Understanding Fractions, Percent, and Decimals - Crew Review

 

Disclaimer: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

The Critical Thinking Company provides award-winning products that help students of all abilities achieve better academic results with highly effective lessons that sharpen the mind as they teach standards-based reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.  The Critical Thinking Company is committed to developing students’ critical thinking skills for better grades, higher test scores, and success in life. They do not teach through drill and memorization or teach to the test, they empower the mind.

Understanding Fractions, Percent, and Decimals for Grades 4-6 builds on the lessons learned in Understanding Fractions for Grades 2-4. Students learn multiplication and division of fractions and how to convert fractions to percent and decimals. The book includes cut-out fraction bars and grids to provide hands-on understanding. Students problem-solve their way through fun, structured lessons to develop a thorough mastery of computational skills. They learn how fractions and percent are related, including the meaning and use of percent as well as computing them. The book includes lessons and exercises to develop a solid understanding of how fractions are expressed using the decimal system.

In using this curriculum, it is important that the students attempt the initial three pages without parent help. If they struggle with a few problems, it is recommended that the student review the first book in this series, Understanding Fractions. Throughout the book, as new topics are introduced, both student and teacher read over the pages while using the provided cut-out fraction bars and grids. As students complete worksheets, ask them to explain their reasoning on a few problems as this will deepen their understand and enhance their ability to mentally manipulate fractions. What I like most about this curriculum is that most activities in this book end with a starred problem which provides a higher-level learning option for those up to a challenge.

The Critical Thinking Company put critical thinking into math lessons for students to carefully analyze what they are learning. Deeper analysis produces deeper understanding, which results in better grades and higher test scores. Over time, students who practice critical thinking learn to apply it throughout their education and lives.

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