PARENTS

NEWSLETTER
Unit 4

rd

3 Grade
FRACTIONS
Maria Gloria Andrade

February 22, 2016

Using Technology in the

Mathematics Classroom
Dear Parents:
As you know, we are about to begin our new unit on
FRACTIONS. For this unit we have made the decision
to include two virtual programs to support the learning
of your child.

Whats New!
SPLASH MATH
Learning Mathematics
through a student and
parent friendly app.
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FRACTION APPLETS IN
THE NLVM
Using online applets from
the National Library of
Virtual Manipulatives
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As you know we have been using concrete

manipulatives to enhance your childs learning. As
technology has become a very important aspect in our
daily lives, we have decided to introduce it to our math
class and we will be using the virtual programs in a
similar way to how we used the concrete material.
Using interactive media is a valuable tool for our
classroom, as the different programs keep the students
engaged in what they are learning. The different
programs we will be using provide scaffolding, therefore
they not only allow for practice but for new learning.
We will be working with the schools iPads and
computers as we have chose to use an online website
and an app that needs to be downloaded in the iPads
or tablets. I want to encourage you to explore these
programs with your child at home as they are useful for
self-learning.

Questions or Comments?
andradmg@bc.edu

Enjoy Technology!
Miss Gloria

FRACTIONS

SPLASH MATH
SPLASH MATH is an app designed for children from
grade K-5 to address different mathematical concepts.
The app can be downloaded to an iPad or any tablet.
SPLASH MATH addresses different concepts that
range from learning numbers, to geometry, to fractions
and algebra. Throughout this unit we will be focusing
on the 3rd grade, fractions section. This section
includes recognizing fractions and comparing fractions.
SPLASH MATH is aligned to the Common Core
Standards Curriculum, which makes it an appropriate
app for all grade levels. It has different levels within
each topic; each level helps children accomplish
different aspects related to fractions in this case. For
example, it starts with the identification of fractions
moving up to comparing fractions, adding and
subtracting. It allows children to learn step by step. In
addition, there is scaffolding and explanations within
each level. If the child gets a wrong answer, then there
are explanations of why the answer was wrong, which
allow students to learn from mistakes. There is also a
sketching pad. This helps the student to write anything
he or she needs throughout the process of solving a
specific problem. These features enhance student
conceptual understanding of rational numbers.
The app has additional features that engage students.
Every time a level is completed, the student gets a
virtual reward. After the child gets enough rewards he
or she can play a non-mathematical game and then go
back to the mathematical problem solving. SPLASH
MATH is also a parent friendly app since it provides
parents with weekly emails that show their childs
support.
SPLASH MATH is an excellent resource to practice
what is being learned in class and also a very good tool
for further learning. It is an easy to use app that I am
sure kids will love. I am really looking forward to the
inclusion of SPLASH MATH in the class!
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Unit 4- Feb. 22, 2016

FRACTIONS

Unit 4- Feb. 22, 2016

National Library of Virtual

Manipulatives
On the web page for the National Library of Virtual
Manipulatives (http://nlvm.usu.edu) there are a wide
variety of possible activities that cover mathematical
concepts such as numbers and operations, algebra,
geometry, measurement, and data analysis and
probability. It has activities for grades K-12. Throughout
this unit we will focus on the Number and Operations
section for grades 3-5. Within that section there are some Fig. 1 Students are presented
with a fraction
activities or manipulatives to work with fractions and
rational numbers. We will be using one of the possible
manipulatives, FRACTIONS-EQUIVALENT. This applet
will allow your child to practice and engage in learning
mathematics in a visual and interactive way.
FRACTIONS-EQUIVALENT, as its name indicates,
allows students to look for equivalent fractions. It
presents the student with a fraction and the pictorial
model (fig. 1). The child should later look for and write an
equivalent fraction. For this, there are arrows that allow
the student to break the whole into different pieces
keeping the colored part, that way they can find an
equivalent number by counting the colored spaces in a
new fraction (fig. 2). The applet will ask students to find a
new equivalence after they get the first right, allowing
them to push their thinking. If the student gets a wrong
answer, the applet will indicate him or her to change the
number of pieces. Fractions are represented in squares
and rectangles.

Fig. 2 different number of

pieces but same colored area
allow students to find the
equivalence

Using concrete material to approach mathematical

concepts such as fractions is very useful as it allows
students to visualize. There are different applets in the
NLVM that may help in our unit and that we might be
using. This applet is aligned to our grade-level concepts
and will definitely be an important resource in our
classroom.
I encourage you to explore these applets with your child,
as they will help him or her not only in school but to do
their work at home.
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