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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]PP again -- more importantly, I think it is enough for a 3rd grader to just demonstrate she knows that 1/3 = 2/6    If the goal is to be able to understand equivalent fractions, I don't think there's a lot of value added by requiring kids to explain, using words, WHY 1/3 - 2/6, as long as they are able to say that 1/3 = 2/6.   And 4/8 = 1/2 etc.[/quote]

I'm pretty sure this is the first post on this thread that actually makes a complaint about something that is part of the Common Core.  I'd love to hear more about your thoughts on this.  Can you tell me why you wouldn't want your third grader to be expected to be able to explain this concept in words [b]or visuals[/b]?  What do you see as the downsides of teaching this skill, or the advantages of skipping this skill?[/quote]

I missed this part of your question earlier.  I think "in visuals" is fine, and appropriate for 3rd grade.   I think REQUIRING words is too much for 3rd grade and for the particular task of explaining why two fractions are equal.  I say this because it takes a lot of words to fully explain the reasoning, it is hard for (many) kids to write long sentences in third grade, and because the use of words to explain adds nothing to comprehension above what can be expressed just using a diagram, or "visual fraction model".

In addition, requiring kids to use words to describe why fractions are equivalent just risks getting them more confused.

Finally I can't really explain well why 2 fractions are equivalent, in writing.  I can show it with models easily, but can't explain it simply, in words, in a way that will make sense to most people.  And I'm not dumb or bad at math.[/quote]

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