CourtneyWrightS00118415

JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

ASSESSMENTTASK3
PortfolioofInspirationalLearning&TeachingOpportunities

YearLevelFocus:Years46
MathematicalFocus:Fractions(EquivalentFractions)

CONTENTS
Learning/TeachingIdeas PageNumber

OpenTaskTheCookingCupDilemma 2
GamewithmathematicsfocusFractionWall 4
ICTactivityConceptuaMathEquivalentFractions 6
PhotowithMathematicalFocusChocolateBar 8
ManipulativetoassistlearningCuisenaireRods 10
TasktousewithparentsEquivalentFractionCardGames 11
IntegratingMathematicsintoEnglishTrueorFalseNumberSentences 14
RichAssessmentTaskDiagnosticInterview(Fractions) 16
AffectiveAssessmentTaskHowIfeelaboutEquivalentFractions. 23
References 25

1
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

OpenTask

TheCookingCupDilemma

Open Tasks for

Investigation
Alternatives to
prompt children
having difficulty
engaging
Alternatives to
extend children
further
Question:Iambakinga
cakeandIneedacup
ofsugar.HoweverIcant
findthecupIneed.I
foundsomedifferent
sizedcupsinthe
cupboardthatarenot
labeled.Whatother
possiblefractionsofcup
sizescouldusesothatI
donotputintoomuchor
toolittlesugar?

Howdoyouknowyou
havefoundallthe
possiblesolutions?
Useconcretematerialsto
assist.
Question:Iambakinga
cakeandIneedacupof
sugar.HoweverIcantfind
thecupIneed.Idohavea
ofacupinthecupboard
andIvediscoveredIcan
usetwoofthosetomake
acup.Whatother
possiblefractionsofcup
sizescouldusesothatIdo
notputintoomuchortoo
littlesugar?

Useconcretematerialsto
assist.

Question:Ineedacupof
flour.HowevernowIcant
findthatcup.Ifoundsome
differentsizedcupsinthe
cupboardthatarenot
labeled.Whatother
possiblefractionsofcup
sizescouldusesothatIput
intherightamountoffour?

Useconcretematerialsto
assist.

2
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

TheCookingCupDilemma
(WorkedExamples)

IambakingacakeandIneedacupofsugar.
HoweverIcantfindthecupIneed.Ifoundsome
differentsizedcupsinthecupboardthatarenot
labelled.Whatotherpossiblefractionsofcupsizes
couldusesothatIdonotputintoomuchortoolittle
sugar?

cupofsugar=2/4,4/8,3/6,6/12

Howdoyouknowyouhavefoundallthepossiblesolutions?
IknowIhavefoundallthepossiblesolutionsbecauseIkeptdoublingthenumberofpartsIhad
andcountingthesquaresthatIhadcolouredin.Ialsousedunifixblockstomakethedifferent
sizes.

3
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

MathsGame
FractionWall
Thefractionwallisusedforstudentstoidentifyandcreatefractionstocolourinafractionwall.
Studentsusetwodicetomakefractions,afterstudentsrollthedicetheydecideonthefraction.
Forexampleifthestudentrollsa2anda3theycancreate2/3or3/2.Asthegameprogresses
thestudentswillfindthattheirfractionscreatedwiththedicewillbecomedifficulttofitonthe
wall.Tofitthemonthewalltheywillhavetofindequivalentfractionsthatarestillavailable.The
studentwhoisabletocompletetheirwallfirstwinsthegame.Studentsshouldalsobe
encouragedtoshareandexplaintheirjustificationwiththeirpartner.

HowtheFractionWallcanassistlearningofmathematicalconcepts

Thefractionwallactivityprovidesanopportunityforteacherstoprobestudentknowledgeof
fractionwalls.Theconceptofequivalentfractionsisanimportantconceptthatisgenerally
poorlymisunderstood(VandeWalle,2010,p.301).Thereforethefractionwallactivityprovides
amotivatingandenjoyableactivitytoexploretheconceptforequivalentfractions.Duringthe
activityteacherscanfindtheopportunitytopromptstudentsaskingforequivalenceofthirds,
4
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

halves,quartersandsoforth(Pearn,2007).Itisimportantforstudentstoexplorefigurative.
ClarkandKamii(1995)indicatethattraditionallyproperfractionsaretaughtbeforeimproper
fractionshowevertheseshouldbeintroducedsimultaneouslytoensurestudentsthinkabout
partwholeconcepts.Thefractionwallactivityintroducesproperandimproperfractions
simultaneouslyasstudentsareabletocreatelargerimproperfractions.Thisisanimportant
aspectasstudentswillneedtoknowtheequivalentfractionsthatcanbemadefromthe
improperfractionstheyform.Thefractionwallcanbeusedeffectivelybypairingmixedability
studentsprovidingstudentswithanopportunitytolearnfrompeerinsightsandmethods.

[179words]

5
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

ICTactivity
ConceptuaMathEquivalentFractions

ConceptuaMath.(2013).EquivalentFractions.Retrievedfrom
https://www.conceptuamath.com/client/PremiumMats.html#tool=equivalents2Mat(Free
SigninRequired)

HowConceptuaMathassistsconceptualunderstandingsoffractions

EquivalentFractionsbyConceptuaMathisalearningactivityandtooltodevelopconceptual
understandingofequivalentfractions.Conceptualunderstandingisbuiltbyemphasizinghow
visualmodelsrepresentequivalence,thefractionallanguageinvolvedinthefractionsandhow
thenumericalfractionisrepresentedbythemodel.Theactivitybeginscompletelyblankand
studentsarerequiredtofillinthefractionontheleft.Thechosenformofmodelwillthendivide
thewholeintopartsandhighlighttherepresentedfraction.Studentscantypethenameofthe
fractionaboveandcanhaveitreadtothembypressingthespeaker.Studentsusingcorrect
fractionallanguagedevelopsconceptualunderstandingofthepartsandthewholefurtherthan
justthenumbervalues.Thebarontherightsideallowsstudentstochoosewhichformof
areaorlengthmodeltheywouldliketoseetheirfractionin.Studentsareabletovisually
6
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

compareifthefractionstheyhavewrittenareequivalentbycomparingthehighlightedsections
toseeiftheyarethesameorpresstheticktohavethecomputercorrect.Thisactivityallows
forstudentstoinvestigatethedifferentformsfractionstakeplaceinwiththerepresentations
andthusassistsinstudentslearningoftheconcept.
[206words]

7
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

PhotowithMathematicalFocus
ChocolateBar
Thephotochosenfortheinvestigationtaskisofacommonchocolatebar,chocolatebarsarea
commoniteminanylocalenvironmentthatcanbeeasilyusedasaconcretemodel.Forthis
taskstudentsaretousethepicturetoinvestigateequivalentfractionsthroughguidedprompting
questions.Theparticularpicturechosenhasanevennumberofrowsandcolumnstoreflectthe
abilitylevel,thisaspectcanbechangedtoextendstudents.Thequestionsarefocusedaround
theuseofhalves,quartersandeighthstoreflecttheAusVELS(2013)mathematicsoutcome
"countbyquartershalvesandthirds,includingwithmixednumerals.Locateandrepresentthese
fractionsonanumberline(ACMNA078)".Howeverinsteadofthirdswehaveusedeights.This
activityisengagingandeasilymodifiedtosuitstudentslearningabilities.

Circletwelveofthesquaresofchocolateandexpressthisasafraction.12/24
Whatisthisequivalentto?1/2,2/4,4/8,8/16,10/20
8
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

Howmanyofthesedoyouneedtomakeawhole?
2

Circlesixofthesquaresofchocolateandexpressthisasafraction.6/24
Howmanyofthesedoyouneedtomakeahalf?2
Howmanyofthesedoyouneedtomakeawhole?4

Circlethreeofthesquaresofchocolateandexpressthisasafraction.3/24
Howmanyofthesedoyouneedtomakeaquarter?2
Howmanyofthesedoyouneedtomakeahalf?4
Howmanyofthesedoyouneedtomakeawhole?8

Cadburyhaveboughtoutanewmegasizebar.Theoriginalbaristhesizeofthenewmega
bar.Iftheabovediagramshowstheoriginalsizebar,howmanypiecesofchocolatewouldbein
themegasizebar?32
Isthereotherwaystorepresenttheoriginalsizebarasafractionofthemegasizebar,ifso
whataretheseways?24/32,12/16,6/8

Whathaveyounoticedfromyouranswerstothistask?
Ihavenoticedthatwhencirclingthechocolatepieces,thenumeratorofthefractionis
alwaysthenumberofchocolatesIhadtocircleandthedenominatoristhetotalnumber
ofchocolates,24,foreachone.InoticedthatastheamountofchocolatesIhadtocircle
gotsmalleritwasbyhalf,andthatdoubledtheamountofpiecesIneededtomakehalf
andwhole.

9
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

ManipulativetoAssistLearning
Cuisenaire Rods

Fig. 1. Staircase model of Cuisenaire rods.

CuisenaireRodsareanexampleofanappropriateconcreteresourceforteachingthetopicof
fractionequivalence.Studentsareabletophysicallycomparedifferentsizedrodsasfractionsof
awholeandrecogniseequivalencebyusingmultiplerodsofthesamecolour.Thenatureofthe
tasksrelatedtotheuseoftherodsencouragesstudentstobuildmodelsasrepresentationsofa
problem,manipulatethematerialstodemonstrateandthencomparereasoningwithothers
(Yankelewitz&Mueller&Maher,2010).Theyareausefultooltodemonstrateandassist
studentswiththeirthinkingandunderstanding.
Anexamplequestion:Ifthebrownrodequalsonewhole,whatfractionofonewholeisonered
rod?HowmanyredrodsdoIneedtomakeonewhole?
Extendedexamplequestion:Ifonebluerodequalsofawhole,whatfractionofawholeisone
redrod?...Howmanyredrodsequal?
Studentsareabletodefinethewholeanduseothercolouredrodstorepresentfractionsofa
whole.Bycomparingthedifferentcoloursandtheamountyouneedofthesamecolourtomake
onewholeoraspecificfraction,studentsarephysicallybuildingequivalentfractions.

[199words]
10
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

TasktousewithParents
EquivalentFractionCardGames

1/2 3/6 4/8

5/10 2/4 7/14
10/20 1/3 2/6
3/9 4/12 8/16
6/18 1/4 2/8
4/16 8/32 3/4
6/8 12/16 24/32
11
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

2/3 4/6 8/12

16/24 1/1 2/2
3/3 4/4 12/36

EquivalentFractionMemory2players
Usingthefractioncards,layallfractionsfacedowninanarrayonthetable.Eachplayer
takesturnstoflipover2cards.Ifthetwocardsflippedoverarenotequivalent,placeboth
cardsbackdownwheretheycamefrom.Ifthetwofractionsareequivalent,theplayer
removesthemfromthegameandplacesinapileinfrontofthem.Whenallcardshave
beenmatchedup,theplayerwiththemostpairsofequivalentfractionsisthewinner.

EquivalentFractionSnap2players
Usingthefractionscards,eachplayershouldbedealthalfthecardseach.Holdthecards
facedowninyourhandandeachplayerwilltaketurnsflippingacardoverontopofthelast
onthetable.Whenanequivalentfractionisplacedontopofanotherfraction,playersmust
snaptheirhandontopofthepileofcards.Thefirstplayertoputtheirhandonthecards
getstokeepthecards.Keepplayinguntiloneplayerisinpossessionofallofthecards.

12
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

Whatyoucandotosupportyourchildslearning.
Fractionsareusedinourdaytodaylife,particularlyincooking,tellingthetime,navigation
andsharingfoods(Green,2011).Sparrow(2008)statesthatpreparingchildrenfor
mathematicsofeverydaylivingisveryimportantandbringingrelevanceandrealisminto
mathslearningcanbeveryengagingandbeneficial.Engagingyourchildwithfractional
languageandrealisticactivitieswillenhanceyourchildsknowledgeandunderstandingin
theareaoffractions.Usingfractionallanguageandrelatingittoconcretemodelsand
materialswillengageyourchildanddeveloptheirconceptualknowledge.Thiscanbedone
byaskingyourchildthetimeandencouragingusingthefractionallanguageoftimesuchas
quarterpast___,halfpast___,quarterto___.Involvingyourchildintaskssuchas
cookingandalsosharingfoodscandeveloptheirunderstandinginfractions,especially
equivalentfractions.Engagingyourchildinthislanguageandbeingabletophysically
representandusefractionswillhelpyourchildsconceptualunderstandingoffractions.
Lees(2009)studiesshowthatgamescontributetoimprovingchildrensknowledgeof
mathematicswhilemakingitmoreinterestingandeasiertounderstandsoplayingthe
fractiongamesSnapandMemoryisafunwaytoincreaseequivalentfractionknowledge.
[202words]

13
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

IntegratingMathematicsintoEnglish
TrueorFalseNumberSentences

StudentsareinvolvedinarichlearningexperiencethatintegratesMathematicsintothediscipline
ofEnglish.Astheteacherleadsstudentsinawholeclassdiscussiontheyprovideopportunities
tofurtherdevelopskillsusedtocreateandjustifyarguments,conceptualunderstandingsof
equivalentfractions
TASK1
Usefractioncardsandequalsboardtodiscusswhetheronefractioncanequalanother.Eg1/2
=3/6,1/4=5/6
Throughdiscussionstudentsjustifywhythenumbersentenceistrueorfalse,thiscaninvolve
drawingpictures,whichtheycanuseasevidencetoshowunderstanding.
TASK1.1
StudentschooseonefractiontocreatetheirownTruenumbersentences.Studentsseehow
manytruestatementstheycancomeupwiththatwillbeequivalenttotheirchosenfraction.
TASK1.2
Studentswritedownpersuasiveargumentsfortwooftheircreatednumbersentences,arguing
whytheyaretrueandnotfalse.

HowthislearningexperienceintegratesMathematicswithEnglish
Mathscanbeusefulinarangeofsubjectareas.Inthisexperiencestudentsaredeveloping
understandingsofequivalentfractionsastheybuildvocabularytojustify,explainandshow
evidence.Throughthislearningexperiencestudentscanbeassistedtoseetherelevanceof
mathematicsinotherdisciplinessuchasEnglish.InbothMathematicsandEnglishstudents
haveopportunitiestobuildvocabularythatenablejustification.InEnglishstudentslearnabout
persuasivetests.Persuasivetextsareparticularlyrelevanttothisactivity,asstudentslearn
howtofindevidencetosupporttheirbeliefandbuildupspecificvocabularythathelpsthemto
justify,explainandpersuadeotherswhattheybelieve.Inmaths,thevocabularyusediskeyto
developingcorrectunderstandingofmathematicalconcepts(VanDewalle,Karp&Bay
Williams,2013,p296).Thisvocabularyenablesstudentstobeabletojustifyandexplaintheir
thinking,whichbuildsgreaterunderstandingoftheseconcepts(VanDewalle,Karp&Bay
Williams,2013,p296).AsstudentslearnthisspecificvocabularyinEnglish,theyareableto
14
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

applythisknowledgeanduseitforjustificationsanddiscussionsthatoccurinthemaths
classroomtohelpthembuildunderstandings.Studentsarethereforeabletoseethatfinding
evidence,justifyingandexplainingarenotonlyrelevanttothemathematicsclassroom,but
alsocanbeusedinotherdisciplines.
[218words]

TRUEORFALSECARDS

15
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

RichAssessment
DiagnosticInterview

DiagnosticInterviews,areusedtogaininsightsintounderstandingsandthinkingofstudents.Itis
importanttoAssessatthebeginningofteaching,sothatyoucanadaptandfurtherchildrens
currentunderstandingsthroughwhatyouteach.Thisassessmentprovidesteacherswithrich
knowledgeofstudentsthinkingandunderstandingsasteachersobservethestudentsresponses
andexplanationstoeachquestion.

EquivalentFractionScript

IdentifyingFractions

Showstudentsablanksquare

a)a)Canyoudrawinwhereyouwouldsplitthissquaretocreatequarters
b)b)Canyoucolourinofthesquare

Fractionsofaruler

Showstudentsthepictureoftheruler

a)a)Canyouputalinewhere2/5thsof1wouldbe?
b)b)Canyouplacealinewhere6/5thsof1wouldgo?

Fractionsanddots

Showstudentsthepictureofdots

a)a)Howmanydotsinthispicture?
b)b)Ifthiswas1/2thoftheamountofdots,canyoudrawwhatthewholewouldlooklike
andcirclethe1/2?
c)c)Canyouwriteanothernameforthisfraction,otherthen?

Fractionsofacircle
16
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

Showstudentsthewhitepiediagram.

a)a)Canyoucolourinhalfofthecircle?
b)b)Howmanyfourthspiecescoverhalfacircleexactly?Whatfractionofthecircleis
covered?Doesithaveanotherfractionname?
c)c)Whatfractionofthecircleistheeighthspiece(cutofftheeighths)?
)d)Howmanyeighthspiecescoverhalfacircleexactly?Whatfractionofthecircleis
covered?Doesithaveanotherfractionname?

FractionofaRope

Showstudentsthepictureofarope

a)Canyouplaceamarktoshowoftherope.Howdidyoudecidetoplaceyourmark
there?
b)Nowplaceamarktoshow6/8oftherope.Doyounoticeanythingsignificant?How
didyoudecidetoplaceyourmarkthere?

DrawingFractions

Givethestudentablankpieceofpaperandpen

a) Canyoudrawthefraction4/12?
b)Isthereanotherwaytowritethisasafraction?CanyouDrawthisformebelow?
c) Usingyourfirstdrawingcanyoushowmehowthisworks?

ComparingFractions

Showstudentsfractionpairs

a)Pointtoornamethelargerfraction

17
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

EquivalentFractionMaterials

IdentifyingFractions

Fractionsofaruler

Fractionsanddots
18
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

Fractionsofacircle

FractionofaRope

19
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

ComparingFractions

20
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

StudentResponsesandTeachersNotes

21
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

22
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

AffectiveAssessmentTask
Name:
HowIfeelaboutEquivalentFractions.
Onascaleof110,howdoyoufeelaboutyourlearningofequivalentFractions?

Whathasbeenyourfavouritepartofourlearningofequivalentfractions?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Whatisyourleastfavouritepartofourlearningofequivalentfractions?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Whatdoyouthinkisyourstrengthinequivalentfractions?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Whatdoyouthinkyouneedtoimproveinwithequivalentfractions?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Drawapictureofyourselflearningequivalentfractions.

Howdoyoufeelinyourpictureandwhy?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

23
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

Usefulnessofinformationgatheredbyaffectiveassessmenttask.
Theinformationgatheredfromstudentsresponsestotheaffectiveassessmenttaskabovecan
giveinformationaboutstudentsconfidence,concerns,interestsandmoreaboutthetopicof
equivalentfractions.Theaffectiveassessmenttaskallowsstudentstodeveloptheirself
assessmentskillswhichareimportantfortheThinkingProcessesdomainoftheAusVELS
curriculuminlevel4andabove.Affectiveassessmentisanassessmentaslearningwhichisa
formativetypeofassessmentwhichinvolvesstudentsreflectingonandmonitoringtheirown
progresstoinformfuturelearninggoals.Questionsrelatingtostudentsfavouriteandleast
favouritelearningactivitiesinformsteachersplanningforfuturelessons.eg.Ifstudents
responsesshowedtheyenjoyedtaskswithgamesbutlesssotheworksheets,moregamescan
besourcedandusedinlessons.Bystudentsansweringwhattheyfeeltheyneedtoimproveon
theyaresettingthemselvesagoalaswellasinformingtheteacherforfutureteaching.The110
ratingandpicturetaskrelatingtostudentsfeelingsaboutequivalentfractionsgivesinsightinto
thestudentsconfidence,enjoyment,enthusiasmandmotivationallinone.Thehigherthe
studentsratingoftheirfeeling,themorelikelytheyaretobelearning.
[194words]

24
CourtneyWrightS00118415
JessicaNelkeS00117760
JodieFergusonS00117973
CassieAllisonS00103534

References

Clarke,F,B.,&Kamii,C.(1995)EquivalentFractions:TheirDifficultyandEducational
Implications.JournalofMathematicalbehaviours,14(4),p.365378.
DepartmentofEducationandEarlyChildhoodDevelopment.(2013).Fraction/DecimalInterview
Script.Retievedfromhttp://leo.acu.edu.au
Green,M.(2011).Howweusefractionsineverydaylife.[Powerpointpresentation]Retrieved
fromhttp://media.wix.com
Lee,Y.L.(2009).R.Hunter,B.Bicknell,&T.Burgess(Eds.),Crossingdivides(Proceedingsof
the32ndannualconferenceoftheMathematicsEducationResearchGroupof
Australasia).PalmerstonNorth,NZ:MERGA.
Lilburn,P&Rawson,P.(1988).Fractions.Melbourne:OxfordUniversityPress.
Pearn,C.A.(2007).Usingpaperfolding,fractionwalls,andnumberlinestodevelop
understandingoffractionsforstudentsfromyears58.AustralianMathematicsTeacher,
63(4),31+
Sparrow,L.(2008).RealandRelevantMathematics:Isitrealisticintheclassroom?.APMC.
13(2),p336340
VandeWalle,J.A.,Karp,K.S.,BayWilliams,J.M(2010).Elementaryandmiddleschool
mathematics:TeachingDevelopmentally.(7thed.).Boston:Pearson
Yankelewitz,D.,Mueller,M.,Maher,C.A.,(2010)Ataskthatelicitsreasoning:Adualanalysis,
TheJournalofMathematicalBehavior,29(2),p.7685

25