Connecticut Core Standards

Grade 4: Fractions

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http://maccss.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/file/view/4thGradeUnit.pdf/295313404/4thGradeUnit.pdf

Common Core Standards

Math Content Standards:

4.NF.1 ;  4.NF.2 ;  4.NF.3a;  4.NF.3b

Standards for Mathematical Practice:

MP.1   Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

MP.2   Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

MP.3   Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

MP.4   Model with mathematics.

MP.6.  Attend to precision.

MP.5   Use appropriate tools strategically.

MP.7   Look for and make use of structure.

MP.8   Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Description of Unit

This Grade 4 unit titled “Fractions” from the North Carolina Dept. of Public Instruction focuses on building fractions in a set and understanding, building, demonstrating, and explaining equivalent fractions even though they use different numbers. Each of the 8 lessons explicitly address the content and practice standards outlined in the lesson plan. Each lesson contains an outline and is then broken out into lesson components such as Engage, Explore, Explain, and Elaborate. Each lesson component is broken out in minutes. Lessons also contain suggestions for formative assessment and differentiation for intervention and extension.

Cautions

Connecticut teachers should be aware that the unit is a high quality resource, but is missing the following components:

  • Differentiation of Instruction: Explicit supports for English Language Learners or Special Needs Students are not included. Only limited differentiation options are found in some lessons.
  • Application: More opportunities needed for independent application in real-world situations.
  • Learning Extension: Not included for high interest/ ability students  (Example: Within performance task, follow-up instruction is provided for levels 3 and below and not for level 4 (highest level possible).
  • Integration of technology: Limited resources included.
  • Assessment: Tasks do not measure performance <, >, =.

Rationale for Selection

  • Rigor: Instruction allows for student-invented strategies while also providing teachers with a coherent set of strategies. Skill and Fluency: “Hands-on” opportunities to develop skills and fluency in place value, addition, and subtraction.
  • Assessment: Performance tasks are rigorous and measure performance on most unit content standards (see Caution section). Student work samples are provided as anchor sets for scoring. Rubric and performance level descriptors also include helpful guidance for further Instruction. A unit pre-test, one formative performance task, and one summative (end of unit) performance task are provided.