Activity Overview
This activity uses the TI-73 Explorer graphing calculator with the TI-Navigator system to allow students to discover the relationship between fractional, percent, and decimal values by shading various figures and recording the values on a worksheet.
Before the Activity
Pass out the student worksheet (attached--also includes teacher instructions). Open Navigator and Start Class. Have students log in to NavNet.
During the Activity
Open Activity Center and set ?Contribute? to Visual Fractions. Select ?Configure?. Using the sequence of figures on the student worksheet (which follows the sequence in Navigator), choose a fractional part or percentage of the figure that you want students to shade and type the prompt. Select ?Let students to resubmit estimates?. Start the activity and have students select ?Activity Center? in NavNet. Students are able to resubmit estimates until you stop the activity. When all students have submitted their final representation of the shading and have filled in the fractional, percent, and decimal values for that figure, stop the activity and discuss results. Restart activity and allow students to resubmit estimates again, if needed. Reconfigure for the next figure and prompt.
After the Activity
The last question on the worksheet asks students to draw and shade their own figure and record the fractional, percent, and decimal values of the figure.