Students explore area as an attribute of two-dimensional figures and relate it to their prior understandings of multiplication. Students conceptualize area as the amount of two-dimensional surface that is contained within a plane figure.

Students learn about and practice converting between fractions, decimals and percentages. Using a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT robot and a touch sensor, each group inputs a fraction of its choosing. Team members convert this same fraction into a decimal, and then a percentage via hand calculations, and double check their work using the NXT robot. Then they observe the robot moving forward and record that distance. Students learn that the distance moved is a fraction of the full distance, based on the fraction that they input, so if they input ½, the robot moves half of the original distance. From this, students work backwards to compute the full distance. Groups then compete in a game in which they are challenged to move the robot as close as possible to a target distance by inputting a fraction into the NXT bot.

This google slide show is to be used as a routine in grade 4 during the third quarter. Students will be given time to notice and wonder about each slide, with their thinking guided toward geometry and fractional reasoning. Students will then be asked to find the value of pieces, given the value of one specific piece in the image.

Working as a team, students discover that the value of pi (3.1415926...) is a constant and applies to all different sized circles. The team builds a basic robot and programs it to travel in a circular motion. A marker attached to the robot chassis draws a circle on the ground as the robot travels the programmed circular path. Students measure the circle's circumference and diameter and calculate pi by dividing the circumference by the diameter. They discover the pi and circumference relationship; the circumference of a circle divided by the diameter is the value of pi.

This math meets ecology lesson provides hands-on experiences with mixing oil and water, provides surface area information about the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and gives learners opportunities to estimate small oil spills of their own making. This lesson guide includes questions for learners, assessment options, extensions, and reflection questions.

Big Ideas: A fraction represents the division of a whole into equal shares. The denominator is represented by the number of segments on a number line between two whole numbers.
This lesson builds on students' work with partitioning area models of wholes into equal shares. This task requires students to recognize whether number lines were partitioned correctly, justify their reasoning, and partition number lines on their own. Students will be building the foundations of fraction sense on a number line by representing, partitioning, and labeling equal shares. The mathematical concepts in this lesson build toward students' future work with composing, decomposing, and identifying specific fractions on number lines as well as future work with comparing and equivalent fractions.
Vocabulary: number line, line segments, fraction, numerator, denominator, halves, thirds, fourths, sixths, eighths

Why do we care about air? Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in... most, if not all, humans do this automatically. Do we really know what is in the air we breathe? In this activity, students use M&M(TM) candies to create pie graphs that show their understanding of the composition of air. They discuss why knowing this information is important to engineers and how engineers use this information to improve technology to better care for our planet.

Big Ideas: A fraction describes the division of wholes into equal shares. Equal shares have the same area or amount, but do not have to be the same shape.
This lesson builds on students' work with partitioning circles and rectangles into two, three, and four equal shares. This task uses a scenario in which students share a birthday cake. Students will be presented with kids who each want to share their cake differently and asked to justify which kids are sharing equally. Students will be building their foundational knowledge of fractions by representing, labeling, and justifying equal shares. The mathematical concepts in this lesson build toward students' future work with naming fractions, comparing fractions, and equivalent fractions.
Vocabulary: fraction, equal shares, halves, thirds, fourths, sixths, eighths

Teaching students how to accurately read a unit of measurement is one of the more frasterating tasks that I have do, sometimes on a yearly basis with my students.  This a site that I share with my students via email or more common now with google classroom at the begining of the unit.  I have also found it useful to share with parents and Special Ed Teachers. 

Students will divide fraction bars into unit fractions, shade fraction, and write the sum of the fraction units. 

Students will write and say each part of equal shares as a unit fraction of the whole.

I use this activity to help students develop a deeper understanding for unit fractions. 

I use this lesson to help students deepen their understanding of equivalent fractions.