Fractions are Numbers too!

Well it's the end of Spring Break for my district. It's been absolutely wonderful having a few days off to regroup and plan out our next units. And now its really grinding time---only 9 weeks left for the school year!

We are ready for our next unit on Fractions, so my time this week included a few hours at Panera thinking about fractions and reading the Common Core standards while sipping my coffee in the sunshine. (love the Hazelnut flavor!)

I am really trying to embrace math workshop with an overarching inquiry question for students and I started with this question for me: 

    How can teachers help students reach a quantitative understanding of fractions?

Students more often than not seem to place fractions in a completely different category from other numbers. My goal for this unit is to help students understand that fractions are numbers too...very important numbers.

                  I have 5 methods to reaching this quantitative understanding:

1. Use the Math Workshop model for differentiated learning

2. Use a variety of manipulatives (to illustrate the number line, the part-to-whole model of fractions, and the part of a set model of fractions)

3. Have students develop a math dictionary of fraction-related terms

4. Embrace formative assessments with specific and timely feedback

5. Use cooking and games to entice students into the world of fractions

I'm trying to narrow down a student-friendly inquiry question. I could really use your help blogging world!

Here are the options:

1. Is taking 1/2 always fair?

2. How can we be fair to our friends when sharing?
3. When is taking 1/2 not fair?

Vote on your favorite or add one that you think works well for fractions!