Day 48: Comparing & Ordering

6th Grade Math Standards: 6.RP.3c Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems involving finding the whole, given a part and the percent.

6.NS.6c Find and position integers and other rational numbers on a horizontal or vertical number line 
diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational numbers on a coordinate plane.
The Learning Objective: Compare percentages, decimals, and fractions. Order percentages, decimals and fractions.

Quote of the Day: None

Agenda:

1. Review the homework as a class
2. Play Memory (1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 5/8, 7/10, 7/100 were the fractions used) 
3. Notes on comparing and ordering 
4. Start the homework in class (first three homework problems were assessed)

The Assessment: The homework problems that the students started in class. I also went from group to group while they were playing Memory. Groups were asked to find the matching fraction, decimal or percentage of a laminated piece of paper that was upside down. Then they had to remember where the matches were once they were flipped over again on the side you couldn't see (it's amazing how you have to explain the game memory - so many kids have never played before).

Homework: Page 133-134 with skipping two of the problems that involved percentages greater than 100 or less than one since these had not been taught as of yet.

My Glass Half-Full Take: Memory was not fully understood by students (it's really hard to explain a game from scratch and get 20 or so students to understand - even I have difficulty learning a new game when someone explains it to me one on one). That being said, students were doing math in groups and reviewing the objective of previous classes. Kids did get the hang of it when I could explain to their small groups and we physically had the cards in front of us. The kids enjoyed it and the block flew by.

One Thing to Do Differently: I think the way I formatted notes could have been done differently. One of the key points to tell students is that they need to be consistent with finding either percentages, decimals or fractions of every number to compare properly. I did not have students write this. Certainly over time with fluency students will need to convert less on paper and can do it more in their heads, but for where they are now I could have given more details to guide them.

Link of the Day: Statistics can do amazing things. Who knew it was so likely to hit deer in West Virginia? I'd say State Farm is a reliable source.