Source: Cyberchase: "Harriet Hippo and the Mean Green"
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Lesson Plans Using this Resource:
In this video segment from Cyberchase, the CyberSquad must make an antidote to a virus that has infected MotherBoard. One of the ingredients in the antidote is 2/8 of a Healing Stone. Matt and Digit locate the stone and notice that it is divided into four sections. Because they need to divide the stone into eight equal pieces, they learn about equivalent fractions.
Download and ShareHere are some Frame, Focus and Follow-up suggestions for using this video in a math lesson.
What is Frame, Focus and Follow-up?
Frame: Suppose you have an apple and you split it evenly with a friend so that you get half and your friend gets half. Then you take your piece and cut that in half. You eat those two pieces. Have you still eaten half of an apple? What other fraction could describe how much apple you have eaten? What equivalent fractions did you work with?
Focus: As you watch this video segment, notice how Digit gets the Healing Stone and immediately breaks it up into four equal pieces, or fourths. This is a problem because they need 2/8, not 2/4 of the stone. What does Matt do about this?
Follow Up: What kind of equivalent fractions did Matt use to figure out how much of the Healing Stone they needed for the antidote? Digit sees what Matt does and says, "The same amount has different names." What was he talking about? Can you think of two other fractions that are equivalent amounts but have different names?
MATT: We should be safe from Harriet here. How much of this stone do we need?
DIGIT: I think it's one of those uh... fractions thingies. The recipe says we need two-eighths of the whole stone. Uh, how much is that?
MATT: Well, if the whole stone were broken not eight equal pieces, we'd need two of them. Two eighths.
DIGIT: No problem!
MATT: DIGIT! Wait! You broke the stone, alright...but it's in four equal pieces, not eight.
DIGIT: Oh man-now what!
MATT: Hmmm, two eighths...four pieces. Hang on, I think we can divide the stone into 8 equal pieces.
DIGIT: How?
MATT: I'll show you. If we divide each of these pieces in half, how many will we have all together?
DIGIT: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...hey, that makes 8 pieces!
MATT: Yeah, and if we take two of them we'll have two eighths. Go ahead - beak this one in two.
DIGIT: Two eighths...Hey, these two together look just like the pieces we started with!
MATT: You're right, they do! Check it out! The two one-eighths pieces are the same as one-fourth of a whole...and we haven't changed that. Two eighths is also one fourth!
DIGIT: Whoa! It's a miracle! The same amount has different names! One-forth and two-eighths are exactly the same! C'mon, we have a spell to break!
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