to have you link up below!

All the best for the coming week--

An InLinkz Link-up

2nd Grade Masterpieces: Art with Fractions

Happy Saturday! I just wanted to share something my kids did this week that turned out fabulously.  Even though it was a last minute idea, the kids created some wonderful masterpieces, learned about fractions, and had a lot of fun.  So easy!

Every year we explore fractions by folding wholes into parts (halves, thirds, and fourths) and talk about how each part represents a share of the whole, begin to use the language of fractions (halves, thirds, and fourths), and learn that two halves make up one whole (thirds and fourths as well).  I decided to do this with my kids on Thursday and go a step further and use their folded wholes to create a piece of art.  Below are directions, if you are interested in trying this with your students... 

2nd Grade Fraction Masterpieces

Materials Needed:

• 4.5" square pieces of black construction paper, 4 for each student
• oil pastels
• 11" OR 11.5" square pieces of black paper (for mounting squares--depending on how much space you ant between and bordering the folded squares.  I used 11" square pieces for mounting.

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Give each student four, 4.5" square black pieces of construction paper.  Have students set one sheet on the corner of their desks.  This piece will not get folded and represents a whole that has not been divided into parts.
2. Have students fold the next piece from corner to corner (in half).  They may fold it to create two rectangular parts or two triangular parts.  Talks about the number of parts show after folding and opening the paper.  This piece represents a whole divided into two parts, into halves.
3. Have students fold the next piece to create three parts.  You may want to mark this piece for students where the 1/3 fold will be and demonstrate folding.  Talk about the number of parts shown after folding and opening the paper.  This piece represents a whole divided into three parts, into thirds.
4. Finally, have students fold the last piece to create four parts. They may fold it to create four square parts, four rectangular parts, or four triangular parts.  Talk about the number of parts shown after folding and opening the paper. This piece represents a whole divided into four parts, into fourths.
5. Then students use the fold lines to help guide them in coloring the parts of each piece different colors.  Oils pastels work best because they do not smear like chalk pastels and the colors really pop on black paper. 

Mounting:

• Fold each 11" or 11.5" square piece of black paper into fourths.  
• Use double stick tape to mount each student's four pieces to the black paper, starting with the unfolded whole and ending with the whole divided into fourths.
• The fold lines will help guide you in mounting the squares an equal distance apart (from the fold lines).

Display! 

AND, you will have engaged your students in an understanding of the following Common Core Standard for Mathematics:
CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.3
Partition (circles and) rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds, four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.

I can also see this same project done with wholes divided into more parts in addition to those shown (sixths and eighths).  If you decide to try this project, I would love to hear how it turned out and what your kids thought of the experience.

Can't wait for the kids to surprise their parents with their masterpieces at open house this coming week and listen to what they tell their parents. Anticipating a lot of wonderful math talk!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and the week ahead---

Fly on the Math Teacher's Wall -- February Hop -- Fractions!!

Welcome to another wonderful math blog hop!  This blog hop is devoted to fractions and will not disappoint--so after reading this post, take a hop around to see what goodies you will find from some amazing math bloggers!

Each of our Fly on the Math Teacher's Wall hops are devoted to squashing teacher and/or student misconceptions.  I am not really discussing a misconception, but I would like to focus on some key ideas I feel most important in helping my students develop a solid foundation in fractions that will be built upon as they progress from year to year. If students understand these key ideas, hopefully some future misconceptions can be avoided.

The following is the second grade Common Core Standard for fractions:

CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.3
Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc., and describe the whole as two halves, three thirds, four fourths. Recognize that equal shares of identical wholes need not have the same shape.

There are several key ideas for understanding:

• A whole represents all of something (1 whole).
• A fraction represents part of a whole (for introductory understanding, this is important--as we know, a fraction can represent any number of equal parts--as with improper fractions, but students also need to understand when working with improper fractions that an improper fraction is greater than one whole.  This understanding will be developed in later years for my students.)
• A fraction represents part of a whole that has been divided into EQUAL parts (for my students this understanding is developed with the use of circles and rectangles, not equal sized parts of a set)

How do I help my students develop a working understanding of each of the above ideas?

We begin our explorations by identifying objects that are in the form of a whole and those that are not.  We examine items around the classroom that are and are not whole (an unsharpened pencil vs. a sharpened pencil, a unopened Kleenex box vs. a box that is part full, etc), and I also bring in various items (cookies, bottles of soda, fruits, etc.) in whole and part form.  Items are sorted into two categories.  The group of items that are not whole are then labeled as fractions.

To help students understand that a fraction represents part of a whole that has been divided into equal parts, we explore wholes that have been divided into equal and unequal parts.  A lesson about equal sharing is done.  Students seem to understand the concept of equal parts when it is related to sharing the whole of something with a friend.  Posing various sharing scenarios with items divided into equal and unequal parts is helpful.  My kids love when I choose students to share my pizza and candy bar with. I divide both unequally, share with volunteers, and then ask my students if my sharing is fair.  This naturally leads to a discussion of how my sharing is not fair because the parts I shared were not equal.  I then ask students how the items CAN be shared equally.  They, of course, can always tell me.  We continue our explorations by cutting out circles and rectangles.  We fold the shapes to create equal parts, cut them out and create models.

Only after students have a solid understanding of these three ideas do we move on to the concepts outlined in the standard.  Guided math groups are easily formed based on what I have observed in our initial explorations.  In small groups I am able to further develop some students' understandings of the key concepts before moving on, work more with some students on partitioning wholes, and challenge those who already have understanding beyond the second grade standard.

UPDATE: Totally forgot to post these little gems that I use in guided math groups.  So simple to make and use. How could I have forgotten? Enjoy!

Fraction Mats

Providing multiple opportunities for independent practice is always important, so this is done in rotations while I am meeting with guided groups.  Options for practice are differentiated.  Please feel free to download a few of my activities for independent practice.

Pizza Parts: Fraction Models Task Cards

Pizza Parts: Comparing Fractions Task Cards

Four Leaf Fractions Board Game & Spinner

Flying High with Fractions Board Games & Spinners

I have also made up some fraction foods you might be interested in using.  Foods are labeled and unlabeled.  These can be used in guided groups and for independent practice. I especially like to use the parts that are labled--in this way students can see that 3/4 is equal to 3, 1/4 pieces.  If you download this freebie, please take some time to share how you plan to use them by leaving a comment. Would love to hear your ideas!

Hope you have found something you can use with your students!

Please take the time to hop around to all of the participating bloggers.  Your next stop is Brandi from The Research Based Classroom!

Happy hopping---