Fractions...Common Addition

Day 3 of our exciting exploration of fractions!  Today's new idea, adding fractions!  Addition is entirely different than multiplying and dividing fractions, and requires a much slower pace for students to understand.  When you add fractions you must have a common denominator, which for convenience purposes and because we want to start with the basics, every single problem already had today!
If the fractions you are adding together have a common denominator already, then you add the numerators (the top numbers) and leave the common denominator (the bottom number) as whatever number it was.  Do not add the denominators together!  One concept does still apply today from the other two days....at the end of the problem we must still make sure it is REDUCED!  Also, I am so very thankful that no one in my class has experienced this feeling...because everyone is still exciting over FRACTIONS!