Overview

In this course, participants will gain an understanding of common misconceptions students have about measurement and will provide teachers some tools and strategies to help students improve their conceptual understanding of this topic. Participants in this workshop will explore why it is important to study measurement in the upper elementary grades as well as why teachers need to pay particular attention to the ideas of unitization and iteration. In the final project for this course, participants will design activities for their students that promote a conceptual understanding of measurement and which are immediately useful in the classroom.

Goals and Products

This course will enable participants to:

• Become familiar with tasks that encourage students to understand what measurement is and why it is necessary
• Gain a better understanding of how elementary students think about linear measurement, area, and capacity
• Study critical ideas in mathematics education, such as the importance of unitization and iteration when measuring
• Learn how to create lessons which use mathematical tools appropriately
• Learn how to conduct a student interview
• Promote a “learning-by-doing” methodology, which is applicable to students at all ages

As a final product, participants will create engaging, standards-based activities that promote student inquiry into critical issues of measurement.

Format and Requirements

This course is divided into six one-week sessions which each include readings, an activity and an online discussion among course participants. The time for completing each session is estimated to be two to four hours.

The outline for the course is as follows:

The first session orients participants to the course by giving an overview of the importance of studying measurement in upper elementary school and investigating some common student misconceptions on measurement. Sessions 2 and 3 introduce two dimensional measurement with linear measurement and area. Participants consider the importance of iteration and unitization in both of these sessions. Session 4 focuses on three dimensional measurement by looking at student understanding of capacity. Sessions 5 and 6 pull together lessons from the previous sessions and applies them to more complex topics. Session 5 asks participants to consider measuring non-standard objects and how to help students conceptualize this work. Session 6 gives participants a chance to reflect on what they have learned, and how to integrate it into their classrooms.

Prerequisites

This is an introductory course for teachers, technology specialists, curriculum specialists, professional development specialists, or other school personnel. Participants are expected to have regular access to computers and proficiency with e-mail and current web browsers.

Content and Technology Standards

Primary Standards

• Understand such attributes as length, area, weight, volume, and size of angle and select the appropriate type of unit for measuring each attribute
• Understand the need for measuring with standard units and become familiar with standard units in the customary and metric systems
• Understand that measurements are approximations and how differences in units affect precision
• Develop strategies for estimating the perimeters, areas, and volumes of irregular shapes
• Select and use benchmarks to estimate measurements

Secondary Standards

• Carry out simple unit conversions, such as from centimeters to meters, within a system of measurement
• Develop, understand, and use formulas to find the area of rectangles and related triangles and parallelograms
• Develop strategies to determine the surface areas and volumes of rectangular solids

I. Technology Operations and Concepts

Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts. Teachers:

B. Demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies.

II. Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences

Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology. Teachers:

B. Apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences.

V. Productivity and Professional Practice

Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice. Teachers:

A. Use technology resources to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.

B. Continually evaluate and reflect on professional practice to make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of student learning.