Tech Assisted Communication and Application of Division

When I left EMES, fifth grade students were working to get to the communications level on long division (blog post: Math Coaching at EMES: The Sequel).  As you would expect, students were in different places with some ready to communicate and apply and others needing more conceptual work.

Tech Assisted Communication

Students have been using videos to practice the communication piece and document their learning as they became ready.  Fearlessly, one teacher used a cell phone to record the videos and enlisted the media specialist/technology guru to upload it to Teachertube.

Here is one student's video.  Kindly, she was willing to share it with all of us.  I love it for so many reasons, but especially because of how proud of herself she looks.  If you can't see the video below, click on this link: http://bit.ly/1GrotF5.

Meanwhile, what to do with the students who have the communication piece down???

Tech Assisted Applications

Why not have them explore Dan Meyer's 101 Questions site?

If you haven't checked this site out, do yourself a favor and give it a whirl.  Students can flip through randomized media content and think about what math questions apply to the contexts provided.  You can have students flip through to find a context for a division problem or proportional relationships or multiplication of fractions or what have you.

I have used this website in my class with this "Question Creator" graphic organizer to help them refine their questions, too.

Students enjoy choosing and sharing their questions and media.  You might consider having students who have created videos communicating their understanding and who have found division applications share out and get feedback from their peers.  This could benefit those who need more practice and repetition to work out the concept in a way that is beautifully symbiotic.

Minecraft Contexts

You could pick a design or have them create their own with a fixed area.

If your students aren't finding inspiration on 101 Questions, another idea is to use a gaming context.  I have used Minecraft contexts in problems involving unit rates, but this idea could be used for any division, multiplication, ratio, or fraction problems (depending on how you word the question and how you define "one whole").  Similarly, all manner of linear, quadratic, and cubic relationships involving whole numbers could be explored, too.

I have done this using a choice board format (linked here: Unit Rate Choice Board).  Students pick contexts that interest them.  The Minecraft context was extremely (but not universally) popular. This is the way I framed it:

• Students would have to design a fence that met the requirements and show me their plan that included calculating how many units of wood they would need to chop to make the crafting table and fence (they had to decide if it was worth it to make an axe rather than simply punch the tree, too).
• They would have to build the fence starting from nothing in survival model before nightfall (or being killed by zombies).  
• Time was of the essence, so they had to be efficient - no going back for more wood!
• Students who submitted viable plans with a sketch of their design and mathematical justification were given my iPad (with our class Minecraft world on it - Minecraft pocket edition costs $6.99) to test their plan.

This is easily a division context.  Teachers who are worried that they don't know much about Minecraft (i.e. what's the difference between a plank and a stick??) can count on having several "experts" in their class who will be happy to share their extensive knowledge for the sake of learning...

Quick Quiz!

I'll send out a math tattoo to whomever can identify the Math Practices involved here?  With justification, of course. edorsey@u32.org.