Fraction Book Studies

It has been a busy couple of weeks around here and I am really looking forward to the slower days of summer.  My collection of professional reading has been mounting and I have good intentions of doing a lot of reading this summer.  I am currently reading About Teaching Mathematics which is the newest version of a wonderful book by Marilyn Burns.  I can tell it will be my go to reference book for years to come.  Look for a review in the next few weeks right here on my blog.

This summer, I really want to dig deeper into fractions and do some overhauling of my teaching and intervention materials for fractions.  I have two books about fractions that I really want to read and dig deeper into this summer.   These books also come with DVDs which I think is a great way of seeing the writing in action.  They also make a great addition to professional development that I lead as part of my role as a math coach.  

I would love for you to join me reading one or both of these books.  They are both a very reasonable length and I will be breaking each book into a 4 week book study.   Once a week, I will post my thoughts and ideas from a few chapters in the book.  You can respond in the comments with your own thoughts and ideas or if you have a blog you can write a post about it and link it in the comments.  

A little bit about each book:

Beyond Pizzas and Pies

Check out this video introduction!

From Math Solutions... 

The focus of Beyond Pizzas & Pies, Second Edition, is on foundational understandings. The authors help teachers and students understand fractions as numbers, including the use of equivalency and thinking about benchmark numbers, so that when students start to compute with fractions (see the companion volume, Beyond Invert & Multiply), they have a solid foundation. You’ll find:

• Classroom Scenarios that address common challenges students (and teachers!) encounter as they acquire an understanding of fractions;

• What’s the Math? sections intended to clarify the mathematics;

• What’s the Research? insights that show why “that’s the way we’ve always done things” might not be the most successful approach;

• Classroom Activities with friendly, step-by-step instructions and video clips demonstrating how to teach the concepts;

• Reproducibles that are also available in a downloadable, printable format;

• Study Questions at the end of each chapter that encourage readers to set concrete goals for implementing what they’ve read; and

• Connections to the Common Core for those states implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

 (The accompanying DVD features 30 video clips filmed in actual classrooms. Clips range from 1 minute to 6 minutes in length with a total viewing time of approximately 70 minutes.)

You can get this book at Math Solutions.  If you buy it through math solutions and use the code MAY201530, you will save 30% off the list price until June 1st.  You can also get it on Amazon and it ships free with Prime.

The posting schedule for Beyond Pizzas & Pies (all Wednesdays)
June 10th Chapters 1&2
June 17th Chapters 3&4
June 24th Chapters 5&6
July 1st Chapters 7&8

Beyond Invert & Multiply

Check out this video introduction! 

From Math Solutions:

Beyond Invert & Multiply builds on the foundational understandings that are described inBeyond Pizzas & Pies: 10 Essential Strategies for Supporting Fraction Sense, Second Edition, and applies them to situations involving fraction computation. You’ll find:

• Classroom Scenarios that address common challenges students (and teachers!) encounter as they learn to operate with fractions;

• What’s the Math? sections intended to clarify the mathematics;

• What’s the Research? insights that show why “that’s the way we’ve always done things” might not be the most successful approach;

• Classroom Activities with friendly, step-by-step instructions and video clips demonstrating how to teach the concepts;

• Reproducibles that are also available in a downloadable, printable format;

• Study Questions at the end of each chapter that encourage readers to set concrete goals for implementing what they’ve read; and

• Connections to the Common Core for those states implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

You can get this book at Math Solutions.  If you buy it through math solutions and use the code MAY201530, you will save 30% off the list price until June 1st.  You can also get it on Amazon and it ships free with Prime.

This book study will start the week after the other one ends.  Here is the posting schedule.

July 8th Part 1: What is a Fraction?
July 15th Part 2: Addition and Subtraction with Fractions
July 22nd Part 3: Multiplication and Division with Fractions
July 29th Part 4: Discourse with Fractions

Who is ready to learn more about teaching fractions?  Make sure you share this with teacher friends in grades 2-6!