Fraction Decimal Percent Google Slides Digital Assignment

 Are you are trying to figure out virtual learning and face-to-face learning at the same time? Is your school doing just virtual learning? No matter what your situations, the 2020-2021 school year will be one to remember. The first few weeks of school have been exhausting and overwhelming. 

I want to do what I can to help. I wish I could do more! 

This resource has students look at models and name the fraction, decimal, and percent modeled. 

Click here to download to the Free Activity

Expanded Notation Dice Game Elementary Math Station

 When I first started implementing math stations in my classroom, I tried to make every station elaborate and I quickly burned out. I was explaining stations to students all the time instead of making use of that time to pull small groups. So, I have searched and made stations that are easy to implement, easy for students to do while still helping them practice the skill I want them to practice. 

This Expanded Notation Dice Game is easy to implement, easy for students understand the instructions while helping them practice writing numbers in expanded notation. 

Click here to download the Expanded Notation Math Station

Multiply or Divide Decimals Word Problem Sort | Google Classroom Resource

I have learned a lot about using Google Drive to create resources for math the last few months. My district does not use Google Classroom, but we do use an LMS that allows Google Drive resources to be assigned. 

When students read word problems, they may struggle with deciding on what operations to use. Throw some decimals in there, and some get really confused. 

I made this sort in Google Slides. It has 10 word problems which similar situations. Students have to sort them into columns based on whether they will use multiplication or division to solve. 

When I introduce this topic to students, I ask them to do 2 things. 

1. Replace the numbers in the word problem with whole numbers. Does that make it easier to decide the operation to use?

2. Look for the Total. Do you have the total? Or are you looking for the total? If you have the total and you are splitting it into equal groups, it is division. If you are looking for the total and you have equal groups you need to combine together to get the total--its multiplication. 

Click here to get the sort to add to your Google Drive. 

Rounding Decimals Using a Number Line Free Lesson and Activities

When I was in school, I always felt that rounding decimals and estimating numbers was a waste of time. That’s because nobody ever explain to me how rounding and estimating could help me solve problems. There is a lot of math that needs to be precise in the real world however I find that most the math I do on a daily basis can be an estimate. I think that rounding and estimating help students become flexible with numbers. 

The lesson that I am sharing today is rounding decimals. This is a topic that students have previous practice when they learned how to round whole numbers. The Texas TEKS 5.2C reads “round decimals to tenths or hundredths.” The common core standard reads “use place value understanding to round decimals to any place.” 

Most of us have probably heard a rhyme that similar to “Five or more? Raise the score. Four or less? Let it rest.” I am not 100% opposed to teaching students a rhyme, however I think students need to understand why the rhyme works. If students aren’t able to connect the rhyme to anything they will be less likely to remember it. This lesson uses number lines to help students round. The last lesson I share, comparing decimals, also used number lines. Number lines are becoming one of my favorite math tools because they help students become more flexible with numbers. I will try to incorporate them as much as possible. 

You can download the lesson and activities here.  The lesson plan is in editable form for you to change as needed. 

Fraction Decimal Percent--Equivalent Numbers Practice Freebies

I feel like it takes students all school year and then some to remember how to convert between fractions, decimals and percents.

In Texas, we start with generating equivalent numbers in 6th grade: the time when some teachers and students think math manipulatives and models are no longer needed. I strongly disagree. I struggled with math in school (which I believe is what makes me love teaching math now) and I don't ever remember working with math manipulatives or math models. No fraction models, algebra tiles, cuisenaire rods, etc. When I started teaching and understood the models myself, I understood the concepts so much better. The first time I saw dividing fractions modeled with cuisenaire rodes in grad school, I was blown away!

All this to say, don't think 6th graders (or older) are too old for models and manipulatives. Some students may not need them and other will. But don't make that call for them.

When it comes to generating equivalent forms of fractions, decimals, and percents, students have a hard time understanding that the numbers really are equivalent. They are different ways to tell the same story. So I always start with models.

At this point students have worked with fractions and decimals and have probably heard to percents, but don't understand what they are. I start with a mini presentation to get the conversation going about what percents are. (Click the link to make a copy to your Google Drive)

And we practice. Over and over and over again. I use notebook pages like this that students can refer to as they practice.

Practice starts simple. I write fraction, decimals, and percent on index cards, pull students to work in small group, give them so dry erase markers and start converting. They work the problems on the small group table and I get to see where students are running into problems.

Fraction Decimal and Percent conversion is a skill that students revisit all year long, so I need lots of different ways to keep students practicing. Download this sheet here  for more practice. 

Other Fraction, Decimal, Percent Resources

 

Freddy Fractions

Freddy Fraction is a FREE app that uses equivalent fractions and decimals and percents. 

Students have to get the bee to the honey pot by dragging the bee to the fraction next to them that is equivalent to the decimal in the top right corner. In this case, the decimal is .88 and the equivalent fraction is 7/8. One downfall of this game is it rounds decimals to the hundreths. So while my students know that 7/8 is equivalent to 0.875, this game rounds that decimal. 

I like that the app doesn't just use the simplified fraction and uses equivalent fractions as well. 

As the game progresses, percents are added and the path to the honey pot gets longer. 

Shopping Spree-Multiplying Decimals

I used newspaper ads the to have students practice multiplying decimals.

Their instructions were to find at least 5 items from the ad to purchase. They had to purchase more than 2 of each item. Then use multiplication to find out their total cost.

For the next time I do this project, I will give students an amount of item to buy. For example, I will ask them to purchase 4 of one item, 15 of another item and so on. So they get practice multiplying with a variety of numbers.