FieldExperienceReport

forEE333
Date/Time: 2/11/15
Name: Catalina Dvila
1. Topic(s) that students learned (Brief description of the math class) and related Standards (CCSS-M)
TodaythethirdgradersinMs.Vazquezclassweregoingtolearnaboutequivalentfractions.Thestudentshavehadhomeworkon
fractionsinperviousdays.Todaythestudentsweregivenasimplewordproblem:Robertatehalfoftheapplesauce.Hegavethe
restofthesaucetohismomandsisterandtoldthemyoueachgethalf.Howmuchapplesaucedoeshismomandsisterget?

CommonCoreStateStandards:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.3
Explainequivalenceoffractionsinspecialcases,andcomparefractionsbyreasoningabouttheirsize.
-

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.3.A
Understandtwofractionsasequivalent(equal)iftheyarethesamesize,orthesamepointonanumberline.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.3.B
Recognizeandgeneratesimpleequivalentfractions,e.g.,1/2=2/4,4/6=2/3.Explainwhythefractionsareequivalent,
e.g.,byusingavisualfractionmodel.

2. Description of the students (Strengths and weakness of the students in the class regarding the topic they studied during the class)
Theclasswassetupwithsevencirculartables. The third grade class had 33 students. ThemajorityofstudentswereHispanic.
Strengths
Students were able to dissect the word problem.
Students understood that the factions diagram would have three parts.
Students were able to explain their fraction drawing with their peers.

Weaknesses
Students did not understand the problem clearly.
Students did not understand how to divide the fraction diagram according to the problem.
Students were not able to explain or summarize what they had learned.
Students did not always share with peers.

3. Flow of the lesson (Minutes of the class)

Time

Teachersinstruction(questions,comments,etc.)

9:20

9:25

Ms.Vazquezreadstheproblemandthenwrites
theproblemontheboard.
Ms.Vazquezdrawsaweirdstripdiagram.

9:26

9:40

9:41

9:53

9:54

10:04

Students learning activities (answers to the teacher, group

work,individualwork,etc.)
Studentaskswhatapplesauceis.

Ms.Vazquezsaysthattherearethreepeoplein Studentsareworkingontheproblemindividually.
theproblem.Weallwalkaroundhelpingstudents StudentslistentoMs.Vazquezandthendividestripdiagram
whoneedhelp.
intothreeequalparts.
Ms.Vazquezasksstudentstocometorug.
Ask:
Whatisadenominator?
Whatisanumerator?
Explains:Thisisafancywordequivalent
fractions
Turnandtalktopartneraboutwhatyouhave
learnedtoday.

Alejandra:dividesthewholeshapetofindouthowmuchof
theapplesauce.
ClasshelpsAlejandraassheexplainshowshesolvedthe
problem.
Oh,Igetit,equalfractions.
Studentsshareoutaboutwhattheylearned.

Writeasummaryforwhatyoulearnedandcopy Studentshaveaheardtimesummarizingwhattheylearned.
downwhatisontheboard.

Writeareflection,youhavefourminutes.

Studentscomplainaboutwritingareflection.

10:05
10:10

4. Summary of the class observation

Thestudentsseemedconfused,astheydidnotunderstandthateveryonedidnothaveequalparts.AsIwalkedaround
tohelpIdidseemanystudentswhohadtheirstripdiagramorcircledividedintothreeequalparts.Iwashelpingthemyetat
thesametimeIdidnotwanttogivethemtheanswer.Isimplywantedtoguidethemtounderstand.Themajorityoftheclass
hadthewronganswer.Ms.VazquezsawthisandpickedAlejandratoshowherdiagramthatwascorrect.Shewaspleased
withAlejandrabutsheturnedandtoldmeshedidnotrememberhowshelearnedequivalentfractionsandhadnoideahowto
teachthem.Therewasnotenoughexplanationbeforesheintroducedthefancyword,equivalentfractions.Thensheasked
themtosummarizeandthenreflectwhichseemsasifitwastokilltime.