Fraction A Day - Fraction Multiplication

Today I revisited Fraction Multiplication adding controls to the Fraction Multiplication visualization to simplify modifying the fractions.  So that when you mouse over the fraction controls appear to allow you to modify the numerator and denominator.  I also played around with larger buttons to make it easier on touch screens, but that still needs some work.

I would also like to make it easier to facilitate comparisons, so kids can compare 2/4 x 2/4 with 1/2 x 1/2 etc.  The goal being to make the comparisons easy to make so they can focus on the fractions rather than the artifacts of making copies of fraction images.

Tools to Play/Learn/Teach with - M&M Fractions and Multiplicaiton

M&M Artifacts for Multiplication and Fractions
(you need to download Etoys to play/view)

download  launch

Etoys is a media-rich authoring environment that encourages deep learning through experimentation. 

Children use Etoys to make their own models, stories, and games, which keeps them engaged because it's a lot of fun. But Etoys isn't just child's play. Etoys makes abstractions more palpable, allowing children to visualize and explore new ideas. 

Etoys allows you to construct things from a set of basic building blocks which is its strength and also (IMNSHBOWO¹) its weakness.  It requires that you build everything from those basic building blocks.   I wanted to explore the idea of providing higher level "artifacts" that allow the user to play with ideas without having to start from first principles.  So I am working on a set of "Tools to Play/Learn/Teach with" (or to Think with or Play with) that allow kids, teachers and anyone else to play and learn.

I created this Etoy to explore how we can help kids with ideas such as fractions and multiplication.

My end goal is to see Etoys and the higher level artifacts used by teachers, kids and parents to facilitate and improve learning.  You are free to modify the tools you see here and/or create your own. As such they are Creative Commons licensed under the Share and Share alike  (see sidebar for license for all content on this site).

¹ IMNSHBOWO - In My Not So Humble But Often Wrong Opinion