Number line or Fraction Model

Posted on April 24, 2014 by LearnCharlotte

$number line or fraction model$ We have been looking at different methods of representing fractions so that we can picture them in our minds. Two strategies we have tried are, representing fractions on a number line and drawing out fraction models . Both strategies help us visualize the fractions we’re working with and make it very easy to see if two fractions are equivalent.

So, which method helps you visualize the fraction better, fractions on a number line or fraction models?

The “Fraction Cake” lesson the students are working on in the photos can be found here!

More fraction games!

Posted on April 21, 2014 by LearnCharlotte

Alaina helped me realize today that I had never put the amazing Balloon Pop fraction ordering game on our blog! Thanks Alaina!

Remember, the shaded areas of each balloon represent the fractions. Work from the smallest to biggest fractions popping the balloons! Click the game below.

Here’s a new game to check out! This game has you estimate where fractions fall on a number line based on the fraction’s size. Remember to ask yourself what we practiced in class, “Is this more or less than a half?”

You can find more fractions by clicking on this previous blog post, “No not Fractions! March 20, 2014.

iPads & Literacy

Posted on April 21, 2014 by LearnCharlotte

Today, we focused on our improving our literacy skills by reading a fabulous article on The Original Rosie the Riveter on our iPads! This article, on Newsela.com, had some complicated vocabulary. Good readers understand that they don’t have to know every word in a story or article to understand the big picture, or main idea. When you don’t know all of the words, use the clues around the word to help you!

For example, here is an excerpt from the article: “She was trying to escape being poor. Monroe was determined to find work at the Willow Run airplane plant in Ypsilanti, Mich. She wanted to fly a plane. But with two children, she wasn’t allowed.”

I have never heard of the words “Ypsilanti, Mich” before, but using the clues around the word I can see that it is where the airplane plant was located. So, using these clues I bet that Ypsilanti, Mich is a place (ok, ok, since I’m an adult reader I can tell you that Ypsilanti, Mich is a city in Michigan, but I wanted to model how to use clues!)

Keep reading and hunting for clues to unknown words!

Are these fractions Equivalent?

Posted on April 20, 2014 by LearnCharlotte

We have been studying equivalent fractions using models to show if the fractions are the same. Here we have three pizzas that are partitioned three different ways. If I eat 1/2 of the pizza it’s the same as if I ate 2/4 of the pizza or 4/8. The models below help us see the easy comparison.

The video below will help us look at equivalent fractions another way. You can compare fractions by looking at them on a number line!

Rosie the Riveter Returns!

Posted on April 20, 2014 by LearnCharlotte

I noticed something interesting on my favorite nonfiction reading site for kids. Newsela.com is a great website that contains many current news articles written for students. When you click on the left of the site you can change the Lexile level of the article. A lower Lexile level will be easier to read and a higher level will be more difficult, probably on a middle school level. On Newsela I found this great article, The Original Rosie the Riveter had the Right Name for the Job! The article discusses the same Rosie we learned about in Andrea Beaty’s book, Rosie Revere Engineer! Take a few minutes to read and enjoy this article. Adjust the Lexile level on the left if the text seems too difficult or simple!

Here’s one of our favorite pages from Rosie Revere Engineer! (If you want to learn about powerful, smart women then check out this book!)

Getting Ready for a Trip!

Posted on April 16, 2014 by LearnCharlotte

Hello friends! How is your spring break going? I had a hard time packing for my trip, can you help me out? Here’s my problem:

Pablo eats two cups of food each day. We will be in Florida for 8 days. He will eat one of the cups of food before we leave. How many cups of food do I need to pack for Pablo?

Remember over spring break to cuddle up with a great chapter book. I’m reading an adult book called Beautiful Ruins by, Jess Walter. I can’t put this book down because of its great story! Walter has included many similes and metaphors in his book. He said that the, “…clothes on the bedroom room floor were a pile of autumn leaves.” I know he is comparing the clothes to autumn leaves because the clothes are in a pile that is bright, colorful, and on the ground! Isn’t figurative language the best?!

So what are you doing on your break? What friends have you visited? What math games have you played? What books have you cuddled up with? Have you made any art or written any stories or reports? Leave us a comment so we can hear about your adventures!

Idioms all Around Us!

Posted on April 9, 2014 by LearnCharlotte

On our walk today, Pablo reminded me of another idiom!

After a long cold winter, we should take time to remember the good and beautiful things in life. That’s why Pablo always remembers to stop and smell the roses. Can you determine what, “Stop and smell the roses means?”

(Ok, yes these are tulips… but I don’t know any idioms about tulips!)

Fractions- Picture it in your Head!