October 2019

MATH & TECHNOLOGY

NOTE FROM THE TEACHER
Dear Parents/Guardians,

I’m excited to inform you that we will be starting a unit

on rational numbers in math this week! The unit begins with
fractions, and then we will learn about decimals, ratios, and
proportions. Students will be discussing the importance of
fractions in everyday life in order to make meaningful
connections inside and outside the classroom!
As we continue to learn new mathematical concepts,
we will be incorporating two new technology programs into
our lessons: “The Fraction App” and “Splash Math”. These
programs are excellent resources that will be used
frequently in the classroom, but I encourage you and your
student to engage with them at home as well. These
educational programs will be very beneficial to your
student’s learning by providing tools and extra practice in
working with fractions. In the following pages of this week’s
newsletter, I provide detailed reviews of these programs.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or

concerns!

Sincerely,

Michaela Dodge
Email: dodgemd@bc.edu
 October 2019

SPLASH MATH
Splash Math is an online math website that helps students in grades K-5 learn important
mathematical concepts and skills, which directly align to the common core math standards.
This program is comprised of interactive games that assess your student’s learning. One of
my favorite aspects of this resource is that it personalizes each student’s experience by
adapting to the way each child learns, and the problems become increasingly more
complex.

It also monitors your student’s progress, and I will send along your student’s log in
credentials, so that you can keep track of your student’s achievements using this program!
To access the material most relevant to your student’s current learning, go to “Fourth Grade”,
and choose from the “Fractions” section. For example, in class we will be using an applet in
this program called “Equivalent Fractions” that provides students with visual models that
scaffolds students learning at first (as shown below), and then the student’s conceptual
understanding is tested by asking them to solve problems without visual models.

In addition to its extensive selection of games that will aid in your student’s development of
skills related to fractions, its grade four curriculum also includes the following topics: place
value, number sense, algebra, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals,
measurements, and geometry. Students can continue to use Splash Math as they encounter
new challenging and exciting mathematical concepts in fourth grade and beyond!

Some games might seem extra challenging to students because there are very few
directions, but I do appreciate that this program provides clear explanations/solutions to
problems that students need more help with. Overall, Splash Math is an effective resource
because it motivates and engages students with its fun, highly interactive model and use of
virtual rewards. In addition, it provides clear examples and models that accurately represent
fractions. Students will be encouraged to work towards their goals while developing greater
confidence in their math abilities.

Splash Math Website:

https://www.splashmath.com/
 October 2019

THE FRACTION APP

The Fractions App is an app created by the Math Learning Center that provides
students the opportunity to further explore this topic by using a bar or circle to
represent, compare, and perform operations with fractions. Students are able to
choose a fraction model and the number of equal parts within that model using the
toolbar at the bottom of the screen. Another unique aspect of this program that
makes it engaging and interactive is that students can use a color to select specific
parts in order to model a fraction of a whole. This feature allows students to gain a
deeper understanding of the relationships between fractions.

Other features include the ability to use drawing tools to annotate work, as well as
write equations and expressions. This is one way I am able to develop a greater
sense of the students understanding, and I can adapt future lessons if students need
further explanation/examples. I especially like how students are able to compare
multiple fractions at one time.

This program will be used frequently in class as a tool to help students visualize
concrete examples in order to solve fraction problems. This app will help students
learn how to identify fractions, understand equivalent fractions, compare fractions,
and model fractions in problem-solving. For example, students may be asked to
compare fractions by drawing the model on this app and determining which fraction
is greater (as shown in the middle image below).

This resource is accessible online or for download using Apple devices (an image of
the application is provided above), the web, and Chrome. Remember, this
application is also free and easy to use! Instructions are provided in the right-hand
corner by pressing the “I”. The Fraction App is a great visual manipulative for
students!