M&M Fractions

I finished my math unit on fractions today.  My Mom tested me on my knowledge with M&Ms.  Using M&Ms, I had to show her:
Proper fractions
Numerators
Denominators
Like Fractions
Equivalent Fractions
Simplest Form

It was fun.  I passed my test.  And then I got to eat M&Ms.  But I had share.

I'm pretty much a fraction genius now.

Signing Off,
Evalynn and Mom

Christmas Traditions Results

Thank you to everyone who answered my Christmas Traditions Poll.

I had eleven total answers, so my whole is made up of 11 parts.  Here is how it breaks down:

1/11 for driving to see Christmas lights

5/11's for decorating the Christmas tree

4/11's for Christmas food

1/11 for receiving presents

As you can see, the largest part voted for decorating the Christmas tree, followed by the second largest part for Christmas food.

Now I see how I can use fractions communicate ideas in real life.  Fractions used to seem so weird to me, but I now I can see how they are all around us.

Signing Off with a Ho, Ho, Ho,
Evalynn and Mom

Fractions = Trouble, Chocolate, and Art

We had a delicious and artistic week.  My favorite part was the delicious part.  More on that later.

At the beginning of the week, if you would have asked me what a fraction is, I would have looked at you with a blank stare.

Now, after reading about 10 books, watching a few You Tube videos, and eating a giant Hershey chocolate bar, I can tell you that a fraction is a part of a whole.

I can even tell you what other these things are:  numerator, denominator, proper fraction, improper fraction, equivalent fractions, like fractions, mixed numbers, least common denominator, and simplest form.  How smart am I!?!

Here are two highlights from my week about fractions:

Ed Emberley's Picture Pie

In this book, I learned how to draw pictures using a whole, half, quarter, and eighth of a circle.  After drawing each picture, I had to add up the fractions I used to find the total parts of a circle in the picture. To do this, I converted each fraction to like fractions so that the denominator was the same for all of the parts I used, then I added the numerators together, then I divided for simplest form.  Take a look:

Hershey Bar Fractions

I really did not want to learn about fractions, but Mom, because she's so smart, knew the way for fractions to win a spot in my heart was through Hershey's chocolate!  After I finished reading my ten books on fractions, I got to put the principles to work by dividing a Hershey bar into parts and solving different problems.  For example, I had to solve:

If my Mom ate 2/16's, Berrett ate 3/16s, and I ate 1/4, how much of the Hershey bar did we eat?

I had to change to like fractions using the biggest denominator.  Then I added the numerators together.  

2/16 + 3/16 + 4/16 = 9/16.  

This answer is the simplest form.  

I spent about an hour doing fractions before I was allowed to eat any chocolate!  It was torture.

So, at the end of the week, I can say that I still don't like fractions, but at least I know how they work.

Signing Off,
Evalynn and Mom