My students are cyber school students who communicate and collaborate with me and their peers using technology. Though we have amazing resources at our fingertips in all of our classes, it is important that they are able to watch problems being completed using pencil and paper. Many of the students are in our type of school because of learning difficulties and special needs. Visual representations and step by step directives are research based interventions that aide these students' learning.
Allowing the students to have a visual for each of the steps and processes will help focus their attention to the smaller details.
Often times they are only able to see the beginning and end product when solving math problems.
My Project
My 5th grade cyber students need resources that will help them understand fractions more clearly. In 5th grade, students are comparing fractions with unlike denominators, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions, and simplifying improper fractions and mixed numbers. Using trade books brings meaning to difficult concepts such as fractions for students in a fun and engaging way! Oftentimes in the older grades, we don't read "story books" to our kids, when they, in fact, love that activity still! Using the fraction books as a read along will help the students visualize and understand fractions.
Though we have many resources available, being able to show them the concepts with hands on manipulatives and the HUE HD (Blue) USB camera for Windows and Mac (document camera) will be increasingly beneficial.
It will act as a projector for lessons involving manipulatives. I will also be able to create meaningful tutorial videos to share with the students using it. In addition, the XP-Pen G430S OSU Tablet Ultrathin Graphic Tablet 4 x 3 inch Digital Tablet Drawing Pen Tablet for osu! will allow me as the teacher to easily and quickly provide the students with practice problems and examples. Currently, I use a standard computer mouse to do this and it is not nearly as effective as the digital tablet and pen would be.
Using these tools to model math problems for my students will bring meaning to the difficult and often abstract concept of fractions.
If you donated to this project, you can sign in to leave a comment for Mrs. Laskey.
DonorsChoose is the #1 classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Laskey and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.