Comparing Fractions Video

Hey guys! I have just discovered this new free app called educreation. It is basically an interactive white board on your iPad. You can use the app to also record things you say and write. It is a really cool app and I have a lot of fun ideas I can't wait to try! Below is my first lesson on comparing fractions using cross multiplication! I hope you enjoy!
You can also click on this link.

Adding and Subtracting Fractions

Hey guys! This week we have been learning how to add and subtract fractions with like and unlike denominators. I wrote this song to help my students remember what to do! It's free so I hope you enjoy!

You can get a copy of the words at my TeachersPayTeachers store. 

Introducing Equivalent Fractions

Hey guys! Last week I began introducing fractions to my 4th graders. I wanted to share with you how I introduce equivalent fractions to my students. When I first began teaching, I felt that I did not have enough time in the day to deal with using manipulatives in math. There were too many standards and it just took too long to deal with getting them out. I have come to realize that this was a grave mistake! Although using manipulatives does take extra time, it is worth it. Once the students can understand the concrete version of an idea, they tend to grasp the abstract version a little quicker. Saying that, I try to use manipulatives whenever I can.

Whenever I introduce equivalent fractions to my students I pull out the fraction bars. The fraction bar sets I have go from 1 whole to a denominator of 12. I have my fraction bars  in individual baggies, so that I can give each group a bag of fraction bars. (I try to pull these out the day before and have them sitting out ready to be used. This saves time during the lesson.) First, I pass out the bags of fraction bars and ask the students to sort them by color. Next, I  begin with the 1/2 fraction bar and model with the students how to find an equivalent fraction. I then let them use trial and error to find the remaining fractions. After this, I write all the fractions we found on the board. Next, I repeat this process with 1/3 & 1/4 bars. Many times the student will realize that there is a pattern happening. I will then talk about the pattern with the class and then announce that we are going to learn how to find equivalent fractions using math.

This process only takes about 15-25 minutes from passing out the bars to picking the bars back up. I hope that if you don't already use manipulatives in your classroom, that you will pull them out and try them. In my classroom, the reward outweighs the "trouble" of getting them out!

Relating Fraction to Decimals

With TCAP drawing near I have been reviewing some key concepts with my students to make sure that they will be successful on this important test. (TCAP is Tennessee's end of year standardized test.) One of the things I really wanted to review with my students was fractions and decimals. In 4th grade the students need to know how to convert fractions to decimals and decimals to fractions. After reviewing concepts I love for the students to play some type of game with partners to help reinforce what was just reviewed or taught. Here is the matching game that my students played.

You can get this cute game here. It is $1.50 in my TPT store. 

I also ask my students to have 3 fraction to decimal conversions memorized: 1/4 = 0.25, 1/2 = 0.50, and 3/4 = 0.75. When teaching these I tell my students to think of these decimals like money. There are 4 quarters in a dollar. If I have 1 of the 4 quarters how much money do I have? 25 cents... etc. To also help them memorize it I have it hanging in the bathroom over the sink. (It gives them some reading material.) Lastly, I  made these super cute bookmarks for them to use. The book marks are free and you can get them here.

I hope you enjoy! 

New Products & Free Stuff!

Hello Again! It's that time to tell you about my newest items and to share some great free items I have found! I hope you enjoy!

First up is FRACTION WAR! Your students are going to love this! Teaching comparing fractions can be difficult for students so this came helps reinforce cross multiplying! The students play the game just like they would regular war with a deck of cards, except they are wanting the biggest fraction! Check it out Here!

We recently learned about customary and metric units of measurement! This is a matching game I made to help my students memorize the conversion of measurements and the abbreviations. The game actually has 2 games in it. Take a look here!

Now for the free stuff! I have tons of free items to share with you this week! Don't miss out because they are all great items to use in your classroom! Many of these cover all grade levels not just intermediate! Enjoy! 

Graphic Organizers - by Best Practices 4 Teaching 

Not Contractions- Spring Themed Center - by Fern Smith 

Reward Bookmarks - by Mixminder.com 

Picture Prompts - by Teach123

St. Patrick's Day Writing Prompts! - by HoJo's Teaching Adventures 

Skip Counting by 2's - by PreK Paradise 

March Positive Behavior Note - by Brian Hopkins

Iditarod Learning Games-  by Arlene Sandberg  

Relating Fractions & Decimals Game

I made these cute matching game cards to help reinforce the relationship between fractions and decimals. We will be having a complete lesson on this in a few days and I can't wait for my students to be able to use these! After the lesson I will let each group play for about 5- 10 minutes before beginning their daily assignment. After we do it as a class I am going to put it in the math sponge activities basket for finished students to be able to pull back out and play with a partner during extra time. You can find it here. 

Extra Info: My sponge activity basket has math games for students to play when they complete their math assignement. What better way to get kids interested in math then to turn things into a game?