Description
This approach is grounded in research from the National Research Council, which shows students learn best through active, hands-on experiences. It reflects Dr. Jo Boaler’s work on visual, collaborative, and open-ended learning, where students develop a deeper understanding by engaging with math in meaningful ways.
It also aligns with David L. Haury’s research on inquiry-based learning, as students experiment, test hypotheses, and learn through discovery while building and racing their cars. Math becomes something students can see, build, and test. Instead of memorizing procedures, students experience how multiplication drives structure, how division defines relationships, and how fractions describe real motion.
Students develop a deep understanding of multiplication and fractions, improved confidence, and stronger engagement. They are better prepared for standardized assessments and more capable of applying math in real-world situations.
Teachers gain a hands-on instructional tool that enhances their curriculum, while schools gain a scalable solution that drives both engagement and measurable academic results. Driving to success by Making Fractions Easy is a complete STEM experience where students build, race, measure, and analyze their way to understanding math. By physically building the car and ramp, and then measuring performance, students connect abstract math concepts to real-world outcomes—making learning intuitive and lasting.
Once the cars and ramps are built, students conduct racing experiments, and the fractions come to life. The workbook supports this process with structured lessons. Students calculate speed as a fraction, reinforcing that fractions represent real relationships between quantities, not just numbers on a page. Through repeated trials, students use multiplication, division, and fractions to analyze results, compare performance, and draw conclusions.
