Middle School Math: Fluency with Rational Numbers

The ability to understand and perform operations with rational numbers is critically important to not only function in everyday life, but to ensure later facility with algebraic equations. But it can be challenging to go beyond basic math facts and memory exercises when teaching rational number operations. 

This webinar will give an overview of a middle school unit on Modeling Rational Number Operations, one of four units incorporating Modeling Instruction pedagogy in middle school mathematics soon to be available to AMTA members. This unit focuses on research-based strategies shown to foster student expertise when performing operations with rational numbers. It features classroom activities which use anchoring models and games to support fluency with number operations. These anchors are not only useful to elementary and middle school teachers, but to higher level STEM teachers looking for ways to provide scaffolding and strategies for students being hindered by their struggles with number sense.