This lesson was creating using the T-GEM process for our measuring unit in grade two. To begin my lessons, I start by discussing non-standard units of measurement. This is where students get to explore using paper clips, cubes and other tools to measure different objects around the classroom, school. In my experience students become really excited to do this and it is a fantastic way to have students work in pairs or small groups towards a common goal. By the end of the non-standard unit, I need to ease my students into standard units of measurement and using a ruler. Each students already has a ruler in their desk but at the beginning of grade two it is usually used for drawing straight lines as students do not yet understand what the lines on the ruler represent. I believe that this is where the GEM process would repeat as we move from non-standard measurements of unit, to standard measurements (mm, cm, m).
I have to say that I enjoyed creating this lesson. It is simple, but an important topic for students to learn and be excited about as the units become bigger and conversation begins in older grades. What I appreciated most about the GEM process was the cyclical fashion that the information and inquiry is presented. As teachers probe with questions and what if statements, students are provided the opportunity to explore and engage with the material and modify their mental models as they progress (Khan, 2007). As well, technology can be used to expand students learning to answer extreme values, visualize the information, produce data quickly and generate graphical trends (Khan, 2011). I have set up this unit without digital technology; however, I think it would be a fantastic to add in distances (km) using maps and other tools when students begin to realize that cm will only get them so far.
I have uploaded my cycle onto google docs:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qOMT_oapac8IQynxZnW4-kmzC33Q48dEPkcD2x0YneM/edit?usp=sharing
Khan, S. (2007). Model-Based Inquiries in Chemistry. Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia. 91(6). 877 – 899. doi: 10.1002/sce.20226
Khan, S. (2011). New Pedagogies on Teaching Science with Computer Simulations. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(3), 215-232.
Hello Shayla,
Thanks for being another elementary “Gem” posting. I found it to be difficult to find simulations for elementary grade levels. PHet and Gizmos had a few lower grade. I wonder if there is another place where elementary simulations could be found, which includes the metric system?
Personally, I found GEM framework fit well into this Math Unit, is it begins with students predicting how to measure an object with non-standard units. Eventually, moving into a standard unit, like a ruler. I always find it interesting when students need to evaluate which unit of measurement would be best suited to measure an object or distance. For example, would you use a paper clip to measure the length of the gymnasium? Then it is expected for them to justify their answer using their unit of measurement. By doing this it makes it easier for students to transfer that knowledge to standard units (c, m, km). Your measurement unit is designed to experience learning through inquiry which allows to students’ to enrich their mental models.
Hi Mary
I agree that it can be difficult at times to find things for lower elementary. I wonder why that is? I will continue to look and see if I can find anything.
Hi Shayla,
Thanks for sharing your lesson. Looks great! When teaching non-standard units, like yourself, I find that students always get very excited and it’s an enjoyable hands-on Math unit. One concept I found my students seemed to struggle with and needed a lot of different opportunities to explore was making sure that the non-standard units they chose were all the same. For instance, if they used pencils, they had to make sure that each pencil was the same size. Once they established this, it was easier for them to make the transition to standard units of measure.
A fun tech tool that I have integrated into Grade 2 before was Dash and Dot robot. For instance, I’ve given students patterns to follow in programming the robot, and they had to find out how far it traveled. No tech integration that helps them reinforce the concept but more of a way to keep them motivated.
Thanks again!
Sarah
Hi Sarah
Thank you for the suggestions! I will definitely take a look.
Hi Shayla,
Thanks for sharing your lesson. I just did a unit on measurement with my Grade 5 numeracy students and they had a difficult time understanding the relationship between mm, cm, m and km. Have you used this unit you created yet with your students and how did it go? I like how exploration is implemented. Sometimes I find we skip that part and focus on the content more. Thanks!
Hi Amanda.
I have used something similar to this before with a grade 4 class and a grade 2 class. The students loved it. The transition is not seamless as you will have some students who grasp the idea immediately and some that struggle. I did find though that if you pair up students they can teach each other and I had less students that fell behind.
Hi Shayla,
I appreciated the info-graphic format you posted as well as the references to our readings this week. One question I had was what sort of things the students would be thinking about in the G and E sections when you discussed “the relationships between variables” and “testing out their proposed hypothesis to see if it matches their pattern”: Do you mean how the length of the paper clip relates to the length of their desk, as in their prediction of a number? or something else?
I liked your idea of using maps with km as an extension to include technology. What about introducing the concept that nonstandard measurements can be useful in a Technology Space (as defined in Module B Intro Readings) too and not just in real life? You could use something like the penguin estimation and measurement game Ice, Ice Maybe (https://www.mangahigh.com/en-us/games/iceicemaybe) — How many penguins would it take to reach the iceberg if they shot straight forward versus if they arced into the air? Or you could use Minecraft: Education Edition (https://education.minecraft.net/) — Students can experiment with measuring the distance of the side of a house or a lake in Minecraft using non-standard in-game objects, such as pigs or chickens and then compare that to more traditional measurement in-game objects such as blocks of dirt or fence posts. This could extend to measuring the height of something in-game as well and lead to questions like why does it take less fence posts than blocks of dirt to reach the top of that wall? (fence posts are a unit and a half in-game). They could even use the paperclips from before against their screens to measure these things and that would open up an interesting discussion of the concept of “scale”. If the side of the house is 5 pigs long in-game but it’s only 2 paperclips long on-screen how much smaller have the game-builders made the Minecraft world than the real world and why would they need to do that?
Hi Jan
Thank you so much for those suggestions! I have them bookmarked and will take a look over the weekend. As for the relationships between the variables I was referring to their estimation of how many objects it would take to measure a distance. As well, being able to look and say: if the length of the desk is 10 paper clips, how many paper clips would you need to measure the carpet. So a little bit of estimation and also getting them to recognize length and distance.
Hi Shayla
I like the fact that you make learning fun. It is teachers like you that make students excited to learn.
I wonder at what age/grade/topic simulations should be introduced in the classroom.
Christopher
Great use of the infographic to help with planning your instruction! Having students work with non-standard units of measure and then comparing results is a great way of creating that cognitive dissonance for them that will spur them on to exploring why it’s important to have a standard unit of measure.