Reflection on Power Point: Fraction Action

What I did: I created a Powerpoint presentation to introduce fractions to my 3rd grade math students.  It is not meant to go into depth, just to launch the unit.  It can be used with Everyday Math, grade 3, and is aligned with the text.  It is meant as a "Watch, then do" presentation.  There are assignments for the students, and kid websites for further practice. I successfully obtained a Slideshow account.  That was very easy.  I embedded the powerpoint into my blog.  I hope everyone enjoys it, and feel free to use it in your classroom if it helps! 

 I intend this powerpoint to be presented by a teacher. I teach in a multicategorical special ed classroom.  These students are fairly strong in math, but don't read well.  Most pages have few words, because these students rely more on pictures.  I shortened the URLs so that that would have less to copy.  I gathered vivid Google images that would be relevant to rhem (esp. food).  I created some circle graphs in Excel.  I spent a long time on this project because I do hope to use it. I made every effort to ensure that this powerpoint would be non-hypnotic to any chickens that might view it. To that end, it is a little on the short side. The students' eyes glaze over quickly if a presentation is too long.

What I Learned:  I learned how to publish the slideshow. I got better at making a Powerpoint. Unlike most students these days, I haven't used this Microsoft program many times.  I viewed the required tutorials, which helped a lot.  I enjoyed viewing Bill Cosby and Conan O'Brien. I am convinced that a Powerpoint presentation should have as few words as necessary to convey a succinct message.  I also see the value in narrowing the focus and not trying to present too much. 

NETS-T:  This assignment was aligned with:
- Standard 2a, which requires teachers to "design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity."  This project allowed for a lot of creativity, while presenting a mathematical concopt that students in our school are scoring low in (on WESTEST).
-Standard 3c, which requires teachers to " communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers, using a variety of digital-age media and formats."  Sometimes a Powerpoint presentation is best, but it should NEVER be too wordy.  Actually, it should be an aid to the presentation, rather than the presentation itself.  Images should be strong and effective.

How it can be used: Introducing fractions to third grade students.

Online Graphics

Click on the graphs (above) to see them in more detail.
What I Did:  I downloaded the Summary of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Results for West Virginia, available from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCRS).  It lists scores for 4th grade and 8th grade progress in the areas of math, science, and reading, state by state.I reviewed the statistics for WV's reading scores, then created graphs using Kids' Zone .

What I Learned:  It's not the first time I have worked with this site, but I haven't done it often.  I took some time to prepare the graphs using different formats.  My favorite was the Bar Graph, but I also created graphs using the Line Graph.  I was glad to have a few days to work on this, because I made many revisions to the graphs.  Both 2-D and 3-D effects are good..  Usually I use Excel to create graphs.  I think I prefer Excel because it is easier to revise the charts.  I had to go back and re-do these charts many times, because I am picky.  It's important for graphs to be accurate and clear. (Note:  I was practicing with different graphics.  If these were for actual submission, I would have only used one style of graphic.)

NETS-T:  This activity aligned with:
- Standard 1-b, which states that teachers are to "engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources."  Using this program to create the graphs helped me to understand the NAEP data, and made me better able to explain it to others.
- Standard 5a, which states that teachers are to "participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning."  These types of graphs would be useful in presentations to the School board or Local Standards Board (LSB).

How to use:  The 3rd and 4th grade Techsteps require students to make graphics using Excel.  After they have done this once, it would be good for me to introduce the Kids' Zone site as another option.  It is a site worth exploring for many purposes.


Click to read my Online Graphics Assignment 1.

Click to read my Online Graphics Assignment 2.