Fraction Foundations: Helping Students Understand Fractions

The Fraction Foundations MOOC-Ed will help you teach fractions concepts and skills more effectively through understanding students' thinking and implementing research-based approaches in your classroom.  It will help you address rigorous curriculum standards for fractions, whether from the Common Core State Standards or from other up-to-date standards.

Though this MOOC-Ed focuses on teaching fractions in grades 3-5, the concepts are applicable for other K-8 teachers and will help you address the needs of students who have learning differences that impact their mastery of mathematics.

While classroom teachers are the primary audience, this MOOC-Ed is also relevant for teacher educators who provide preservice or inservice professional learning programs, along with teacher leaders, coaches and administrators who support classroom teachers.

The overall goals are that participants will:

• Develop a deeper understanding of the fractions content standards, and relevant practice standards, that apply in their own schools.
• Investigate common student misconceptions about fractions and why fractions are hard for children (and adults) to understand. 
• Analyze students’ thinking about fractions to inform instruction. 
• Address students’ learning differences when teaching fraction concepts and skills.

• Unit 1 - The Foundations for Understanding Fractions (September 22 - September 28)

• Unit 2 - Fair Sharing Activities (September 29 -October 12)

• Unit 3 - Measurement and Number Line Activities (October 13 - October 26)

• Unit 4 - Understanding Procedures for Computing with Fractions (October 27 - November 9)

• Unit 5 - Wrap-up and Next Steps (November 10 - November 16)