Lesson Summary:
This series of three one hour lessons is designed for Kindergarten to Grade 2 students. This collaborative inquiry into height and measurement draws from key constructivist principles and is intended to be relevant, significant and engaging for students. Students are actively involved in constructing their own understanding of measurement and are encouraged to use materials, work with their peers and reflect on their understanding as they move through the lesson. Teachers guide the inquiry, but their role is that of observer and facilitator. Teachers are encouraged to refrain from guiding students too quickly to the “right answer” and should allow students to develop their own understanding of number and measurement through the use of materials and interaction with their peers. Beginning with the use of standard measurement units does not allow students to develop the conceptual understanding of measurement and the language of mathematics and is too abstract for many students who need the opportunity to discover for themselves why standard units are best for comparing the length of objects. By observing and recording students’ thinking, teachers have the the opportunity to gauge prior-knowledge and can plan future lessons based on current understanding. Common misconceptions can also be determined and future lessons can be planned to delve deeper into these issues.
Objectives (from Math Scope and Sequence):
- Objects have attributes that can be measured using non-standard units.
- Use non-standard units of measurement to solve problems in real-life situations involving length, mass and capacity.
Materials:
- Coloured makers and large chart paper
- Many different materials for measuring should be readily available in the classroom (examples include Unifix cubes, blocks, string etc.).
Lesson Outline:
Each of the follow steps should be read to students using the classroom projector. Students will need assistance to follow the steps and work in groups if it is early in the school year.
1. Elicit Prior Knowledge (predict) (approximately 1 hour)
Students begin the inquiry into measurement by asking questions about measuring height during a whole group activity. The teacher records student question on a large chart paper using the thinking strategy outlined in Rothstein and Santana’s (2011), Make Just one Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions.
Students then work in small mixed ability groups to record what they already know about measuring height. As a group they will determine how to best measure the height of a student in their group.
3. Experiment and construct (observe) (approximately 1 hour)
Students will continue to work in their small groups and use materials of their choice to measure each other. Depending on how familiar students are with collaborative work they may need support in taking turns and recording their findings. For some groups, measuring and recording each others’ heights using non-standard units is sufficient. Groups of students that were able to successfully measure and record their heights using non-standard units can be extended by asking them to compare their heights using either numbers or words to explain their thinking. For example, Sally is 6 Unifix cubes taller than Max. If students did not use the same materials to measure each other, they should try to compare each other’s heights and may realize that the same units help them to compare.
4. Share and justify (explain) (approximately 30 minutes – 1 hour)
Validating and celebrating student work is critical for students to take ownership of their own learning. Do not skip this step! Give each group time to share their thinking and explain their understanding of measurement. If your class is new to sharing their work, it may be necessary to model presentation skills and demonstrate how to share what materials they used and what they discovered about measuring height.
Allow time for students to ask each group questions and give them “two stars and a wish” (two things they liked about their work and one aspect they could improve). For a comprehensive list of formative assessment tools and strategies to enhance peer feedback visit the Australian Department of Education’s (n.d) Assessment for Learning Cooperative Curriculum.
Begin a Measure Word Wall on another sheet large paper to post in the classroom, any new vocabulary about measurement should be recorded for students to refer to in future lessons.
Wrap-up the discussion by reflecting and recording the main ideas on chart paper. You may use questions to guide this whole group discussion. Students could use the cooperative learning strategy think-pair-share to generate ideas.
Next steps:
As this is an introduction to measurement lesson, use observations during this lesson to determine what aspects of measurement and number students need more time to explore. Exploring measurement is an excellent way for students to develop number sense in real-life contexts and requires them to use concrete materials to explain their thinking.
References:
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. (2009). Mathematics scope and sequence. Cardiff, UK: International Baccalaureate Organization.