Fraction Circles

Building Understanding

Dispelling Misunderstanding

Leading Math SuccessA focus on deep learning of particular

mathematics topics – through a variety of strategies, including working with concrete materials – leads to greater conceptual depth. (Ben-Chaim, Fey, Fitzgerald, Benedetto, & Miller, 1998; Fletcher, Hope & Wagner, 2001; Siemon et al., 2001

Introducing Fraction Circles

Virtual Fraction Pieces

http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/vlibrary.html

Developing Understanding

• Each person wants to eat one half of his pizza. How many pieces must each person eat? Record your answer in fractional form.

Dispelling Misunderstanding

• When adding fractions, Joey adds the numerators and the denominators as follows:

1

4

1

3

2

7

• How can you use fraction circles to dispel this misunderstanding?

Reflection

• Timed Retell

• How can you use fraction circles to show the relationship among fractions, decimals, and percentages?

• Person A: Answer the question.• Person B: Retell what you just heard.

Next StepsExplore fraction activities on the

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives website.http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/vlibrary.html

Journal Writing

Now that I’ve worked with

fraction circles I feel…

Leading Math Success

“The key to the successful use of manipulatives lies in the bridge - which must be built by the teacher - between the

artifact and the underlying mathematical concepts.”