Measurement: Standard and Non-standard Units
As we have seen time and again during this year's math class and throughout the mathematics curriculum, it is crucial to use manipulatives and a variety of tools when teaching math concepts. This is also the case with measurement! The curriculum requires students to estimate and measure using a variety of tools, strategies, and manipulatives. This seems to align well with how the measurement unit is broken into the teaching of non-standardized units and then standardized units. This is what stuck out to me when learning about the teaching of measurement, when reading the text book, and participating in the candidate-facilitated learning activities.
First, check out this video on the teaching of non-standardized units. It's a great little minds on activity before we start discussing different ways to teach non-standardized units in a classroom setting:
The text suggests different ways to teach non-standardized units. A great tool is using the students themselves; regarding their height. You can have the students figure out how to line up from shortest to tallest as a class. You can have students come up one at a time to figure out where they belong in the line. When everyone is in the line, you can take a class picture, and then pose a consolidation activity where you initiate a class discussion based on height. (E.g. who is the tallest student in our class? The shortest? Who is right in the middle? Who is taller than 'student a' but shorter than student 'e'). The following class you can have students break off into partners and have them cut strings that match their heights. Then using the strings as reference, you can ask them to go around the classroom/school to find other kinds of non-standardized units that can measure their height, via measuring the strings. Then as an exit pass, you could have students answer: a) what are some different ways to tell someone how tall you are? b) Which unit was easiest for you to use? Why?
You can then slowly transition into standardized units still using the students themselves. For example, rather than using the students' height, you can have them trace their handprints (fingers held tightly together). You can then have them compare length and width of their hands with their classmates. Then you can transition into standardized units of measurement by having them measure their hands on a grid paper. The grid boxes act as the standardized units, measuring what was previously an unstandardized unit. You can then transition to using a ruler or measuring tape!
Now please check out this quick video on standardized units of measurement:
Another textbook suggestion for using grid-paper was having students draw rectangles, and show how they can count the square units, and then apply a ruler to measure the rectangles and compare square units to centimetres, inches, and millimetres. Another great idea is having students use Cuisenaire rods to see how length increases using standardized units for measurement. This is similar to the manipulative of snap cubes or math link cubes, that my fellow candidate used in his math activity presentation this week. His overall presentation was a worksheet that we completed using the option of three different manipulatives: cubes, tiles, and geoboard. I preferred using the snap cubes, as I felt they were the best tool for my learning. The presentation itself was a great way to teach measurement, and it definitely aligned with the overall and specific expectations found in the math curriculum. The activity showed the change in length and width, and the relationship to how it will affect the area and perimeter! Our group had a lot of fun with the activity, and I feel like I can use this same activity in my future classroom! Please check out some pictures I took during the presentation :)
First, check out this video on the teaching of non-standardized units. It's a great little minds on activity before we start discussing different ways to teach non-standardized units in a classroom setting:
The text suggests different ways to teach non-standardized units. A great tool is using the students themselves; regarding their height. You can have the students figure out how to line up from shortest to tallest as a class. You can have students come up one at a time to figure out where they belong in the line. When everyone is in the line, you can take a class picture, and then pose a consolidation activity where you initiate a class discussion based on height. (E.g. who is the tallest student in our class? The shortest? Who is right in the middle? Who is taller than 'student a' but shorter than student 'e'). The following class you can have students break off into partners and have them cut strings that match their heights. Then using the strings as reference, you can ask them to go around the classroom/school to find other kinds of non-standardized units that can measure their height, via measuring the strings. Then as an exit pass, you could have students answer: a) what are some different ways to tell someone how tall you are? b) Which unit was easiest for you to use? Why?
You can then slowly transition into standardized units still using the students themselves. For example, rather than using the students' height, you can have them trace their handprints (fingers held tightly together). You can then have them compare length and width of their hands with their classmates. Then you can transition into standardized units of measurement by having them measure their hands on a grid paper. The grid boxes act as the standardized units, measuring what was previously an unstandardized unit. You can then transition to using a ruler or measuring tape!
Now please check out this quick video on standardized units of measurement:
Another textbook suggestion for using grid-paper was having students draw rectangles, and show how they can count the square units, and then apply a ruler to measure the rectangles and compare square units to centimetres, inches, and millimetres. Another great idea is having students use Cuisenaire rods to see how length increases using standardized units for measurement. This is similar to the manipulative of snap cubes or math link cubes, that my fellow candidate used in his math activity presentation this week. His overall presentation was a worksheet that we completed using the option of three different manipulatives: cubes, tiles, and geoboard. I preferred using the snap cubes, as I felt they were the best tool for my learning. The presentation itself was a great way to teach measurement, and it definitely aligned with the overall and specific expectations found in the math curriculum. The activity showed the change in length and width, and the relationship to how it will affect the area and perimeter! Our group had a lot of fun with the activity, and I feel like I can use this same activity in my future classroom! Please check out some pictures I took during the presentation :)
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