A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively
engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.
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Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:
Students will need to be given a set of Cuisenaire rods or access to the digital resource for Cuisenaire rods.
As a whole group, model how to use the Cuisenaire rods using the following questions: Using the dark blue rod as 1 whole, how many light green rods represent this whole? What fractional part does each light green rod represent? What equation could we write to show this relationship? What fractional part does the white rod represent? What about the dark green? Could I make 1 whole blue rod using the yellow rods?
After students have had plenty of time to explore using the Cuisenaire rods, allow them to complete the Decomposing Fractions: Cuisenaire Rods activity sheet. This can be completed in partners or individually. Discuss the students' findings using this activity sheet.
Assessment Strategies:
Student recordings on the Decomposing Fractions: Cuisenaire Rods activity sheet will be used as a formative assessment to students' understanding of how to decompose a fraction using an equation as a representation. The teacher should continuously monitor students to check for understanding of fractional decompositions using the Cuisenaire rods.
Advanced Preparation:
Students do not have to be familiar with Cuisenaire rods to complete this activity. If using the digital resource for the Cuisenaire rods, there is a video on the website that students can watch prior to completing the activity.
Variation Tips (optional):
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
15. Model and justify decompositions of fractions and explain the addition and subtraction of fractions as joining or separating parts referring to the same whole. a. Decompose a fraction as a sum of unit fractions and as a sum of fractions with the same denominator in more than one way using area models, length models, and equations. b. Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators using fraction equivalence, properties of operations, and the relationship between addition and subtraction. c. Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions and mixed numbers having like denominators, using drawings, visual fraction models, and equations to represent the problem.
This activity can stand alone or be used with the following learning activities: