What's It All About?

Even students who can "do the math" often have little or no understanding of the "why's" of fractions--a gap that leads to frustration when they tackle more complex equations.

With explorations that go beyond the traditional "pieces of pie," this series encourages students to work collaboratively to examine fractional relationships. They draw their own conclusions, devise their own rules, and test them to see if they apply to all situations.

Number theory, geometry, measurement, and patterns/functions are embedded in these investigatory-style lessons. Students use visuals in Levels 1-2, and tiles, pattern blocks, and geometric cutouts in Levels 3-8.

The lessons:

• reinforce mathematical writing and communication skills by asking students to provide answers in several different ways.
• strengthen reasoning and problem-solving skills with open-ended questions.

By the end of each lessons, students are able to understand an algorithm or strategy and apply it to solve equations.