Digital Document, Audio File, and Checklist

A PDF version of this document is also available. 

An audio description of this document as well as a transcript is available. 

REFLECTION:

The pattern block fractional values document is meant to be a reminder of the values of the pattern blocks after a learner has already explored with the blocks and determined the values for themselves. This could be thought of as a "cheat sheet" which will reduce the cognitive load as the learner engages in tasks where they have to apply the fractional values of the blocks to fractions operations tasks. For example, they might put a red trapezoid and a green equilateral triangle together and try to determine the sum of the parts . They might reason that 1/2 + 1/6 = 2/3 can be shown by swapping out the blocks for 2 rhombi which each have a value of 1/3. This document helps them attend to the mathematics without having to memorize the fractional values of the blocks.  This document addresses CLOs 1 and 2. 

It is important to note that the colors of the blocks on this document can serve as a powerful memory aid which is why I included the colors. In the audio file, you will note that I did not include the color descriptions because for a learner with limited or no sight, color descriptions can be a distraction and contribute to cognitive overload. This is a guideline I learned when I was trained in best practices for alternative text.