Monet Nielsen

Grade: 4th Grade

Approximate Length of Time: Thirty minutes
Curriculum Areas: Mathematics
Utah State Core:
Strand: NUMBER AND OPERATIONS - FRACTIONS (4.NF)
Extend understanding of equivalence and ordering of fractions (Standards 4.NF.1–2). Build
fractions from unit fractions by applying and extending previous understandings of operations on
whole numbers (Standards 4.NF.3–4). Understand decimal notation to the hundredths and
compare decimal fractions with denominators of 10 and 100 (Standards 4.NF.5– 7).
Denominators for fourth grade are limited to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 100.
Review Content:
Standard 4.NF.2
Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, for example, by
creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as
1/2. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole.
Record the results of comparisons with symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, for
example, by using a visual fraction model.
New Content:
Standard 4.NF.3
Understand a fraction a/b with a >1 as a sum of fractions 1/b. In other words, any fraction is a
sum of unit fractions.
a. Understand addition and subtraction of fractions as joining and separating parts referring to
the same whole.
c. Add and subtract mixed numbers with like denominators, for example, by replacing each
mixed number with an equivalent fraction, and/or by using properties of operations and the
relationship between addition and subtraction. For example, 3 1/4 + 2 1/4 = 13/4 + 9/4 = 22/4; 3
1/4 + 2 1/4 = (3+ 2) + (1/4 + 1/4) = 5 + 2/4 = 5 2/4, which is equivalent to 22/4.
Personal Objective:
Students will show their understanding of subtraction and addition of fractions by completing a
release problem and their homework assignment.
Essential Question:
How can number lines help us to add and subtract fractions?
How can we change improper fractions to mixed numbers?
Enduring Understandings:
“Any fraction is a sum of unit fractions.” (4.NF.3)
Visual models such as number lines can help us add and subtract numbers.
Objective:
Use visual models to add and subtract two fractions with the same units.
Materials:
 Student white boards, markers, erasers
 Smartboard
 Smartnote adapted Eureka presentation for Unit 5 Lesson 16
 Unit 5 Lesson 16 homework (pages. 87 and 88)
Accommodations for High Achieving Students:
 Checking off final white board problem and allowing for additional practice through
helping other students (teaching other students and explaining their answers)
 Monet Nielsen

 I will use appropriate vocabulary.

 Appropriately giving students new numbers to compare.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
 I will use sticks to allow for more participation. I try to not ask the question until I know
the name so that I can ask differentiate my questions based on the student. Pulling sticks
can also allow for me to scaffold students who need more support and explain again if
students are struggling with a concept.
 I will walk around and scaffold.
 I will check in with the students I know typically need help.
Accommodations for Diverse Learners:
 All students but one will receive instruction in both their first language and a support
language (Spanish and English).
 I will be focusing on SIOP wait time.
Promoting Engagement in All Students:
 I will be pulling sticks.
 There is always a possibility I will pass out candy for answers like my mentor teacher
often does.
 Students enjoy coming up to the smart board and I will give opportunities for this.
 Students will have something to talk to their partner about because they have already
written on their boards.
 I will use a release problem where students can help others after they are done with their
own problem and have gotten checked by me. I will only do this type of problem if I feel
enough students understand the concept.
Developmentally Appropriate Practices:
a. Development proceeds at varying rates from person to person as well as unevenly within
different areas of each person’s being/learning.
a. I will differentiate the questions I ask soon and work with small groups.
b. People demonstrate different models of knowing and learning and different ways of
representing what they know.
a. Students learn multiple ways to do each problem in order to help different types
of learners develop the method that is best for them.
c. People develop and learn best in the context of a community where they are safe and
valued, their physical needs are met, and they feel psychologically secure.
a. My mentor teacher has done a wonderful job of creating a positive learning
climate in her classroom. I have done my best to continue this work by focusing
on our class as a team. I have been reading Wonder aloud as well. We talk about
the precepts in the book.
Assessment:
Informal assessments are highlighted in blue.
I will do a fist to five about the objective at the end of the lesson before releasing to phase III.
I will also be able to collect their homework and see who was able to do the work independently.
They will have some time in class to work on their homework in case they have questions. If
they need more help based on what I see during my lesson, I will pull a group of students to the
back table for small group work. If I see problems in their homework I may pull them during
homework the next day depending on how they do during tier one instruction.
 Monet Nielsen

Phase 1: Exploration and Explanation

Assessment of Prior Knowledge and Review of Comparing Fractions
a. Students will complete a Tic, Tac, Toe as seat work when they come in the classroom.
a. I will walk around while they are working. I will be focused on getting students
started.
b. We will read our Tic, Tac, Toe out loud as a class.
a. I will walk around reading their papers and hearing them repeat it out loud.
c. We will go through our Drop in the bucket to review fourth grade basic skills.
a. I will be able to listen to the choral responses, individual responses. I will later be
able to look at their papers and see how far they got.
d. Depending on the time, I will call on individual students to repeat their Tic, Tac, Toe
backwards starting with 9s.
a. I will pay attention to what students raise their hands and what students get the
answers correct.
e. Transition of supplies
a. I will ask students to turn in their sheet, grab a white board, and start writing
everything they know about fractions on their board. I will ask a student to repeat
the directions. I will let students know that if they get back to their seats before
the one-minute timer goes off they will get a point for their class. I will also
remind them not to run.
f. Give time for students to write about fractions.
g. Read objective
a. Objective: Use visual models to add and subtract two fraction with the same units.
b. I will pull a stick and ask a student to read my objective.
h. We will review the vocabulary terms that they wrote definitions for on their white boards
with partners (write, pair, share). I will then ask students to share what either their partner
said or they said.
a. I will walk around to get a feel for how much students understand and listen to
whole group responses.
i. We will brainstorm as a class three ways to compare fractions. Then I will model three
different ways to compare fractions (tape diagram over number line, multiplying, explain
with benchmarks). Then I will write out which fraction is greater with symbols. I might
use ½ and 2/5.
a. I will ask a question to facilitate talk
i. I would rather have two pieces…
j. I will have two students come up to the board and model comparing fractions. One
student will use the tape diagram over the number line and the other student will
multiply. I will ask students to write their answers using appropriate symbols. I might use
1/3 and 7/8.
a. I will watch the two students who come up to the board and scaffold if needed.
b. I will ask questions to the class to facilitate talk.
i. How many eighths would I need to make a fraction equal to ½? Less than
½?
Application Problem
k. Depending on time we will do a word problem reviewing comparing fractions. We will
use a t-chart to complete the problem.
 Monet Nielsen

a. 5/6 and 2/3

b. I will listen to student responses and walk around to check their white board
responses.
Assessment of Prior Knowledge
a. 5-4 on a number line.
a. I will listen to student responses.
Transition to Phase II:
Students will stay at their desks with their white boards for Phase II.

Phase II: Guided Practice

Concept Development
Subtraction
a. We will solve for the difference 5/6-4/6=1/6 on a number line.
a. Repeat if needed with 7/8-3/8.
b. We will subtract then use number bonds to change from an improper fraction to a mixed
number. 10/6-2/6=8/6 -> 1 2/6
a. Repeat if needed with 9/5-3/5.
Addition
a. We will solve for the sum of 1/6+4/6 = 5/6 on a number line.
a. Repeat if needed with 2/8+3/8
b. We will add then use number bonds to change from an improper fraction to a mixed
number. 5/4+2/4=7/4 -> 1 ¾
a. Repeat if needed with 6/6+4/6
Transition to Phase III:
Problem Set
I will quickly go over the problem set which has similar problems as their homework with
different numbers.
a. Problems 1 and 2
a. Solve 3 fifths – 1 fifths
b. 5/6 – 3/6
b. Problem 3 – Number Bonds to mixed numbers
a. 12/6 – 5/6 = 7/6 ->
c. Repeat the same types of problems with addition
d. I will be walking around and checking white boards for understanding. I will be asking
questions of the class as well.
Release Question
e. Success Criteria unless we do not get to number bonds.
Fist of Five of our Objective
f. I will take note of student responses.

Phase III: Independent Practice

I will release students to get the pages from their math book. I set a timer depending on how
much time we have left If there are multiple pages, I will come around with a stapler.
I will grab students I felt need more scaffolded practice after instruction to work in a small group
with me during homework. I will not keep them for all of homework time.
a. I will work with a small group of students. I will then walk around and scaffold.
 Monet Nielsen

Homework Rubric:
Score 0 1 2 3

Completion Did not turn in the Turned in the Turned in the Turned in the
homework. homework with homework with homework with
some of the work most of the work all of the work
completed. completed. completed.

Correct No correct Some of the work Most of the work All of the work is
answers. is completed is completed completed
correctly. correctly. correctly.

Shows their work Does not use any Sometimes uses Usually uses the Uses the visual
of the visual the visual models visual models and models and
models or explain and sometimes usually explains explains their
their work. explains their their answers answers when
answers when when asked. asked.
asked.