3.NS.3

Understand a fraction, 1/b, as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction, a/b, as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b. [In grade 3, limit denominators of fractions to 2, 3, 4, 6, 8.]

I Can Statements Academic Vocabulary

*I can explain a fraction as a piece of something that has been cut into equal parts.

*I can explain the denominator of a fraction as the total number of parts in which something has been separated.

*I can explain the numerator as one or more parts of the whole.

Numerator
Denominator
Fraction

Looking Back Looking Ahead

*Partition a rectangle into rows and columns of same-size. (MA.2.G.4)

*Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal parts. (MA.2.G.5)

*Express whole numbers as fractions and recognize fractions that are equivalent to whole numbers. (MA.4.NS.3)

Clarifying Examples and Digital Resources
Click here for clarifying examples and digital resources aligned to Indiana standards. These are intended to expand each standard to support instruction in the classroom as evidenced by the Eight Mathematics Teaching Practices put forth by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).

Universal Strategies for Struggling Mathematicians

The following recommendations are strategies designed to support the standards and curriculum you are currently using. These best practices will assist educators in adapting instruction to ensure that you are creating engaging and rigorous opportunities for all students.

3-5 Number Sense Strategies & Examples

Use of manipulatives

  • Number cards

Model/Drawing a picture

  • 10 Frames

Choral counting

  • Counting together
  • Echo counting
  • Gradual fading

English Learner Considerations

The English Learner considerations, which were written by Indiana EL teachers, are meant to increase engagement and support growth for English Learners. They are designed to support the standards and curriculum you are currently using. The following are recommendations of best practices to assist educators in making language more accessible for English Learners. Educators should adapt strategies based upon a student’s proficiency level and ensure that content is age-appropriate.

Beginning
  • Allow use of a bilingual dictionary and native language to facilitate understanding
  • Pre-teach important words and concepts
  • Explicitly teach content vocabulary using visuals
  • Use and reference a Math Word Wall with visuals and symbols
  • Build background and reference prior learning; use cognates when appropriate
  • Use real-world/ relevant examples to facilitate Math learning
  • Use of manipulatives with visuals for instruction and procedures
  • Use different grouping strategies to maximize learning, collaboration, and oral language practice
  • Implement Modeling techniques such as: I do, We do, You do
  • Provide sentence frames and a word bank
  • Use gestures and signaling to make content comprehensible
  • Simplify dense language
Intermediate
  • Allow use of a bilingual dictionary and native language to facilitate understanding
  • Pre-teach important words and concepts
  • Explicitly teach content vocabulary using visuals
  • Use and reference a Math Word Wall
  • Build background and reference prior learning; use cognates when appropriate
  • Use real-world/ relevant examples to make connections
  • Use of manipulatives with visuals for instruction and procedures
  • Use different grouping strategies to maximize learning, collaboration, and oral language practice
  • Implement Modeling techniques such as: I do, We do, You do
  • Provide sentence frames and a word bank
Advanced
  • Use different grouping strategies to maximize learning, collaboration, and oral language practice
  • Implement Modeling techniques such as: I do, We do, You do
  • Explicitly teach content vocabulary using visuals
  • Build background and reference prior learning; use cognates when appropriate

Special Education Considerations

The Special Education considerations, which were written by Indiana special education teachers, are meant to increase engagement and support growth for students in special education. This is not an exhaustive list of strategies, but these supports will help you make math instruction more accessible for students. Educators should adapt strategies to the needs of your students and ensure that you are creating opportunities for all students to engage with rigorous content.

Universal Strategies for Struggling Learners

Use of manipulatives

  • Cubes
  • Anything tangible which can be manipulated
  • Number cards
  • Hundreds or 120 chart 
  • Building own book up through 1000
  • Straws-bundling
  • Fraction bars/circles

Model/Drawing a picture

  • 1 to 1 correspondence of number to object (object representation)
  • 10 frames
  • Place value blocks
  • Identify a set/groups
  • Teacher modeling-think alouds-repeated

Scaffolded resources

  • Premade notes with fill-in-the-blanks
  • Premade charts with fill-in-the-blanks
  • Premade number line with fill-in-the-blanks
  • Formula reference sheet

Daily reinforcement

  • Calendar time (as appropriate)
  • Community circle/morning meeting

Flash cards

  • Folding facts known with unknown facts

Engaging touchpoints

  • TouchStrip 
  • TouchPoints

Visual cues

  • Posters with vocabulary
  • Picture dictionary

Multiple Methods of Delivery

  • Number Lines
  • Modeling
  • Showing Thinking