1. The teacher's guide is divided into seven main sections: Basic Concepts; Equality; Inequality; Addition; Subtraction; Multiplication; and Division. The first step in each section is a Readiness Step, which presents fraction concepts at a concrete level. The remaining steps extend the concrete model and introduce fraction terminology and rules.
2. Each STEP addresses a specific fraction concept. These steps consist of a two-page lesson on facing pages.
3. Materials necessary to teach all the activities in the lesson are listed at the top of each lesson.
4. More than 30 games, designed to expand and reinforce the activities, are found in the teacher's guide following the seven main sections. These games also provide an excellent opportunity for students to discuss strategies and design their own versions of the games.
5. Supplemental Materials are used in the INDEPENDENT PRACTICE section of the lesson. Worksheets and tests are in the Teacher Resource Package. Computer games are available on fractionbars.com/ .
6. TEACHER MODELING/STUDENT RESPONSE This part of the lesson provides basic instruction and activities for the concepts. Each activity reinforces the Purpose stated at the top of the page. Students can work in pairs or small groups of three or four to share sets of Fraction Bars, Fraction Cards, or activity mats that are necessary for the lesson.
7. Specific materials necessary for each activity are listed at point-of-use. "Transps" indicates you may want to demonstrate the activity with transparent Fraction Bars as your students work with their plastic Fraction Bars.
8. EXPANDING THE CONCEPTS This provides additional experiences for students to develop their understanding of the concepts in the lesson. Games, activities relating fractions and decimals, problem solving, and writing about fractions are contained in this section.
9. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE Worksheets are referenced from the Teacher Resource Package. Word problem worksheets, which provide applications for all concepts taught in a section, are listed in the last step of every section.
10. EVALUATION The last step of each of the seven major sections includes a Performance Test from the Teacher Resource Package that evaluates all concepts presented in the section. There is also a Fraction Bars Achievement Test that evaluates the topics in all seven sections. This test may be used as a pretest to determine student placement in the program or as a posttest.
* PARENT INVOLVEMENT The games in the teacher's guide provide an excellent way for students to share experiences with their families. Through family participation, students can explain and reinforce their understanding of the math concepts developed in the Fraction Bars program. One possible assignment that has been used successfully is for each student to teach their parents a Fraction Bars game and then to write a journal report on the experience.
