Using Money to Decompose Fractions

Here's a complete lesson in fractions for you math teachers.  Fraction concepts are difficult for children without concrete examples to achieve greater understanding.   This article uses money to frame a detailed lesson plan. A Common Core alignment chart is also shown.
      PLEASE check out the embedded link to  Teacher Tools for Interactive Whiteboards - Mathematical Thinking. All of these tools are FREE.  Math tools are shown for various concepts K-7th grade.  Amazing resource!

Teacher Tool of the Month Decomposing Fractions Using Time or Money.  2.15.13.  Dreambox Learning
http://www.dreambox.com/blog/decomposing-fractions-using-time-or-money

New Ways to Teach Fractions

Fractions cause such confusion for many students.  While students are young, i.e., third grade or so, they need to be able to understand the fundamentals of fractions.  So often teachers emphasize procedures at the expense of understanding relationships among numbers, which is vitally imporant in higher level math.  Children need to understand that the numerator is telling how many things there are and the denominator is describing the size of the piece.  Once that fundamental concept is grasped, then they will be doing much better.  Read how several different contributors have dealt with this fraction problems.

Federal Research Suggests New Approach to Teaching Fractions.  Sarah Sparks. 7.18.13.  Education Week - Premium Article
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/07/18/37fractions.h32.html?tkn=PSOFkBSwIEPUhbZADi8%2BeAskKDPap6%2FBUUhe&cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS1