Mathematics Focus for Term Three

Last term, grade six students used statistics to investigate the concept of the world as a village of 100 persons. Social issues, cultural links and mathematical concepts formed the basis of the students response to the information received. The group created graphs (pie, column, pictorial, and line), tabled languages, investigated food and researched religions as part of their presentations. Information was shared across the three grades prompting discussion. Students were most shocked to realise that only one third of all girls in the world has access to continued education. Putting it in class terms, most of the girls would not be educated.

This term, the grade six students in mathematics will be focusing on fractions, decimals, percentages and ratios.

The key ideas covered so far include:

• What is a fraction?
• Fractions are found in many mathematical models.
• Fractions are most commonly used in real life as operators. E.g., find ¼ of a number quantity.
• Common denominators
• Lowest common denominators
• Adding and Subtracting Fractions

This week’s focus has been on equivalent fractions. Knowledge of equivalent fractions involves understanding that a fraction may have equivalent forms, being able to simplify and ‘complify’ using models and also being able to move between improper fractions and mixed numbers. Students need knowledge of multiplication facts. That is why in grade six the students always cover multiplication and division of whole numbers prior to a focus on fractions. The next step is for students to move onto multiplication and division of fractions and problem solving using the four processes.