Math With Fractions
by Ms. Echeverria’s class
Haskell STEAM Songbook

May be sing to the tune of “Roar” by Katy Perry et al

When you subtract or multiply
Or do addition or divide
Any math you do
You can do with fractions too

The numerator’s on top you know
Denominator’s down below
Fractions aren’t a pain
When the bottoms are the same

Plus or minus with the ones on top (hey!)
That’s where the action stops
If the denominators are the same
That bottom number does not change

If however, the ones below (hey!)
Are not the same, you know
You can still do it if you will

Make an equivalent fraction, find one that’s equal
But with a denominator that is the same as the one you want
Halves are just quarters or eighths but cut differently
So just make it the one you want (Oh, oh, oh etc.)
Make it the one you want!

I had a quarter plus a half
I didn’t know how to make them add
But cut the half in two
That’s two quarters just for you

Those two quarters plus one more (hey!)
That makes three over four
Four on bottom and three on top
Mixed fractions won’t make me stop

Thirds are just like sixths or ninths (hey!)
I can even cross multiply
See you later, denominator!

Make an equivalent fraction, find one that’s equal
But with a denominator that is the same as the one you want
Halves are just quarters or eighths but cut differently
So just make it the one you want (Oh, oh, oh etc.)
Make it the one you want!

Notes

How does this help the kids learn? Numerous studies (Howard Gardner, Nick Page, Kaori Iwai, Greg Crowther, many others) show that integrating the arts into academic instruction enhances memory, motivation, and comprehension of the material we need our students to learn. This also fits with several thousand years of human experience: all of our oldest stories (Iliad, Beowulf, Gilgamesh, etc.) were shared and remembered as songs long before ordinary people had access to books. Although our songs are intended to be fun to hear and to sing, our music serves a serious purpose; and evidence shows that it really works.