Understanding fractions—especially adding and subtracting with unlike denominators—can be a major hurdle for fifth-grade students. Many struggle with conceptualizing the process beyond rote memorization. To address this, a structured lesson study approach can be highly effective. The GRITS Model (Goal Setting, Research, Implementation, Team Analysis, and Strengthening) provides a roadmap for refining instruction and ensuring deeper student comprehension.
Let’s explore how the GRITS model can be applied to improve student learning in this crucial math skill.
G – Goal Setting & Planning
“A well-planned lesson is the foundation of student success,” says Julia, a third-grade teacher.
Teachers choose a learning goal, identify student needs, and plan a lesson to address them. With a coach, teachers identify a learning goal. This goal should be based on student needs, curriculum standards, or instructional challenges. A great way to determine this? A low-stakes formative assessment, such as an entry ticket. With the data in hand, a coach and teacher can work together and put a lesson together.
Key Actions:
- Anticipate potential student misconceptions and plan how to address them.
- Review student performance data to identify gaps or misconceptions.
- Align the lesson with curriculum standards and long-term learning objectives.
- Set measurable outcomes for student understanding.
- Determine the best instructional approach (e.g., hands-on learning, inquiry-based methods).
Objective:
Students will develop a strong conceptual understanding of adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators using visual models and real-world applications.
Lesson Plan Draft:
- Utilize fraction bars and number lines to illustrate sums and differences.
- Introduce a real-world scenario (e.g., sharing different-sized pizza slices).
- Guide students in finding a common denominator and solving problems step by step.
By beginning with clear objectives and a well-structured plan, the team ensures alignment with student needs and curriculum standards.
R – Research & Lesson Development
“The best teaching is rooted in evidence and experience,” says Mark, an instructional coach.
Educators study best practices, research effective strategies, and refine the lesson plan based on evidence and expertise. Here are some key questions, research sources, and lesson adjustments to consider.
Key Actions:
- Plan formative assessment checkpoints to gauge understanding during the lesson.
- Consult educational research on effective teaching strategies.
- Explore high-impact teaching strategies (e.g., scaffolding, peer teaching, manipulatives).
- Consider different learning styles and differentiation strategies.
- Develop lesson materials, including worksheets, visual aids, and real-world examples.
Key Questions to Guide Research:
- What misconceptions do students typically have about fractions?
- What strategies help deepen conceptual understanding?
- How can we ensure students see the connection between visual models and algorithms?
Research Sources:
- Review John Hattie’s high-impact strategies (e.g., Mathematics Teaching Specific Skills (d=0.73), Meta-cognition Strategies (d=0.58).
- Explore NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) recommendations for fraction instruction.
- Examine student data from previous assessments to identify gaps.
Lesson Adjustments Based on Research:
- Incorporate collaborative problem-solving with manipulatives.
- Add a self-reflection component where students explain their thinking.
Through research-driven adjustments, educators refine their approach to maximize student engagement and comprehension.
I – Implementation & Observation
“Seeing student reactions in real time helps us refine our approach,” says Lisa, a fifth-grade teacher.
One teacher teaches the lesson while others observe how students engage and respond. This portion is not unlike pineapple charts:
If you have a lesson planned that you believe other teachers might be interested in, whether it’s for a particular teaching technique you’ll be using, a new tool, or a powerful way to differentiate learning, you post that information in the faculty workroom (or anywhere teachers gather) on a pineapple chart. The chart is based on the idea of a pineapple as a symbol of welcome and includes all the days of the week and each period of the day. You post your interesting lesson on the chart on the specific day and time when you’ll be teaching it and thus invite your colleagues in to watch you in action. Here’s a sample.
You might consider combining these strategies. Let’s take a closer look.
Teaching Phase:
One teacher delivers the lesson while the rest observe student engagement. The lesson includes:
- Engage: Start with a relatable question (e.g., “If one person eats ⅓ of a pizza and another eats ¼, who ate more? How can we figure this out?”).
- Explore: Use fraction bars and number lines to model different sums.
- Explain: Guide students in finding a common denominator step-by-step.
- Elaborate: Provide real-world and word problems for practice.
- Evaluate: Have students explain their reasoning using visuals.
Observation Focus:
- Are students using visual models effectively?
- Are they able to explain why they need a common denominator?
- What misconceptions arise?
During this phase, teachers gather insights on student understanding and instructional effectiveness. Some insights might be:
- “Hands-on materials helped, but a few students played with the fraction bars instead of using them to solve problems.”
- “A number line helped students compare fractions, but they had trouble placing mixed numbers correctly.”
- “When students found a common denominator, they often forgot to adjust the numerators accordingly.”
What other insights can you imagine? Now that this phase is done, move to the next.
T – Team Analysis & Reflection
“Collaboration turns good lessons into great ones,” says Brian, a math specialist.
The group reviews student work, discusses observations, and identifies what worked and what needs improvement.
Post-Lesson Discussion:
- What worked well? (e.g., students engaged with the pizza problem, strong participation in group work)
- Where did students struggle? (e.g., some still tried to add numerators and denominators directly)
- How can we improve the lesson? (e.g., provide more scaffolded examples before moving to word problems)
Student Work Review:
- Examine student explanations and models.
- Identify patterns in misconceptions.
- Discuss targeted interventions.
This reflection stage ensures the lesson is continually refined to meet student needs. You might even try the PRISM Framework sentence stems to see how they work:
- “I notice that many students describe [concept] as…”
- “A common way students explain this idea is by saying…”
- “The pattern I see in student models is that they often include/miss…”
- “Here, I noticed that students frequently misunderstand…”
- “A common error students make is assuming that…”
Give it a try yourself.
S – Strengthening & Sharing
“Our greatest impact comes from learning together and growing as educators,” says Sophia, a PLC facilitator.
The lesson is revised, possibly re-taught, and the insights are shared with other educators.
Lesson Revisions:
- Add a warm-up activity where students estimate sums before solving.
- Introduce color-coded fraction bars to differentiate denominators.
- Provide more think-pair-share moments to solidify understanding.
Re-teaching: A different teacher implements the revised lesson while the group continues to observe and refine.
Sharing the Findings:
- Document insights in a school-wide professional learning community (PLC).
- Create a resource guide for other teachers on effective fraction strategies.
- Consider making an instructional video for staff development.
The Power of the GRITS Model in Lesson Study
By following the GRITS cycle, coach and teachers create a dynamic, responsive approach to instruction. This model ensures that lessons evolve based on real student responses. Since it’s not based on assumptions or one-person’s perspective, it can make professional learning both practical and impactful. Whether applied to math or any other subject, the GRITS Model empowers teachers to get better at teaching, and coaches at coaching.
