Hands-on instruction for teaching fractions with manipulatives

¶ … fractions (Math)

Concept/topic: Students will learn fractions in a hands-on manner to prepare them for dealing with this mathematical concept on paper.

Lesson goals/objectives: Students will be able to identify fractions.

Standards (CCSS and other relevant standards for AZ and curriculum): "Application: Provides opportunities for students to independently apply mathematical concepts in real-world situations and solve challenging problems with persistence, choosing and applying an appropriate model or strategy to new situations" ("EQuiP: Mathematics," 2013).

Required materials: Cookies (which can be easily divided) or pictures of cookies; M&Ms (or other brightly colored candies); beads, marbles.

Introduction/anticipatory set: Teacher will ask students about how they divide objects into halves, quarters, and other fractions in life (such as when cutting a cake or sharing a pizza).

Step-by-step procedures:

Teacher will write fractions on board

Teacher will demonstrate use of different fractions with pictures showing divided cookies, pizza, toys, and other common items.

3. Students will be given objects to manipulate at desk when asked 'can you break a cookie into a 1/2" or 'can you count out 1/4 of the red M&Ms?"

4. Teacher will demonstrate adding and subtraction fractions with objects.

5. Students will mimic teacher's actions.

Assistive technology integration: Students with visual impairments can manually manipulate and count objects; lesson provides manual and visual reinforcement for students with processing disorders.

Assessment: Students will be given a reinforcing worksheet which asks questions about whether objects have been divided into fractions correctly.

Adaptations and extensions: When students learn adding and subtraction fractions, teacher will return to the lessons of this unit for concrete reinforcement.

Specific instructional strategies for students with EBD: If students with EBD become frustrated, teacher can help them manipulate objects at desk.

Lesson title: A web of words: Journaling Charlotte's Web (Writing)

Concept/topic: Writing a journal about Charlotte's Web

Lesson goals/objectives: Students will learn to write in a creative and independent manner

Standards (CCSS and other relevant standards for AZ and curriculum): "Include prominent and varied writing opportunities for students that balance communicating thinking and answering questions with self-expression and exploration" ("EQuiP: Literacy," 2013).

Required materials: Copy of Charlotte's Web, posters that illustrate scenes from the book around the classroom, paper and pencil.

Introduction/anticipatory set: Lesson will come after teacher has read novel or selections of novel Charlotte's Web to the class.

Step-by-step procedures:

1. Teacher will review novel's plot with class, ask them about favorite sections.

2. Teacher will discuss journaling and creative responses to text.

3. Students will be given option of either writing personal response, rewriting a scene from the text, or adding a scene.

Assistive technology integration: For students with literacy challenges, the option of going over the journal assignment with the teacher or aide in a resource room corner to talk before writing may be offered.

Assessment: Entries will be graded on creativity and mechanics (two scores will be given)

Adaptations and extensions: Students can illustrate their journals with pictures and correct grammatical mistakes in journal entries to make a 'finished' copy with both text and illustration.

Specific instructional strategies for students with EBD: It may be necessary to discuss emotional reactions to the end of the story before shifting to the independent focus of the assignment.

Lesson title (literacy/reading comprehension): Fun with nonsense poems: Literary devices and Shel Silverstein's poetry

Concept/topic: Students will analyze the literacy devices in Shel Silverstein's poem "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout: Would not take the garbage out!"

Lesson goals/objectives: Identifying literary devices / phonics

Standards (CCSS and other relevant standards for AZ and curriculum): Reading Text Closely: "Makes reading text(s) closely (including read alouds) a central focus of instruction and includes regular opportunities for students to ask and answer text-dependent questions" ("EQuiP: Literacy," 2013).

Required materials: Copy of poem for students in class, whiteboard

Introduction/anticipatory set: Teacher will write definitions of various age-appropriate) literary devices (rhyme, imagery, simile, metaphor, hyperbole) and assess student comprehension of words.

Step-by-step procedures

1. Teacher reads poem aloud.

2. Asks students to identify rhyming words.

3. Asks students to identify words beginning with same letters, similar-sounding words, metaphors, similes. Also identify complex vocabulary.

4. Asks students to identify striking images in poem.

5. Worksheet reinforcement: Students will work together in pairs using another Shel Silverstein poem and identify similar aspects of language.

6. Ask students to create own poems about taking the garbage out using visual imagery and literary devices identified in the lesson.

Assistive technology integration: Students can complete assignment after having poem read aloud to them.

Assessment: Worksheet score/creative use of text

Adaptations and extensions: Students can be asked to visually illustrate text.

Specific instructional strategies for students with EBD: Students can work in partners to help them focus on task and avoid distractions.

Lesson title: Why hand-washing is important (Social Skills)

Concept/topic: Teaching students the right way to wash their hands

Concept/topic: Students will improve their listening skills

Lesson goals/objectives: Students will become more aware of the need to listen to others and the fact they do not always listen as well as they should.

Standards (CCSS and other relevant standards for AZ and curriculum): "Regularly include specific fluency-building techniques supported by research (e.g., monitored partner reading, choral reading, repeated readings with text, following along in the text when teacher or other fluent reader is reading aloud, short timed practice that is slightly challenging to the reader)" ("EQuiP: Literacy," 2013).

Required materials: Video, paper, pencil

Introduction/anticipatory set: Teacher will ask students if they think they are good listeners (show of hands); then will ask how many times they have been told they did not listen well (show of hands).

Step-by-step procedures

1. Teacher will play video.

2. Students will fill in worksheet with blanks immediately after video airs, seeing if they can recall what was said.

3. Teacher will ask if students experienced difficulty and if they are as good a listener as they think they are in class.

4. Play the game 'telephone' to show how messages can become garbled if people do not listen.

5. Students will interview one another, take notes, and then present their partner to the class. The partner will comment on how well the student listened/what the student missed.

Assistive technology integration: Video may need to be close-captioned for hearing impaired students (or students with sensory processing disorders).

Assessment: Students will be evaluated on class contribution and quality of interview presentation.

Adaptations and extensions: Students will be asked to evaluate their listening skills in all of their subjects and identify areas they need to work on.

Specific instructional strategies for students with EBD: Students with EBD should be paired with more mature students in interview portion of assignment, to minimize distractions and increase focus.