Parts is parts

I had a really good day today, with both classes. I showed them how to use the "Part-Part-Whole" strategy to write fractions. The kids caught on really quickly, and most of them really took to it as something that they might use on a regular basis now. We'll see what kind of results I get back on tonight's homework, where I told them that they could use part-part-whole if they wanted to, but that they didn't have to.

So for this week's INTERACTIVE MONDAY, I'm asking: What is a lesson you've done recently that has worked really well? And if you can't think of one, then tell us one you've done recently that just backfired horrifically!

Gimme an EWWWWWWW!!

Today, I was sitting up in front of the class posing some fractional problems. What is one half of 16, what is one fourth of 20, etc.

After a couple of these, I happened to notice that one of the girls in my class had a big binder with a couple of pictures on the covers. On one side, there was a team photo of the Dallas Cowboys. On the other side (what I like to call the GOOD side), there was a team photo of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

So nonchalantly, I asked the class for 1/6 of 84, and then I said while YOU look at THAT, I will look at THIS. And I picked up the binder.

As you would expect, the fraction of kids actually doing the problem after that was roughly 0/18. They all preferred to say in unison, "EWWWWWWWWWWW!”

Made me wonder if somebody had smelled some old strawberry milk…

But at first, I pretended not to notice that they weren't doing their work. I pretended to stare at the picture in rapture, moving it closer to my eyes than far away. Again, for some reason, this was met with a resounding, "EWWWWWWWW!!”

I jabbed with a finger at the picture a couple of times while saying, "I know her, I know her, yeah -- talk to her on the phone last night…”

This time, when I got the now- expected “EWWWWWWW!!” I asked, "Why are you EWWWW-ing about talking to someone on the phone?”

One of my kids blurted out, "and all the kissing and stuff…” in this really strained, hoarse voice, that sounded like someone having an especially difficult time on the toilet.

By this time, I was really warming to my audience, so I put a little word problem up on the board.

There are 84 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
1/6 of them like Mister Teacher.
How many cheerleaders like me?

Inside my head, answer choices were:
A) 16
B) 14
C) 504
D) EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

And of course, all of the kids chose answer D.

I love math.