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Content Area:

8^th grade Math (Pre-algebra)

Content Objective:

Students will be able to find common denominators and will be able to add fractions with different denominators correctly.

Language Objective:

Students will understand the meaning of denominator, fractions, and common denominator, and will demonstrate this through pictures or a written exercise.

Pre-lesson preparation:

• Sample problems will be on board when students walk in the room with correlating pictures beside them.

• A handout is constructed containing all information for the day including objectives, vocabulary, and the problem set.
• Sandwiches are brought in for the exercise that will be done in class.

9 Sandwiches (preferably plain peanut butter for the exercise)
Butter knife
Plain white paper for drawing
Markers or crayons

Classroom organization:

Students are assembled in groups around the room. The teacher’s desk is at the "back" of the classroom (furthest from the blackboard). The LEP students are placed closer to the blackboard, but do not sit in the same group. They do not speak the same language.

Review of prior knowledge:

• Referring to the fraction on the board, ask someone to name what it is.
• Review how to convert mixed numbers to fractions.
• Ask what the fraction bar means.
• Review numerators and denominators by asking which one are which.
• Review how to add fractions with the same denominator.

• Explain how to calculate common denominators.
• Explain how to add and subtract fractions after a common denominator is calculated.

        Oral presentation
        Writing on the board (numbers)
        Drawing pictures of the fractions using pies or circles.

Guided practice:

On the handout, the students are given the sandwich problem.

Some students came to school. They had eaten part of their sandwiches on the way to school. Their names are listed below with the fraction of the sandwich or sandwiches they had left. Answer the questions using the information given.

Name Amount of sandwich they had left

Sandy ½
Tommy ¼
Roy 3/7
Julie 2/9
John 5/6
Katie 2
Adam 1
Betty 3 ¼

1.    How many sandwiches do Tommy and Roy have together when you add their
       sandwich amount?

2.    How many sandwiches do Julie and Katie have together?

3.    If Adam gives away ½ of his sandwich and then adds what he has left to Betty’s,
       how many sandwiches do they have together?

4.    If Sandy and John add their sandwiches together and then give 2/3 of it to their
       teacher, how many sandwiches do they have left?

6.    If the students combine all their sandwiches that they had left together, do they
       have enough for each of them to have one sandwich per person? (This may be
       done by subtracting one whole sandwich eight times.)

The students should work on this problem in groups to encourage cooperative learning and also help the LEP students acquire L+1. The teacher should be walking around the room observing and helping when needed. Students can use the paper and markers to draw pictures of the problems.

Student outcome:

Students should be able to add and subtract fractions with uncommon denominators on their own correctly. They should also know the vocabulary listed in the objectives.

Independent practice:

Hand out a worksheet that mirrors the guided practice for the students to do on their own at home if the teacher thinks they are able.

Assessment:

Students are assessed according to whether they participated in the guided practice. They are also assessed on how well they talk about the lesson (whether or not they use the vocabulary). The homework assignment is assessed on how well they worked through the problem and not their final answer. All students will be allowed to show their work through pictures.