Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Apologizing for late blogging

Hi everyone,

Seems that I was not updating the blog regularly. Sorry about that.
For the moment, most of my class has started Fraction. Very interesting indeed. Although they are now in Year 4 and 5, I found that their concept in Fraction was not strong enough. For Year 4 they'll learning on Equivalent Fraction, Adding and Subtracting Proper Fraction. Pupils were needed to do many activities in groups including making their own Fraction Strips. Once they did the fraction strips, it can be used to teach comparing the value, adding and subtracting fraction as well. The remedial pupils need to be reminded on what they have learnt in Year 3. It seems majority of the slow learners were not able to recall what they have learnt in Year 3 (though it was only basic). Therefore, they had to do many activities on recalling the say, name and write fractions as well as drawing in identifying a particular fractions.
For my pupils in Year 5, they are now introduced with improper fraction and mixed number fraction. It took a while though to get them recall what they have learnt in Year 4 which is the proper fraction. Converting improper to mixed number fraction and vice versa was not as hassle as subtracting mixed number fraction. I found that they really need to master in converting the improper fraction to mixed number fraction first before learning to add and subtract. However between adding and subtracting, subtracting was the most difficult. I provides them to learn on many ways on how to solve problems that involve subtracting mixed number fractions and hope for the best that these will gives them the freedom of selecting the best suitable method (correct method of course). Multiplication of proper fraction with a whole number was a lot easier for them once they have master the addition and subtraction of fraction.
Once Fraction complete, Decimal will be their new topic which will be soon enough...

Happy decimaling...