I have ordered Burns book for work on fractions over spring break. My son is having a hard time with adding and subtracting numbers with different denomenators. Just this time last year he was having trouble understanding whether 1/4 or 1/5 is bigger so we’ve made progress!!! But fractions are obviously going to be a problem.
My question is whether there are any materials I should also get to go with the book. I don’t want to find out I should have ordered something such that spring break is over before I can get it.
Beth
Supply List
Sorry I didn’t post last night—was helping a college student friend to learn how to structure his papers. (Plus: he lectured my son on how much better off he would be if he learned how to do this now before he got into high school.)
Supply List
At least ten each pennies, nickels, dimes
Interlocking cubes, at least ten in two different colors
Colored pencils
Index cards, at least 12 in 2 or 3 colors
At least 5 colors of 12x18 construction paper (helpful to have a paper cutter but not necessary)—3 additional colors for “extending the activity”
Fraction dice (this is unclear, but I gather you could buy a pair of some sort of plastic cube that you can then label on each face with fraction using permanent marker)
Pattern blocks (quantity given is “1 bucket per group of 3 to 4 students”—I think these come in sets at teacher supply stores. Shapes mentioned are triangle, square, parellogram (rhombus), trapezoid, hexagon—you will need a number of each)
Scissors
Paste or glue
There are masters in the back of the book you will need to copy
Good luck.
Re: Marilyn Burns book on fractions
Fractions are difficult for many students. I have come up with some rhymes to help my students as they never remember what to do when they add,subtract, multiply, and divide.
#1:
When you add and subtract,
The name of the game,
Keep the bottoms the same.
1/2 + 3/4 =
Ask… Are the bottoms the same? No, then we need to make the bottoms the same. Proceed to teach changing to commom denominators.
#2:
When you multiply,
Simplify
And SPEED right by.
or…
Tops times the Tops
Bottoms times the Bottoms
(Put some body movement in this by wiggling the shoulders when you say tops times the tops and wiggling your hips when you day bottoms times the bottoms.)
#3
When you divide,
Don’t get fried!
Flip it!
and multiply!!!!!!!
Re: Marilyn Burns book on fractions
Beth, I have this book at home. Tonight I’ll go through it and post the list of materials to you (so you can go shopping for them tomorrow).
Supply List
Sorry I didn’t post last night—was helping a college student friend to learn how to structure his papers. (Plus: he lectured my son on how much better off he would be if he learned how to do this now before he got into high school.)
Supply List
At least ten each pennies, nickels, dimes
Interlocking cubes, at least ten in two different colors
Colored pencils
Index cards, at least 12 in 2 or 3 colors
At least 5 colors of 12x18 construction paper (helpful to have a paper cutter but not necessary)—3 additional colors for “extending the activity”
Fraction dice (this is unclear, but I gather you could buy a pair of some sort of plastic cube that you can then label on each face with fraction using permanent marker)
Pattern blocks (quantity given is “1 bucket per group of 3 to 4 students”—I think these come in sets at teacher supply stores. Shapes mentioned are triangle, square, parellogram (rhombus), trapezoid, hexagon—you will need a number of each)
Scissors
Paste or glue
There are masters in the back of the book you will need to copy
Good luck.
Re: Marilyn Burns book on fractions
Fractions are difficult for many students. I have come up with some rhymes to help my students as they never remember what to do when they add,subtract, multiply, and divide.
#1:
When you add and subtract,
The name of the game,
Keep the bottoms the same.
1/2 + 3/4 =
Ask… Are the bottoms the same? No, then we need to make the bottoms the same. Proceed to teach changing to commom denominators.
#2:
When you multiply,
Simplify
And SPEED right by.
or…
Tops times the Tops
Bottoms times the Bottoms
(Put some body movement in this by wiggling the shoulders when you say tops times the tops and wiggling your hips when you day bottoms times the bottoms.)
#3
When you divide,
Don’t get fried!
Flip it!
and multiply!!!!!!!
Beth, I have this book at home. Tonight I’ll go through it and post the list of materials to you (so you can go shopping for them tomorrow).