Putting Essential Understanding of Fractions into Practice in Grades 3-5

Do your students suppose that 1/3 is greater than 1/2, since 3 is greater than 2? Do they believe that having halves means having two, and only two, congruent pieces of a whole? What tasks can you offerwhat questions can you askto determine what your students know or dont knowand move them forward in their thinking? This book focuses on the specialised pedagogical content knowledge that you need to teach fractions effectively in grades 35. The authors demonstrate how to use this multifaceted knowledge to address the big ideas and essential understandings that students must develop for success with fractionsnot only in their current work, but also in higher-level mathematics and a myriad of real-world contexts. Explore rich, research-based strategies and tasks that show how students are reasoning about and making sense of fractions. Use the opportunities that these and similar tasks provide to build on their understanding while identifying and correcting misunderstandings that may be keeping them from taking the next steps in learning.