what would you recommend for remedial fractions?

[hornblower]

I'm working with a child who is stuck. Understands what a fraction is when it's a fraction of 1, but gets stuck with it comes to figuring out things like 3/5 of 20. I don't really want to just work on the mechanics & 'rules' of how to deal with fractions, I want to work on really getting a sense of what they are, kwim? It's not gelled in his head, somehow.

 

This child has been working through SM but has been skipping most of the units dealing with fractions. There's something missing in his understanding of fractions so I want to just step back & do a bit of work during the summer on remedial fractions, preferably hands on, manipulative type stuff.

 

Any suggestions? I've got a set of cuisenaire rods & I'm wondering if there's something using those that would help? And would I need more than 1 set? Because I don't see how I'd go about figuring out 3/5 of 20 using one set of rods.....?

 

I'm willing to spend up to $100 on this & I'd prefer it was all laid out with scripted lesson. Online or computer is ok too.

 

tia for any suggestions :)

[Corraleno]

Math Mammoth "blue series" books: Fractions 1, 2, 3.

 

I know you said you don't want instruction in operations, just help explaining "what fractions are," but MM does an exceptionally good job of that (IMO). What fractions "are" can be described in many ways: part of a whole, a division problem, a point on a number line, and a ratio. Maria explains what fractions "are" from several angles, and emphasizes the relationships among fractions, decimals, ratios, and percents in a really clear way, which (IMO) prepares kids for Algebra better than most pre-algebra programs I've looked at. If a child's only real understanding of what a fraction "is" is that it's a certain number of slices of pizza, then they won't be able to understand what they're doing with fractions once they get into multiplication, division, creating equivalent fractions, adding unlike fractions, etc. You can get Fractions 1 & 2 for about $8.50 with the current discount.

 

You might also look at MUS Epsilon, which is the level on fractions. It's about $100 for the whole package.

 

Jackie

[t-hat]

Have you looked at Life of Fred - Fractions? I just ordered it for my 5th grader to go through this summer to give him a different look at fractions to better understand what we are really doing with them. It seems like many homeschoolers like this series, and it is definitely a fun, story-like approach

[christielee7278]

Math Mammoth "blue series" books: Fractions 1, 2, 3.

 

I know you said you don't want instruction in operations, just help explaining "what fractions are," but MM does an exceptionally good job of that (IMO). What fractions "are" can be described in many ways: part of a whole, a division problem, a point on a number line, and a ratio. Maria explains what fractions "are" from several angles, and emphasizes the relationships among fractions, decimals, ratios, and percents in a really clear way, which (IMO) prepares kids for Algebra better than most pre-algebra programs I've looked at. If a child's only real understanding of what a fraction "is" is that it's a certain number of slices of pizza, then they won't be able to understand what they're doing with fractions once they get into multiplication, division, creating equivalent fractions, adding unlike fractions, etc. You can get Fractions 1 & 2 for about $8.50 with the current discount.

 

You might also look at MUS Epsilon, which is the level on fractions. It's about $100 for the whole package.

 

Jackie

 

:iagree: MM is EXCELLENT in teaching fractions!! My oldest son was having such a terrible time. I purchased the Fractions 1 & 2....life saver!! He is breezing through now!

[LizzyBee]

We use Singapore too, but my kids needed extra work on fractions. We used Key to Fractions.

[Crimson Wife]

My DD a few weeks ago got confused by the section in Singapore 3B where she had to compare fractions with unlike denominators. I downloaded the MM Fractions 1 "blue" workbook and it's so much more clearly explained. Definitely worth the money IMHO!

[johnandtinagilbert]

Life of Fred, Math-u-See, Key to series are all excellent options.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

and some Fraction Tiles.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Rainbow-Fraction-Tiles/dp/B001604R1G

[happygrrl]

Math Mammoth "blue series" books: Fractions 1, 2, 3.

 

I know you said you don't want instruction in operations, just help explaining "what fractions are," but MM does an exceptionally good job of that (IMO). What fractions "are" can be described in many ways: part of a whole, a division problem, a point on a number line, and a ratio. Maria explains what fractions "are" from several angles, and emphasizes the relationships among fractions, decimals, ratios, and percents in a really clear way, which (IMO) prepares kids for Algebra better than most pre-algebra programs I've looked at. If a child's only real understanding of what a fraction "is" is that it's a certain number of slices of pizza, then they won't be able to understand what they're doing with fractions once they get into multiplication, division, creating equivalent fractions, adding unlike fractions, etc. You can get Fractions 1 & 2 for about $8.50 with the current discount.

 

You might also look at MUS Epsilon, which is the level on fractions. It's about $100 for the whole package.

 

Jackie

 

:iagree: I have just started using MM for my son (currently in Epsilon). He likes it and "gets" it.

[lionfamily1999]

We really enjoy this and it's given ds a great grasp of fractions.

 

And it's only $12 with shipping :p

[5ray2006]

Math Mammoth "blue series" books: Fractions 1, 2, 3.

 

I know you said you don't want instruction in operations, just help explaining "what fractions are," but MM does an exceptionally good job of that (IMO). What fractions "are" can be described in many ways: part of a whole, a division problem, a point on a number line, and a ratio. Maria explains what fractions "are" from several angles, and emphasizes the relationships among fractions, decimals, ratios, and percents in a really clear way, which (IMO) prepares kids for Algebra better than most pre-algebra programs I've looked at. If a child's only real understanding of what a fraction "is" is that it's a certain number of slices of pizza, then they won't be able to understand what they're doing with fractions once they get into multiplication, division, creating equivalent fractions, adding unlike fractions, etc. You can get Fractions 1 & 2 for about $8.50 with the current discount.

 

You might also look at MUS Epsilon, which is the level on fractions. It's about $100 for the whole package.

 

Jackie

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

Math Mammoth is great!! We are using Multiplication and Division in the Blue series now with my 3rd grader. We will be moving into Fractions next. This program is definitely worth looking into. You can't beat the price. :)

[melmichigan]

You might also look at MUS Epsilon, which is the level on fractions. It's about $100 for the whole package.

 

Jackie

 

:iagree: MUS with the fraction overlays is really working here. My DD didn't like MM. (MM has a lot of free downloadable samples on their website.)

[hornblower]

but MM does an exceptionally good job of that (IMO). What fractions "are" can be described in many ways: part of a whole, a division problem, a point on a number line, and a ratio. Maria explains what fractions "are" from several angles, and emphasizes the relationships among fractions, decimals, ratios, and percents in a really clear way, which (IMO) prepares kids for Algebra better than most pre-algebra programs I've looked at. If a child's only real understanding of what a fraction "is" is that it's a certain number of slices of pizza, then they won't be able to understand what they're doing with fractions once they get into multiplication, division, creating equivalent fractions, adding unlike fractions, etc. You can get Fractions 1 & 2 for about $8.50 with the current discount.

 

OK - I'm really interested to hear you say that b/e the one time I looked at MM ages ago all I saw was pies - & in fact, when I looked now she says on the intro page for book 1

http://www.mathmammoth.com/fractions.php

 

this book uses the visual model of a pie divided into slices all the way through the book. It is a very natural model, because it uses a circle that can be divided into any number of circle sectors (slices). When students work with this model from lesson to lesson, they will eventually be able to "see" these pies in their mind. This, in turn, gives them the ability to do many of the easier fraction calculations mentally. It also enables students to really UNDERSTAND these concepts, and not just learn mechanical rules.

 

 

 

& this is weirding me out b/e I remember only TWO things from Liping Ma's book

 

1) NA teachers don't understand math

 

2) the pie thing for fractions is SO limiting

 

So now when I see pies for fraction lessons, I have a small freakout.

 

So MM does not stick to the pie thing forever?

[hornblower]

We really enjoy this and it's given ds a great grasp of fractions.

 

And it's only $12 with shipping :p

 

oh this looks great! I'm getting this for sure.

 

have you tried his math comic strips by any chance?

[lionfamily1999]

oh this looks great! I'm getting this for sure.

 

have you tried his math comic strips by any chance?

I didn't even know about them.

 

I can strongly vouch for this book though. We used it back at Christmas. Ds took his tests yesterday without any review (bad Mommy!) and remembered everything about fractions.

[lovemykids]

OK - I'm really interested to hear you say that b/e the one time I looked at MM ages ago all I saw was pies - & in fact, when I looked now she says on the intro page for book 1

http://www.mathmammoth.com/fractions.php

 

 

 

& this is weirding me out b/e I remember only TWO things from Liping Ma's book

 

1) NA teachers don't understand math

 

2) the pie thing for fractions is SO limiting

 

So now when I see pies for fraction lessons, I have a small freakout.

 

So MM does not stick to the pie thing forever?

 

LOL, about the pies. My dd and I just roll our eyes at so many of them within MM. Are they really needed? I am also laughing at myself because someone here was asking about easy math- saying they needed pie. I thought, well we have pie- we have easy math. I think she wanted fraction pies; I’m still not sure. I think the fraction overlays look a tad bit more interesting than all the pies.

I am not knocking MM though- it looks very sound. And as soon as I hit the higher math, even with pre- algebra, I check out in the "mathy" department. Sigh. Well, by the time I graduate my oldest I should finally understand higher math. :D

 

I think LOF and Key to Fractions are wonderful to help a student "get" fractions.

[jenn&charles]

I tried just about everything to teach Otter fractions but the only thing that's worked (and stuck) is Math Mammoth.

The author does use pies, but she also uses boxes. Almost every lesson starts with the concrete before moving on to the abstract.

It's been a HUGE help and we finally are moving along in math again.

[lovemykids]

I tried just about everything to teach Otter fractions but the only thing that's worked (and stuck) is Math Mammoth.

The author does use pies, but she also uses boxes. Almost every lesson starts with the concrete before moving on to the abstract.

It's been a HUGE help and we finally are moving along in math again.

 

I will keep that in mind for my youngest dd. :)

[Closeacademy]

Honestly, I would go back and hit multiplication/division facts hard. My dd did well with fractions until she got to the meat of the work in SM 4a. I started giving her work from Rod and Staff Math 4 on multiplication/division and then she was able to move forward.:001_smile:

[Corraleno]

OK - I'm really interested to hear you say that b/e the one time I looked at MM ages ago all I saw was pies - & in fact, when I looked now she says on the intro page for book 1

http://www.mathmammoth.com/fractions.php

& this is weirding me out b/e I remember only TWO things from Liping Ma's book

1) NA teachers don't understand math

2) the pie thing for fractions is SO limiting

So now when I see pies for fraction lessons, I have a small freakout.

So MM does not stick to the pie thing forever?

I think Ma's point is that only using pies is limiting, because the student then only understands one definition of a fraction. MM does use circles to represent parts of fractions (as well as rectangles), but she also uses number lines and other illustrations, and she emphasizes that a fraction is also a division problem, it's a unit on a number line (important for understanding equivalent fractions), decimals & percents represent fractional parts of 10/100/1000, etc. MM is very very good at getting kids to see and understand the relationships between fractions/decimals/ratios/percents, so they can quickly and fluidly "translate" between them.

 

Here's an example: DS was reading a problem in LoF Fractions, where Fred had a 13 lb knife stuck in his foot. He weighed 37 lbs, and the question was "What fraction of the total weight is Fred?" DS instantly said 37/50ths. I asked him to convert that to a percentage and he said "well 37/50ths would be 74/100ths, so 74%." I asked what common fraction was close to 74% and he said 3/4. All of this took a few seconds. I have him do similar calculations with money, with restaurant checks, and other "daily life" things, and he can do it quite quickly. This is a kid who was in remedial math and hadn't even started division 2 years ago.

 

So don't let the preponderance of pies put you off MM. :)

 

Jackie

[lovemykids]

I think Ma's point is that only using pies is limiting, because the student then only understands one definition of a fraction. MM does use circles to represent parts of fractions (as well as rectangles), but she also uses number lines and other illustrations, and she emphasizes that a fraction is also a division problem, it's a unit on a number line (important for understanding equivalent fractions), decimals & percents represent fractional parts of 10/100/1000, etc. MM is very very good at getting kids to see and understand the relationships between fractions/decimals/ratios/percents, so they can quickly and fluidly "translate" between them.

 

Here's an example: DS was reading a problem in LoF Fractions, where Fred had a 13 lb knife stuck in his foot. He weighed 37 lbs, and the question was "What fraction of the total weight is Fred?" DS instantly said 37/50ths. I asked him to convert that to a percentage and he said "well 37/50ths would be 74/100ths, so 74%." I asked what common fraction was close to 74% and he said 3/4. All of this took a few seconds. I have him do similar calculations with money, with restaurant checks, and other "daily life" things, and he can do it quite quickly. This is a kid who was in remedial math and hadn't even started division 2 years ago.

 

So don't let the preponderance of pies put you off MM. :)

 

Jackie

 

Hmm, that makes sense. I have not read the book.

 

Don't you love Fred? :D

[lovemykids]

So, I just bought more MM. The decimals this time. I am going to leave the usage up to my dd; if she wants to use it, fine. She may need extra practice w/ Fred since we are ditching TT.