wholenumberxfractionwordproblems.pdf - Section 3: Concept development

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Multliplying Fractions with Whole Numbers Day 2

Unit 5: Operations with Fractions
Lesson 2 of 14

Objective: SWBAT multiply a whole number with a fraction and solve word problems involving fractions with same denominators.

Big Idea: In this lesson students work in small groups to multiply a fraction with a whole number and then participate in a math gallery walk in order to deepen their understanding of fraction concepts.

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7 teachers like this lesson

Standards:

4.NF.B.3d 4.NF.B.4a 4.NF.B.4b MP4 MP7 MP8

Subject(s):

Math, Number Sense and Operations, Fractions

62 minutes

Melissa Romano

163 Lessons

$fractions and whole numbers day$

Math magic tricks can liven up any math class and create a sense of wonder and curiosity about math. Not only that, math magic creates a new context for algebraic reasoning as students go beyond "What's the answer?" to explore "What's the trick?"

Many math magic tricks call on students to compute with the four basic operations -- sometimes applied to very large numbers. In the context of math magic, computational practice is fun.

If a trick works for some students and not others, it's amazing how eager they can be to find and fix their mistakes so the trick will come out right.

Best of all, many students have an inner motivation to understand how math magic tricks work, and that curiosity can lead them to embrace and apply both new and familiar concepts and skills, including algebra.

23 Skidoo

To do this number trick students will pick any three digit number.

Then add 25 to it.

Next, multiply the sum by 2.

Then subtract 4.

Next, divide the answer by 2.

Then subtract your three digit number from this answer

The answer is 23!!

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Warm Up

5 min

For this warm up I give my students a true false question. My students will see questions similar to this when they take the Smarter Balance test this spring. (PARCC also has questions like this) My students must be comfortable proving and conjecturing about math. This is an excellent way to get my students used to doing this.

I give my students this question:

True or False? Why?

4/9 > 3/7

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Concept development

50 min

I begin this lesson by telling students that they will work with their learning partners to use the skills they learned yesterday to solve problems involving fractions and whole numbers. I pre-select five problems from this resource, (wholenumberxfractionwordproblems.pdf) and then let each partner select three of the five they want to solve for today's work. Letting students select the problems they want gives students choice and ownership in their learning, but also serves as a way for me to use the other two problems for early finishers.

Students work for about 25 minutes to solve the three problems. Each problem is solved on a separate piece of paper so students can then hang up their work for a gallery walk when finished.

Listen in as this student is working to solve a problem.

You can see and hear this student thinking through a problem. In the very beginning you also hear him ask me if the denominator changes when adding fractions. My response was, "I don't know, you tell me." As often as I can and try to not always answer my students questions with a direct answer, but encourage them to think about the question they asked.

After most students are done, and the 25 minutes has elapsed, I instruct all students to hang up their work and prepare for the gallery walk.

Gallery walks are a great way to get students out of their seats and moving around the classroom. Some teachers shudder at the thought of having all of the students out of their desks moving around the classroom at the same time, but in actuality, it can be a very effective technique for classroom management. Your kinesthetic learners need a certain amount of time out of their seats, and this will give them that opportunity. The most important thing to remember is to establish expectations before beginning the activity. Keep reading for some information on gallery walks, as well as some ideas for incorporating them into your classroom.

1. What is a gallery walk?

A gallery walk is a classroom activity in which students rotate through a variety of “stations” within the classroom. Each station may consist of a question or very short activity to complete, before rotating to the next one.

2. How can I use gallery walks?

Gallery walks can be used in any subject area and for any topic, simply by setting up your activity a bit differently. For example, gallery walks are great for math concepts. Post about 20 different equations around the room. Have students rotate from equation to equation, solving them on a personal clipboard. Students are doing what could have been an in-desk activity, but by incorporating movement you will increase interest and motivation. Another way to use gallery walks is to post questions on chart paper around the room. Have students rotate from paper to paper, adding their answer to the chart paper.

Another way that I love to use gallery walks is in the computer lab. When I have students create PowerPoint presentations for a certain concept, I like to use the computer lab for a final gallery walk. Each student opens her presentation on one computer and inserts a slide at the end for comments. When the gallery walk begins, students rotate from computer to computer, reading another person’s presentation. When he is finished reading, he types a positive comment on the last slide. Now when the gallery walk is finished, each person has a page full of positive feedback to read about their presentation.

3. What sort of expectations should I set?

Like any classroom activity, it is vital to set expectations for students. Begin by modeling what good behavior looks like and sounds like during a gallery walk. Show students how they rotate from station to station. Set expectations for the number of people allowed at each station. Personally, I like to limit it at three. If a student sees that three people are already at a station, he should find a different station. Think about how you want students to rotate. Do they have to go in a certain order, or can they find any station that is free (I personally like the second option better). What will happen if misbehavior occurs? My general rule is that if students are not following the rules, they sit in their desk and watch the others do the activity. Believe me, sitting down and watching others walk freely around the room is like torture!

One way I like to end gallery walks is to have each student go around the room and be able to, (if they want) to say one thing they learned from the gallery walk. In the beginning of the year, many students are reluctant to say anything during this ending wrap up, but with practice, confidence gained, by the end of the year, students almost always want to say what they learned.