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Concrete-Representation-Abstract

  • Color Coding and Representation for Integers

    This example involves adding integers which is a major challenge for many students. There are two strategies present in the photo. Color coding is an effective way to break down a concept into parts. Here red is used for negative numbers and yellow for positive. The numbers are written in red and yellow with colored…

  • Color Coding and Different Representation for Rounding

      There are two strategies used in this example for rounding. The number line is a different representation for a rounding situation. In CRA this is the representational or pictorial level. Typically students are taught to round by looking only at the numbers which is purely symbolic. The color coding helps the students discriminate between…

  • Fractions, Decimals and Percents Number Line

    Good resource for students who struggle with the relationship between these three forms.

  • Kim and Kanye are Prior Knowledge (with scaffolding)

    This is a portion of scaffolded notes I provided for a lesson on functions. This shows two key strategies I often employ: scaffolding and connections to prior knowledge. The scaffolding is seen in how blanks are provided for students to fill in key information. This saves time on copying notes while still engages students in…

  • Visual Representations

    In preschool kids are assigned a color and shape as identification. Their names are too abstract at that age. This strategy is effective for teaching in general.

  • Conceptual Presentation of Percents

          Percents is a very challenging concept for students often because it is presented in symbolic terms, e.g. 40% of a 25 is what? Students typically understand what 100% and 50% mean. The concept of percent can build on this intuitive understanding. Here is my approach using a Concrete-Representation-Abstract approach (from a lesson…

  • Unit Rates

    Real life applications in of themselves will not make a concept real for many if not most students with special needs. They likely need the concept broken down into more concrete form (CRA). For this problem I would fudge the numbers and have 42 oz at $6 (7 oz per dollar) and a 5 oz…

  • Representations of Concepts

    Three ways to represent perimeter: I taught a lesson on perimeter to a 5th grade class. First I had them create a rectangular pen for their animals and they counted the number of fence pieces. Then we drew a rectangle to represent the pen. Finally we looked at the formula. This allows a deeper conceptual…