Measurement -Week 8

Teaching Elementary Mathematics, TeacherVision.com. Picture. [Online Image] Google.

This past week was all about Measurement! In our textbook, Making Math Meaningful, measurement is defined as, "the process of assigning a qualitative or quantitative description of size to an object based on a particular attribute."(page 411) Specifically this week we looked at measuring area and perimeter of certain shapes. Our opening activity was an excellent game called, "I have... who has..." This game can be used for multiple subjects to test kids on what they already know in a fun and intriguing way. The premise of the game is this, students each have a card. It is titled "I have" and the state the clue on it and say, "who has?" Then the next person in the class who has the answer to that card states what they have and their clue. For example, "I have, an equilateral triangle. Who has, a shape with six closed equal sides in length?" Someone would answer, "I have a hexagon, who has..." and the game goes on until everyone in the class has stated their clue and the answer and it all goes back to the beginning.

This game is terrific because it allows students to think on their feet and they have to use critical thinking skills for understanding what the question is asking them and to be aware of what questions are being asked in order to answer appropriately. As well, students can work with their table mates to try and figure out the answer to their questions. This game helps students to overcome their math-phobia as well as creates a challenge in which students will be successful. This game went very smoothly with our class and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. I could see myself using this game in my grade 8 class to review with students certain concepts that they carried over from grade 7 or to quiz the class on certain terms.

Following this opening activity Pat started off a problem to introduce area and perimeter to the class. She presented a  very open ended question that relates to herself as well as her students. The question had a problem involving rabbits, cages and Pat's precious vegetables. Every year in the Fall, Pat changes up her garden. She gathers all the fencing that was used to keep the rabbits out of the cages and creates a plan for next years garden. She asks her family for help, mainly her competitive brothers to try and create 2 rectangular cages that use the same amount of fencing but one cage is 6 square metres greater than the other. What could the side lengths be if the sides are whole number values?

As we were solving this problem with our partners Pat reminded us to keep track of what we were solving in order to understand how far we've gone. This is an excellent way for students to see the work they did by showing it. This helps the students to understand either where they went right or where they went wrong. Pat provided us with manipulative blocks as well as whiteboard graph paper.



Courtney Helt 2016

Above you can see the two different ways in which I solved and drew out the gardens. We knew that the perimeter for both gardens had to be even in order to create a rectangle that was 6 units larger. The perimeter for both gardens is equal to 22, but they both have different areas, 24 metres squared and 30 metres squared. We came to this answer after trial and error of drawing different shaped gardens and going through various multiplications.

Garden 1: Perimeter= 22m
-8m x 3m = 24m squared

Garden 2: Perimeter=22m
-6m x 5m = 30m squared

In Making Math Meaningful, there are three stages that teachers go over with students and they apply to both perimeter and area. The stages include:

-Definition/Comparison: "Students begin to learn to define the measurement, and become aware of and apply a process for comparing items."
-Nonstandard Units: "Students continue to define the measurement while they learn to measure with nonstandard units."
-Standard Units: "Students learn to use measurement tools to measure with standard units."
(page 414)

Area and Perimeter Lesson. Picture. [Online Poster] Google.

Lastly, Pat discussed with the class what was involved for a Guided Inquiry Lesson:
-Inquiry Based
-Develop challenging concepts
-Set-up so small groups can proceed independently
-Still need teacher to facilitate
For example, the lesson would take place after a grade 8 class did an inquiry to discover the relationship between diameter and circumference, and between radius and area.

In conclusion, this week I learned that trying new activities that break me out of my math-phobia shell are extremely helpful and rewarding. It is important to remember to take chances and make mistakes. It is also important to remind our students that making mistakes is imperative because they help us grow and change. We learn the best when we are making  mistakes!

Till next week!
Cheers, Courtney!