A Focus on Fractions is a groundbreaking effort to make the mathematics education research on how students develop their understanding of fraction concepts readily accessible and understandable to pre- and in-service K– 8 mathematics educators. Using extensive annotated samples of student work, as well as vignettes characteristic of classroom teachers’ experiences, this book equips educators with the knowledge and tools to reveal students’ thinking so that they can modify their teaching and improve student learning of fraction concepts. A Focus on Fractions 2nd edition includes sections on the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the Ongoing Assessment Project (OGAP) Fraction Framework integrated into each chapter as well as a new chapter on the OGAP Fraction Progression and how it can be used for formative assessment purposes. This updated edition assists teachers in translating research findings into their classroom practice by conveying detailed information about how students develop fraction understandings. Additional images and examples serve to flesh out and supplement the newly-introduced concepts in this updated and expanded edition. Special Features: Looking Back Questions at the end of each chapter provide teachers the opportunity to analyze student thinking and consider instructional strategies for their own students. Instructional Links help teachers relate concepts from the chapter to their own instructional materials and programs. Big Ideas frame the chapters and provide a platform for meaningful exploration of the teaching of fractions. Answer Key posted online offers extensive explanations of in-chapter questions. New sections devoted to the CCSSM and OGAP Fraction Progression are woven throughout the book as well as a new stand alone chapter on the OGAP Fraction Progression. The OGAP Fraction Framework is an all-new eResource, now available as a free download from the book’s website: www.routledge.com/9781138816442.

The third edition of this book offers a unique approach to making mathematics education research on the teaching and learning of fraction concepts readily accessible and understandable to pre-service and in-service K-8 mathematics teachers. Revealing students’ thought processes with extensive annotated samples of student work and vignettes characteristic of classroom teachers’ experience, this book provides teachers a research-based lens to interpret evidence of student thinking, inform instruction and ultimately improve student learning. Based on research gathered in the Ongoing Assessment Project (OGAP), and updated throughout, this engaging and easy-to-use resource also features: Two new chapters dedicated to understanding the OGAP Fraction Framework and Progression—based on research conducted with hundreds of teachers—to gather and interpret evidence of student learning along a learning progression, referenced throughout the book so readers can apply the concepts to their instruction; A close focus on student work, including 180+ annotated pieces of student work, to help teachers improve their ability to recognize, assess, and monitor their students’ errors and misconceptions, as well as their developing conceptual understanding; A discussion of decimal fractions, also new to the third edition; In-chapter sections on how Common Core State Standards for Math (CCSSM) are supported by math education research; End-of-chapter Looking Back questions to allow teachers to analyze student thinking and consider instructional strategies for their own students; Instructional links to help teachers relate concepts from each chapter to their own instructional materials and programs; Accompanying online Support Material includes an answer key to Looking Back questions, as well as a copy of the OGAP Fraction Framework and Progression. A Focus on Fractions is part of the popular A Focus on . . . collection, designed to aid the professional development of pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers. As with the other volumes on addition and subtraction, ratios and proportions, and multiplication and division, this updated new edition bridges the gap between what math education researchers know and what teachers need to know in order to better understand evidence in student work and make effective instructional decisions.

A Focus on Fractions is the first book to make cognitive research on how students develop their understanding of fraction concepts readily accessible and understandable to pre- and in-service K– 8 mathematics educators. This important resource assists teachers in translating research findings into their classroom practice by conveying detailed information about how students develop fraction understandings as well as common student misconceptions, errors, preconceptions, and partial understandings that may interfere with students learning. Using extensive annotated samples of student work, as well as vignettes characteristic of classroom teachers’ experiences, this book equips educators with knowledge and tools to reveal students’ thinking so that they can modify their teaching to improve student learning of fractions concepts. Special Features: End of Chapter Questions provide teachers the opportunity to analyze student thinking and consider instructional strategies for their own students. Instructional Links help teachers relate concepts from the chapter to their own instructional materials and programs. Big Ideas and Research Reviews frame the chapters and provide a platform for meaningful exploration of the teaching of fractions. Answer Key posted online offers extensive explanations of in-chapter questions. A Focus on Fractions bridges the gap between what mathematics education researchers have discovered about the learning of fraction concepts and what teachers need to know to make effective instructional decisions.

Do your students suppose that 1/3 is greater than 1/2, since 3 is greater than 2? Do they believe that having “halves” means having two, and only two, congruent “pieces” of a whole? What tasks can you offer—what questions can you ask—to determine what your students know or don’t know—and move them forward in their thinking? This book focuses on the specialised pedagogical content knowledge that you need to teach fractions effectively in grades 3–5. The authors demonstrate how to use this multifaceted knowledge to address the big ideas and essential understandings that students must develop for success with fractions—not only in their current work, but also in higher-level mathematics and a myriad of real-world contexts. Explore rich, research-based strategies and tasks that show how students are reasoning about and making sense of fractions. Use the opportunities that these and similar tasks provide to build on their understanding while identifying and correcting misunderstandings that may be keeping them from taking the next steps in learning.

A Focus on Multiplication and Division is a groundbreaking effort to make mathematics education research readily accessible and understandable to pre- and in-service K–6 mathematics educators. Revealing students’ thought processes with extensive annotated samples of student work and vignettes characteristic of teachers’ experiences, this book is sure to equip educators with the knowledge and tools needed to modify their lessons and to improve student learning of multiplication and division. Special Features: Looking Back Questions at the end of each chapter allow teachers to analyze student thinking and to consider instructional strategies for their own students. Instructional Links help teachers relate concepts from each chapter to their own instructional materials and programs. Big Ideas frame the chapters and provide a platform for meaningful exploration of the teaching of multiplication and division. Answer Key posted online offers extensive explanations of in-chapter questions. Each chapter includes sections on the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and integrates the Ongoing Assessment Project (OGAP) Multiplicative Reasoning Progression for formative assessment purposes. Centered on the question of how students develop their understanding of mathematical concepts, this innovative book places math teachers in the mode of ongoing action researchers.

This resource offers a groundbreaking effort to make mathematics education research on ratios and proportions readily accessible and understandable to preservice and in-service teachers of grades 6 to 8. Using extensive annotated samples of student work and based on research gathered in the Ongoing Assessment Project (OGAP), A Focus on Ratios and Proportions teaches readers how students develop understanding and fluency involving ratio and proportion concepts. Special features include: A close focus on student work, including 150+ annotated pieces of student work, to help teachers improve their ability to recognize, assess and monitor their students’ errors and misconceptions, as well as their developing conceptual understanding. A focus on the OGAP Ratios and Proportions Progression, based on research conducted with hundreds of teachers and thousands of pieces of student work. Sections on how Common Core State Standards for Math (CCSSM) are supported by math education research. Student work samples and vignettes to illuminate the research, as well as end of chapter Looking Back questions and Instructional Links, which allow teachers to analyze evidence of student thinking and strategies and consider instructional responses. An accompanying eResource, available online, offers an answer key as well as extensive explanation of the Looking Back questions. Like A Focus on Multiplication and Division and A Focus on Fractions, this book is designed to bridge the gap between what math education researchers know and what teachers need to know in order to better understand evidence in student work and make effective instructional decisions.

Food is cut into halves, quarters, and thirds to illustrate how parts make a whole. Simple recipes included.