University of Minnesota Lesson Plan Template*[1]

Math Microteaching Lesson Plan: 5th grade

Maggie Gleason
Taught on: December 1, 2, and 3rd
Lesson Rationale
Based on the Unit 5 pretest the students have taken, almost all students scored at a
beginning level for the benchmarks. This is on a scale from beginning to developing, proficient
(grade level), and up to exemplary. Some students scored at a developing level for a few of the
learning targets, but not many. This shows us that our students really struggle with
understanding fraction and decimal ideas and probably lack the conceptual understanding.
Although my cooperating-teacher will be teaching them the full Everyday Math unit before I
teach these lessons, I know that students will need supplemental instruction to reinforce the
concepts. I decided to focus on comparing fractions and decimals to a benchmark, since this is
a valuable skill to have in order to be able to order or compare them.
In order to use a benchmark to compare fractions, students will have to have a general
understanding of the relative size of fractions. For example, they should know that the larger
the denominator of the fraction, the smaller the size of one fraction piece is. Students will also
need to have an understanding of decimal place value and the relative size of tenths,
hundredths, and thousandths. These lessons cover the MN state standard 5.1.2.3, which is
related to being able to order fractions and decimals and locate them on a number line. These
are important foundational skills to build students number sense regarding fractions and
decimals and will be needed when they have to do more complicated math such as multiplying
and dividing fractions.
State Content Standards
5.1.2.3 Read, write, represent and compare fractions and decimals; recognize and write
equivalent fractions; convert between fractions and decimals; use fractions and decimals in
real-world and mathematical situations.
Benchmark: Order fractions and decimals, including mixed number and improper
fractions and locate on a number line.
Student Learning goals (from pre-test/post-test):
a. I can order decimals
b. I can order fractions, including mixed numbers and improper fractions
c. I can locate decimals on a number line
d. I can locate fractions, including mixed numbers and improper fractions on a number
line
Content Information
Prior to planning this lesson I knew that fraction and decimal concepts are something
that is really difficult for all children to conceptualize and understand. Although they are
expected to use them in more sophisticated ways such as ordering them on a number line,
many students may not have the background knowledge in order to think flexibly about these
numbers. After viewing the Everyday Math curriculum to get an understanding of how the
students have been learning fraction concepts, I thought it was necessary to teach them more
flexible thinking about fractions and decimals. They can utilize this flexible thinking such as
comparing to benchmarks and residual comparing when they dont have models such as
fraction sticks, which the Everyday Math curriculum has them use.
I also used the Rational Number Project (Lesson 1), which introduces fraction and
decimal concepts in a way that students can visualize and understand the relationship between

the different quantities. The Rational Number Project is an inquiry-based approach to teaching
fractions and decimals, and supports students development of informal ordering strategies
(Cramer, K., Behr, M., Post, T., & Lesh, R. 2009, p.4). These strategies are based on students
mental representations for fractions. Strategies include thinking in terms of the same numerator,
same denominator, transitive (benchmark), and residual ideas (Cramer et al., 2009, p.4).
These lessons follow the ideas from Childrens Mathematics: Cognitively Guided
Instruction, which is based on the idea that children make sense of mathematics using what
they already know and teachers make sense of students mathematical thinking (Carpenter,
Fennema, Franke, Levi & Empson, 2015). Inquiry instruction and CGI involves bringing to light
the strategies that students come up with on their own, and uses mathematical discussions
where students explain their thinking in a way that makes sense to them for all students to think
about other strategies. In CGI instruction teachers and students use questioning to help a child
articulate their strategies so classmates can understand and in turn, the child develops better
understanding (Carpenter et al., 2015, p. xvi).
Finally, these lessons were developed following the five practices explained in the article
Orchestrating Productive Mathematical discussions: Five Practices for Helping Teachers Move
Beyond Show and Tell. Using this model teachers move through the five practices of
anticipating, monitoring, selecting, sequencing, and making connections between student
responses (Stein, Engle, Smith, and Hughes, 2012). These practices lead to discussions where
all students are engaged and can see different models of mathematical thinking to make sense
of it in their own way.
Previous Learning
Prior to this lesson students will have had the Everyday Mathematics unit covering
fractions and decimals. This means that students will have had time exploring with different
fraction models and have previously learned about the relative size of different fractions.
Students also have a strong understanding of decimal language and place value needed to
compare decimals. Therefore, this 3-day lesson will serve as both a review and an extension on
their thinking surrounding fractions and decimals, to provide informal strategies that they can
use.
Content Objectives (Established Goals)
C1: Students will be able to compare fractions and decimals by placing a less than, greater
than, or equal sign between them.
C2: Students will be able to compare fractions and decimals using the transitive strategy of a
benchmark fraction/decimal (0, , 1, 1.5, etc.)
C3: Students will be able to order fractions and decimals by placing them correctly on a number
line
Academic Language Objectives (Label objectives ALO1, ALO2, ALO3)
ALO1: Students will be able to compare fractions and decimals using academic language such
as less than, greater than, or equal to.
ALO2: Students will be able to explain their mathematical strategies using complete sentences
such as I placed on the number line a little bit before the benchmark of because I knew
that 4/8 is equivalent to and is only less than .
ALO3: Students will be able to discuss fractions using academic language such as
denominator, numerator, benchmark, equivalent, and part.
Formative Assessment (Process)
One form of formative assessment that I will be using will be observing students during
work time and during class discussions. Based on students contributions to the

discussion I will be able to gauge their understanding of the learning goals. During
independent/group work time I will be monitoring students by walking around the
classroom and asking guiding questions to different groups so that I can give them
feedback, extend their thinking, or guide their thinking in another direction.
Another formative assessment I will use throughout the lessons is the evaluation of their
homework. If there is a number of students who got a particular question wrong or really
struggled with a concept, I will reteach and review it the following day.
Provisions for Individual Differences
The students with IEPs in my classroom have an educational assistant who helps them
during Math workshop. She may make modifications of the activities or have them working on
separate math related content, depending on the day. I will communicate with her about the
lesson I will be teaching beforehand to talk about appropriate accommodations or separate
activities if needed.
I will display the directions on the board during work time for students to be able to refer
back to if they need. Ms. Hella-Yelk and I will work with groups who need extra assistance and
to make sure groups are understanding what they are doing.
Resources
Whiteboard and markers
Students iPads
15 decks of math cards (1-16)
Student worksheets
o Day 1: RNP Lesson 1 Student Page A and Comparing Fractions worksheet
o Day 2: RNP Lesson 1 Student Page B and C, Page D for homework
o Day 3: Number line worksheet
Management and Safety Issues
I will use show five to get students attention if they are talking or working. If students
are talking out of turn I will make eye contact or say their name. When students are repeatedly
misbehaving I will give them a kind reminder and name the behavior that I want them to stop
and then if they continue I will tell them to take a break. During partner work time, Ms. HellaYelk and I will manage behavior by walking around and monitoring students work progress. I will
also clearly explain the expectations for work time, especially when they are using their iPads,
and tell them their iPad will be taken away if they are off-task. My cooperating teacher and I will
specifically partner students together who have differing ability levels so that the higher student
can help to model the higher level thinking and act as a teacher to the lower student.
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks to Support Learning
References:
Cramer, K., Behr, M., Post, T., & Lesh, R. (2009). Rational Number Project. Retrieved November
23, 2015, from http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ci/rationalnumberproject/RNP2/Lesson01.pdf

Day 1-Comparing fractions to a benchmark

Launch (How will you introduce the lesson and motivate the students?) List activities
and key questions.

Time

Objective
Code (C1,
C2 or L1,
L2)

15-

C1, C2

Learning Activities (What and How)

-Display an anchor chart with the

Purpose (Why)

This class discussion will activate

students prior knowledge about the

20
min.

main fraction benchmarks we will

work with (0, , , , 1 in decimal
and fraction form and on a number
line)
-What are some other fractions we
know are equivalent to ? Write
answers on the board.
-Looking at these examples, what
does this show us about how we
know when a fraction is the same as
? ( With any number you can easily
know how that fraction compares to
by thinking about the number that
is equal to half of the denominator.)
-Put on the board one fraction (4/6),
how do we know if this is greater than
or less than ? Have students turn
and talk with a partner
-Have students share their thinking
-What about ? Is this greater than,
equal to, or less than ? How do you
know?
-What is half of 5? (scaffolding
question if needed)
-Have students share their thinking.
-Why might you want to be able to
compare fractions to benchmarks like
0, and 1? (because it is more
efficient than always changing them
to common denominators, etc.)
-You will be using this strategy to play
a game with a partner today. Display
game directions on the projector.
Have volunteers read instructions out
loud and ask for questions.

fraction of . Then following the gradual

release of responsibility model, we will
have guided practice of determining
whether a fraction is less than or greater
than . It also gives students a purpose
for this strategy so it is more meaningful.

Explore

List activities, key questions, specific examples, and assessment

strategies. Five practices here and partially in summarize (i.e. anticipate, monitor,
select, sequence, connect).
Time

Objective
Code
(C1, C2
or L1, L2)

3040
min.

C1, C2

Learning Activities (What and How)

Purpose (Why)

Comparing fractions game: Students will have a sheet of

paper with two lines for fractions
(http://www.education.com/activity/article/capture-thatfraction/). One of the fractions will be . They will draw
two cards, putting the smaller card on top, and then have

A game is a
fun and
interactive way
for students to
practice the

to determine whether it is greater than, less than, or equal

to . They place the symbol card between the two
fractions. If they get it correct than they get 5 points. If
they can explain their thinking to their partner, they get 10
points. Whoever gets to 100 first wins.
Challenge version: you and your partner can choose to
play a round where you compare two different fractions.
Discuss with your partner which fraction is greater and
why you know. You should still use the idea of as a
benchmark. For example if you are comparing 2/6 and 4/9
you know that 3/6 is equal to and 4.5/9 is equal to so
4/9 would be greater because it is closer to half. Your
partner can check your thinking by converting both to a
common denominator. Whoever has the greater fraction
gets to keep the cards and whoever has more cards at
the end of the round wins.
-While students are playing Ms. Hella-Yelk and I will walk
around and monitor students playing and ask them
questions to have them explain their thinking: How did
you determine that was less than/greater than ?

skill of
comparing
fractions. They
will be
comparing
using the
benchmark of
.
Giving
students the
option of a
challenge
version will be
motivating for
some of the
higher-level
thinkers in my
class.

Share/Summarize Summarize, review, lead-in for next lesson. Five

practices here or partially in explore (i.e. anticipate, monitor, select, sequence,
connect).
Time

Objective
Code (C1,
C2 or L1,
L2)

2025
min.

C1, C2

Learning Activities (What and How)

Purpose (Why)

-Bring students back to the front carpet for a

whole class discussion.
-Did anyone have a noticing from playing the
game that they would like to share with the
class? Give students opportunity to share.
-How could we extend this idea of using a
benchmark to compare two fractions/decimals
such as and 1 and 1/12? Always think first,
is there a benchmark one of these is close to
that i can use?
-Have students share their thinking (Use the
benchmark of 1)
-Using a benchmark that you know can be
especially useful when comparing a fraction to
ad decimal. For example, what if I wanted to
compare 1.36 and 1 and 3/16? Which
benchmark could I use to compare these
numbers? Turn and talk.

This class discussion follows

one of the five practices:
connect. I will connect
students game playing back to
using benchmarks. I will
extend their thinking by using
some other benchmarks such
as 1 and .
Then, I will explain the
purpose of learning this
strategy and make them aware
of how they will have to
demonstrate this knowledge
on the test.

-Have students share with the class. (Use the

benchmark of , know that 1.25 is the same
and 1 and . 4/16 would be equal to so it is
less than, etc.)
-Summarize learning: comparing fractions to a
benchmark is one way for us to use what we
know to be able to put fractions and decimals
in order from least to greatest, which is
something you will have to do on the test.
Benchmarks can be very helpful in making our
thinking about fractions and decimals more
efficient. Especially when you are comparing a
fraction to a decimal, you skip the process of
changing the fraction to a decimal.
HOMEWORK: RNP lesson 1 Order Ideas Student Page A and and comparing fractions
sheet (Taris)

Day 2-Comparing and Ordering a mix of fractions and decimals

Launch (How will you introduce the lesson and motivate the students?) List activities
and key questions.

Time

Objective
Code (C1,
C2 or L1,
L2)

2025
min.

C2, C3

Learning Activities (What and How)

Purpose (Why)

-Based on our what we learned yesterday

and our homework, how can using a fraction
benchmark such as , , or 1 help us to
compare fractions to other fractions with
unlike denominators or fractions to
decimals?
(We dont have to convert them to common
denominators or convert from fraction to
decimal to figure out which is bigger)
-How might what we know about fraction
benchmarks help us to put fractions in order
such as 19/20, 2/22, and 6/14? Turn and
talk
Discuss strategies used (one is
close to 0, one is close to 1, and one
is close to 1/2)

Review of the strategies used the

previous day will activate
students prior knowledge and
help lead into extending on that
thinking to do a more difficult
task of ordering.
Guided whole group discussion
will allow students to model their
mathematical strategies for other
students to pick up on.

Explore

List activities, key questions, specific examples, and assessment

strategies. Five practices here and partially in summarize (i.e. anticipate, monitor,
select, sequence, connect).
Time

Objective
Code
(C1, C2
or L1, L2)

Learning Activities (What and How)

Purpose (Why)

3040
min.

C2, C3

-Students will work on RNP Lesson 1 Student

page B with a partner
-Come back as a class and discuss what they
answered for the last question (explaining
thinking about two fraction pairs)

Following the gradual

release of responsibility
model, this is an
independent practice of
strategies students
previously came up with.

- How could we use all of these ideas weve

been working on to put these values in
order? (0.507, 10/11, 3/8, and 0.05, 1 and 3/10)
Talk with someone next to you, what
would the smallest number be?
Call on students for the next 4 numbers
and why they think that (dont have to be
placed in order)

These practice problems

extends students thinking to
order more complex
fractions and decimals using
strategies previously
explored. Students will be
able to check their
understanding by discussing
with a partner before
sharing as a class.

Guidance of thinking aloud if needed:

First I would start by thinking, is there any
value that is clearly the smallest or
largest? I might place those ones at the
ends. I see 5 hundredths is clearly the
smallest value so I would place that in the
far left spot. I also see that 1 and 3/10 is
my only value greater than 1 so that is the
greatest (far right spot).
Then, I would think about my other
numbers in terms of my benchmarks. I
know 0.507 is really close to , and is
going to be a little bit less than because
i know 4/8 is equal to .
I also have 10/11 left, which i know is only
1/11 less than 1, so I would put that right
before my mixed number that is greater
than 1.
-Write another practice with (5 and 7/16, 5 and
4/10, 6 and 3/16, 6.25, and 5.146)
Have students try it individually on their
whiteboards
Go through answers: ask a student what
they wrote down first? Thumbs up if you
also had that.
Have students explain their thinking and
keep going with other 4 numbers (i.e.
How did you know to do that? What
benchmark were you using? How did you
know that was the smallest/greatest?).
Ideas such as: which is larger, 5 and 7/16 or
5 and 3/8? Well you know that they are both 1
piece away from our benchmark of , and

This gives students a

chance to check their own
understanding by working
independently and then
reviewing as a class while
they check their own
answers and readjust their
thinking.

It is important for students to

talk through their thinking
with someone else so that
they can practice using the
strategies and explain their
mathematical process.
Students enjoy using
technology and this will be a
form of formative
assessment because it tells
them right away whether
they got the ordering correct
or not.

1/16 is smaller than 1/8 so 5 and 7/16 would

be larger.

-Excuse students to get iPad and go practice

ordering on IXL with a partner. Tell them to keep
in mind some of the strategies they used so we
can discuss at the end.
Challenge version with 5 numbers:
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-6/put-a-mix-ofdecimals-fractions-and-mixed-numbers-in-order
or easier version with 3 numbers:
https://www.ixl.com/math/grade-5/put-assorteddecimals-fractions-and-mixed-numbers-in-order
-Students will jot down strategies they used when
ordering them
-I will monitor students work process and ask
them questions about their thinking. I will look for
strategies students wrote down and select certain
partner groups to share for the class discussion.

Share/Summarize Summarize, review, lead-in for next lesson. Five

practices here or partially in explore (i.e. anticipate, monitor, select, sequence,
connect).
Time

Objective
Code (C1,
C2 or L1,
L2)

15
min

C2, C3

Learning Activities (What and How)

Purpose (Why)

Bring students back to the front carpet with

notebooks for discussion.
-Ask students (pre-selected) to share
different strategies they used with their
partner when ordering the fractions and
decimals (present one that displays
residual, comparing to , and comparing to
1)
-Exit slip: write down one strategy you
understand and can use when ordering
fractions and decimals OR a
question/something you are struggling with
on a post-it, give to me on their way out to
lockers.
-AVID planning and HOMEWORK: RNP
Lesson 1 Student Page D

Selecting and sequencing students

to share their thinking will make for
a meaningful discussion and give
the class models of higher
mathematical thinking to think
about.
An exit-slip is a form of formative
assessment that I can use as a
check for understanding.

Day 3-Placing fractions and decimals on a number line

Launch (How will you introduce the lesson and motivate the students?) List activities
and key questions.

Time

Objective
Code (C1,
C2 or L1,
L2)

1520
min

C2, C3

Learning Activities (What and How)

Purpose (Why)

o Review from yesterday- use mini-whiteboards

for each student, give example of 9/10, 7/8. Draw
a picture that helps you to visualize these
fractions and then decide which one is bigger.
o Also as a review since we havent focused on
mixed numbers and improper fractions as much
the past couple of days. Write one mixed number
on your whiteboard and hold it up. What is a
mixed number? Now write an improper fraction
on your whiteboard. Pick one students fraction
and say it out loud. How would we change this to
a mixed number? Write it on your whiteboard.

Based on formative
assessment, this is a concept
that should be reviewed.

Individual whiteboards are one

form of formative assessment
so I can do a quick check for
understanding.

Having students use what they

have previously learned and
come up with the purpose for
using a strategy helps them to
be motivated to learn more.

-How does knowing how a fraction or decimal

compares to a benchmark help us to place it on a
number line? (number lines usually have some
benchmarks labeled on them that you can
compare each number you are placing to)

Explore

List activities, key questions, specific examples, and assessment

strategies. Five practices here and partially in summarize (i.e. anticipate, monitor,
select, sequence, connect).
Time

Objective
Code
(C1, C2
or L1, L2)

3040
min.

C3

Learning Activities (What and How)

Purpose (Why)

-Display large class number line with painters tape

across the floor or on whiteboard (number line from 0
to 3 with halves marked with tick marks)

This version of a number

line helps students to
visually see the number
line in a new way and
spread out the fractions
and decimals that will be
placed between each
benchmark. They will need
to use strategies from the
previous two days to place
their value, and will have
to explain and model their
mathematical thinking.

http://4thgraderacers.blogspot.com/2014/09/bright-idealinky-interactive-number.html

What if all of the tick marks are not labeled?

How do determine how to label them?
Have students share their thinking.
What fraction is this number line currently
divided into? Would there be another
benchmark that would be helpful to add?
(fourths) How would we do that? Have
different students come up and mark the
fourths tick marks and label them
-Model thinking about and placing the post it note
9/12 on the number line. What does it mean if it is

Modeling an example
makes it clear to students
what they are expected to
do.

equal to ? (it is equivalent)

- Assign each partner group a post it with a number
to discuss how they will place it on class number line
Between 0 and 1: 0.316, 10/15, create a
decimal with a 7 in the tenths place, zero and
45 thousandths, zero and 45 hundredths
Between 1 and 2: One and six-eighths, 23/16,
1 and 3/5, 1 and two hundred and fifty six
thousandths, create a fraction between 1.75
and 2.0
Between 2 and 3: 2 and 7/8, 25/12, 2.451, 2
and seventy three hundredths, 70/30
Jonah and Valya- 1.75??
-Gather back in circle around number line. Start with
partners who had numbers between 0 and 1. Have
them stand in front holding their post it. Have groups
take turns talking through their thinking of how they
would place it on the number line. Repeat for 1-2 and
2-3.
-Students will practice placing fractions and decimals
on a number line and discussing their thinking with
each other (4 number lines on a worksheet with a mix
of fractions and decimals to place on the number line)
-While students are working I will walk around and
choose groups who are modeling thinking using
residual or comparing to benchmark thinking and
other important ideas (Maybe one group who
converted them all if they did to show how this
strategy works but is not as efficient).

Accommodation to make
content accessible for
students with IEP.

It is important for
students to
independently apply
strategies that make
sense to them.
I will monitor students
progress so that I can
provide assistance as
needed and also select
student ideas that
would be meaningful to
be presented as models
to the whole class.

Share/Summarize Summarize, review, lead-in for next lesson. Five

practices here or partially in explore (i.e. anticipate, monitor, select, sequence,
connect).
Time

Objective
Code (C1,
C2 or L1,
L2)

2025
min.

C3

Learning Activities (What and How)

Purpose (Why)

-Have a few partner groups (pre-selected)

share what they did for one of the number
lines, talking through and explaining their
thinking
-Possible extension: What can you do
when you have two values that are both

Students will be able to model their

thinking for other students to think
about it in a new way that they may
not have thought of. Also, they are
extending their thinking to
challenge when they may be
unsure of how to use the transitive

close to the same benchmark? (i.e. 2/5

and .436)
Turn and talk. Have students give
ideas of what they would do.
--Exit slip: write down one strategy you
understand and can use when ordering
fractions and decimals OR a
question/something you are struggling with
on a post-it, give to me on their way out to
lockers. (Didnt get to on previous day)

strategy.

-Homework: Comparing Fractions and

Decimals on a number line p. 36. Post-test
tomorrow.

Reflection
Day 1:
I thought that overall today went pretty well. The inquiry-base allowed for the lesson to be
student-led so students were able to come up with the strategy to compare any fraction to on their own
through my questioning. I liked using a game format for practice because all of the students were
engaged. I walked around and was able to talk with almost every group. I realized some groups were
misusing the less than or greater than symbol and talked them through how they would remember the
right direction to put it in. Other groups were having difficulty comparing when the denominator was an
odd number so I reviewed how we talked about it in the beginning class discussion, or for some who still
werent getting it I guided them through questioning on how they could make it an equivalent fraction with
an even denominator. There were other groups who were picking up on it really quickly and I told them
they could challenge themselves by comparing two different fractions and I practiced with them doing one
pair and how I would use a benchmark to compare the two. This successfully challenged their thinking
and they continued playing with that version. Through observations I could really gauge each students
understanding of the learning goal.
When we came back together as a class students had several noticings about the game including
things such as the first player will always win if both players are getting them correct, that it is easiest to
compare fractions with even denominators, as well as that it was easier to compare to the benchmarks
than to other fractions because the benchmarks are fractions they are very familiar with. The last example
we talked through as a class (comparing 1 and 3/16 to 1.36) proved to be even more challenging than I
anticipated. I had students talk with a partner and some groups were just guessing, while others picked
up on the strategy of using 1 and as a benchmark. Since I listened in on different groups, I purposely
called on some of the students to be able to model the thinking with using the benchmark. I also called on
some other partner groups and I was surprised that some of the students who are typically higher
achieving in math were attempting to convert the fraction to an equivalent fraction. This was not the
strategy I was getting at so we then talked about why using a benchmark might be easier than that
strategy. Looking back I wish I was able to come up with more scaffolding questions when I realized that
not everyone was catching on to how to use 1 and as a benchmark.
I was happy to see that most of the math partnerships worked together really well during the
game and I could tell that some of my students who typically struggle were being lifted up by their partner
who was helping them and modeling thinking. Many of the students who typically dont do as well in math
were really catching on and they were eager to do their homework! I felt somewhat frustrated that a few of
the higher level students seemed to not want to use the strategies and instead wanted to convert all of the
values.

Day 2:
If I were going to do this lesson again, there are a few things I would change. We werent able to
get through all the activities I had planned. For example, we only did one ordering example as a class,
and we ran out of time to do an exit slip. The beginning discussion went well and students seemed to
make the connection that comparing fractions and decimals to a fractions can be a much more efficient
method than converting both to decimals or changing to common denominators. Before the lesson I had
made the decision to have the partner groups do the RNP page B with partners before doing the harder
ordering examples as a class. I think this really helped students to come up with strategies for ordering
using benchmarks because the examples on the worksheet were clearly close to 0, , or 1 whole. I chose
to discuss the last question because it required students to explain how they knew which fraction was
larger.This revealed their strategies and would allow me to highlight the residual fraction idea when a
student used it. However, this concept ended up being more difficult for students to understand than I had
anticipated. I felt like a visual would have been really helpful to see but my on the spot drawings of
fractions were disproportionate and not very helpful. If i did this again I would have models/manipulatives,
such as fraction circles, available for students explaining to use to explain their thinking.
We then went on to do a class discussion of ordering a mix of 5 fractions and decimals. On
accident I chose the stack of notecards (we were using magnets to move them around on the board) with
the more challenging problem of ordering first. If i could go back I wouldve chose the easier example like
I had originally planned so students could have a better understanding and practice before doing the
more challenging one.I had students talk with a partner how they would start doing this. I realized it
wouldve been helpful to give students the mini-whiteboards so they could keep track of their thinking
while discussing it. In the end, we successfully ordered them as a class and students modeled the
transitive and residual strategies that I wanted them to get. Finally, students were excited to use their
iPads to practice the skills and were able to see right away whether they were doing it correctly which I
thought was helpful so they could ask questions if they didnt understand one of them.

Day 3:

I think the students took away a lot from this lesson, but the activities in this lesson took
longer than I anticipated, so there are some changes I would make. In the beginning I think it
was beneficial to use the mini-whiteboards because I was able to see each students thinking.
However, in the future with the whiteboards I would be more intentional with the students I
select to share their answers. Some of the students I chose to share their answers were not
illustrating the thinking that I wanted. If a student was going to show a misconception I would
want to be prepared for how I would help talk them through that misconception. I also would
probably specifically name or point out the strategy of common numerator for the homework
problem we were reviewing so that students could recognize and use that in the future.
The giant number line was a good visual for students to be able to see fractions,
decimals, mixed numbers, and improper fractions. Most of the partner pairs who came up and
shared their thinking used strategies such as comparing to a benchmark or being one piece
away from the whole, that we had developed the previous two days. However, there were still
some students who reverted back to strategies of converting them. I do not think this is a bad
thing if this is what is more comfortable to them. However, I know this is difficult for many of the
students to do correctly so I wanted to make sure they also talked about how they could place it
without converting as well. The number line activity got to be pretty long with all of the partner
groups sharing. If I did this activity again I might choose only certain groups to actually talk
through their thinking behind it. Based on their number line homework I know that almost all of
the students understood and could apply the strategies used to place decimals and fractions on
a number line.
Reflective Commentary (To be completed at the end of the Unit and derived from analysis of student
work and teaching):

Overall I think my lessons were very beneficial to the students conceptual understanding of
fractions. I will be interested to see how they did on their unit post-test. One idea I thought of after the
three days was giving a mini-quiz on ordering and number lines to hone in more specifically on which
ideas they were struggling. This would also have given me data to compare to the post-test to see if my
lessons were helpful to them. Fractions and decimals are something that students seem to really struggle
with and I found the ideas from the Rational Number Project to be extremely valuable and something that
I would use in my future classroom.
After each lesson I made changes to the next days lesson based on what I thought students
needed a review of. I think this is an important way to use homework as a formative assessment because
you are able to see the trends in students thinking and whether they are successfully applying the
concepts. On the intro of day 2 and 3 I reviewed or did a quick reteach of a skill or question from the
homework that they might have struggled with. I think this was beneficial in order to correct students
understanding.
I was surprised at which students caught on to these conceptual strategies that I wanted them to
focus on. I noticed an overall trend that a lot of the middle students were able to catch on and use the
strategies, as well as many of the low students who I expected would struggle with it. What I didnt
expect is that some of the higher students did not see the value in the strategies as much. There were a
few students, who are typically high achieving in math, who repeatedly wanted to convert everything to
decimals or change to common denominators. For these students it is not so important if they are able to
successfully do the math that leads to the correct answers using those strategies, but I did want them to
see the value in the more efficient methods and challenge themselves to think more conceptually.
One of the aspects of the lessons that I would make sure to keep is having students frequently
explain their thinking. This is a skill I know that students do not practice enough and is really important.
Throughout all of the lessons I had students explain their strategies verbally or written out and I think they
were able to improve upon their mathematical communication skills. Also as a teacher I am able to see
their thinking and figure out which part was a misconception and how to best fix it.

[1] Adapted from the University of California Lesson Design Frame