DreamBox Weekly Update
Week of March 2-6
New Lessons for K-5 Students Released on March 6th
Three new lesson types are coming soon to DreamBox for K-5 students.
- Add & Subtract Unlike Fractions:
Through a series of lessons using different contexts, manipulatives, and models, students will learn to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. - Translating Expressions:
Students will engage directly with word problem text to build expressions that represent the relationship between given values. - Patterns:
By identifying, extending, and completing patterns, students will build a foundation for their algebraic thinking and reasoning skills.
Translating Expressions
In Translating Expressions, students are asked to write simple numerical expressions that are related to a given verbal description in the lesson. Students then engage directly with the problem text in order to dynamically build an expression that represents the relationship between the given values with both single and double operators.
Add & Subtract Unlike Fractions
The intended outcome of these lessons is for students to become flexible in how they solve these problems. By working through lessons that have a bar model for time and money, an open-ended bar model, a number line, and eventually an equation-only model, students form a deeper understanding about what fractions, equivalent fractions, and common wholes represent.
Patterns
The relationships observed in patterns of shapes, lists, and rules builds the mathematical reasoning that is necessary as students move into deeper algebraic concepts. For these new lessons, we cover the following lesson topics:
- Patterns with Shapes, Colors, and Real-World Objects
- Patterns with Lists
- Patterns with a Rule
Stella has a new voice!
You may also notice a new voice. DreamBox is currently transitioning the lesson content audio to computer-generated audio. With this technology, DreamBox can release new lesson content even faster, which means more learning opportunities for your students in the future. This audio technology also enables DreamBox to respond to your feedback by quickly making changes that provide a better learning experience for students.