Text Project

Juan D Garcia
03-29-16
Simon Middle School Block
TEKS: 6.4.E. represent ratios and percents with concrete
models, fractions, and decimals;

If you were a fraction by Trisha Shaskan, and illustrated by Francesca Carabelli.

The story introduces many ways that someone can show examples of fractions in everyday life. It went from comparing a broken window frame to being of it being broken
from the whole, to of it being whole. The graphics in the book are very creative
because it compared fractions from being part of wholes. Also it showed comparisons
with concrete models and real-world applications. It doesnt connect decimals or
percent to the fractions unfortunately but it does represent fractions as not being just a
rational but being still part of a whole. It is readable to the age group, but its readability
is too easy for 6th graders. The book connects with the TEKS by showing concrete
models of ratio to fractions as for example they know the ratio comparing broken
glass, by ratio that means is not broken. I feel that it did a great job in having great
illustrations and comparisons to real-world applications so students can get a better
understanding of the material.

Source
Shaskan, T. S., & Carabelli, F. (2009). If you were a fraction. Minneapolis, MN: Picture Window
Books.

Piece = Part = Portion: Fractions=Decimals= Percents by Scott Gifford

This an easy read childrens book that emphasizes on demonstrating relationships using
imagery between decimals, fractions, and percents. It shows in real-life situations where
you might have of something like one shoe, so that is a pair of shoes. This book
would help to see different math terms that describe the same thing. I like how he
compared math to language. Like hello in Spanish, and help in Japanese, might look
different in writing, or sound different, but they all mean the dame thing. Just like how a
decimal might look different from a fraction, and a percent looks different from a
decimal. They are still the dame, and a student reading this will learn to understand the
similarities.

Source
Gifford, S., & Thaler, S. (2003). Piece=part=portion: Fractions=decimals=percents. Berkeley:
Tricycle Press.

Web Resource
Using Art to Teach Fraction, Decimal, and Percent Equivalents by Christopher
Scaptura, Jennifer Suh, and Greg Mahaffey.
Using a drawing activity, the teachers taught to kids to sort and find the percentages of
the color blocks in their choice of a 64 or 100-piece tile picture. The point of the activity
is understanding that after finding the percentages and fractions and decimals of each
color in their picture., adding it all together will get their whole again. I like the lesson
because it hits strongly in showing a concrete model of comparing fractions, decimals,
and percents using a drawing of your own creation. Very good engagement in activity in
the article, the activity feels as though they put a lot of thought into it.

Source
Scaptura, C., Suh, J., & Mahaffey, G. (2007, August). Using Art to teach Fraction, Decimal, and
Percent Equivalents. Retrieved April 1, 2016, from
https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2zk2m3oautifp9/math masterpiece.pdf

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2zk2m3oautifp9/math%20masterpiece.pdf

Extending children's mathematics: fractions and decimals by Susan B. Empson,

Linda Lev
It is a book that revolves around teaching children about fractions and decimals. It addresses the
issues the students face when facing fractions and decimals. They came up multiple group
sharing problems and strategies for solving them. After students read the book, they will
understand better how to represent percents when comparing to fractions and decimals. The book
is great teaching and using in the classroom so teachers may learn new ways to teach the
students. Unfortunately, the readability of the book is not at a 6th grade level, since it is meant for
teachers.

Source
Empson, S. B., & Levi, L. (2011). Extending children's mathematics: Fractions and decimals.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Fractions in Disguise: A Math Adventure by Edward Einhorn, illustrated by

David Clark.
The story involves a boy named George Cornelius Factor who is crazy about math. He
likes fractions and collects them. He wants to win a fraction of 5/9 but it is stolen by Dr.
Brok. They show comparisons of converting or changing like to 2/4 or 3/6. He creates
a reducer gun that will convert the fraction to its lowest terms. The book relates to
making concrete models with all the fractions shown in the pictures and it applies math
language and situations in real-world application using the storyline. It represents
fractions as being part of whole like when he compared his personalities as being
stubborn, genius, 1/3 determined, and 1/6 crazy, which add up to one whole person.
The readability of the story at first I felt were at a appropriate level of readability for 6 th

grade TEKS, but after the Frys analysis, it turned out to be a low readability that was for
2nd grade level reading.

Source
Einhorn, E., & Clark, D. (2014). Fractions in disguise: A math adventure. Watertown, MA:
Charlesbridge.

Frys Readability
Quantitative Analysis of Fractions in Disguise.
Some kids collect baseball cards. Some collect action figures. Me? I collect fractions.
Ive been collecting them for exactly 2/3 of my life. In my bedroom, shelves full of
fractions cover of the walls. Maybe its because I was born during a half moon. Or
maybe its because Im genius, stubborn, 1/3 determined, and 1/6 crazy. But for
me, it all adds up to one thing: I cant get enough of those darn fractions. So when a
brand-new 5/9 went up for auction, you know I was first in line to
110 syllables, 10 sentences

The room was filled with regular customers: Baron von Mathematik, Madame de
Geometrique, and the mysterious Dr. Brok, a former university professor rumored to
have been fired for the illegal possession of a 4/0. I bid of a million dollars. Madame
de Geometrique bid of a million. Baron von Mathematik bid 7/8 of a million. Our bids
were clearly approaching one million dollars. Would we ever reach it? Suddenly we
found ourselves in darkness. Theres foul play afoot! cried the baron. His fears proved
true. When the lights went back on, the 5/9 was nowhere to
131 syllables, 10 sentences
But how can he hope to hide it? I asked. He is a master of disguise, Mr. Factor,
Madame de Geometrique explained. He can take a and turn it into a 2/4 or a 3/6. Its
still the same fraction, but it looks different. So am I to understand that he could take
a 3/5, I began. multiply the 3 by 4 and the 5 by 4, continued Madame de
Geometrique. and have something that looks like a 12/20? I concluded. But its still
3/5 really, Madame de Geometrique agreed. He just doesnt
100 syllables, 8 sentences

Reflection
The averages were 114 syllables, and 9.3 sentences which fall under 2 th grade readability. This
text had lots of dialogue and a lot of math language was used in the text. Most of the words were
easy to read and to understand for a 6 th grade level, but I believe the book was too easy in terms
of readability. In terms of the TEKS, I feel it could have added more support for the TEKS since
the childrens books could only do so much as to give you examples of percent and ratio
comparisons.I enjoyed reading the books, but most were too easy readability for 6th graders.