Measuring with Non-Standard Units

Date: November 9, 2011 Overall lesson topic/title and purpose To learn how to measure using non-standard units and when it is appropriate to use non-standard units (advantages and disadvantages)

Rationale M.UN.01.01 Measure the lengths of objects in non-standard units, e.g., pencil lengths, shoe
lengths, to the nearest whole unit

Process goals: Selecting tools Communicating mathematical ideas

Goals/Objectives for todays lesson: Students will be able to measure using non-standard units (parts of their body), expressing that length in language of approximation. Students will be able to identify when it is appropriate to use non-standard units for measurement. Materials & supplies needed: student journals, pencils, objects in classroom (chair, desk, white board, crayons, pencils, ect.), Elmo

Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event Launch 10-15 minutes Script: Engage students with measuring room with their bodies Friends! I need your help. I want to move that book shelve to that corner. But I am not sure if it fits! How could I figure it out? I left my tape measure at home, so how could I do it? With my feet! I could measure the book shelve with my feet and then that corner and see if it would fit there! Lets try! The book shelve is approximately 6 of my feet and the corner is about 8 of my feetso would it fit? Yup it would! Thanks so much for your help! Now I can move it during recess ! So this is one example of how parts of our body or moving parts of our body could be units of measurement. The measure of the distance is the number of times a particular body part is used to mark the distance. Think to yourselfhow would you measure that wall in our classroom (point to wall-

Academic, Social and Linguistic Support during each event When students are at the carpet then make sure to put students who have trouble seeing and/or paying attention in the front

Separate students if they make poor choices together at the carpet

If students are not paying attention: count down from 5,

wait 30 seconds)?, now share with your friend sitting next to you, how you would measure. (Wait a couple of minutes). Would anyone like to share their idea? Alright good, let me show how we would do that (model measuring, make sure to explicitly explain how you mark off body parts end to end without leaving spaces so it is accurate; accidentally one time not do this and show how it is not accurate). Great! What about this carpet? Think to yourself..(30 seconds)share with a sitting next to you (wait a couple of minutes)who would like to share out? (Model again, if no one mentions hopping, model it as a unit). Background knowledge: For centuries people used their bodies and parts of their bodies as units to tell about how long something was from end to end-length-or about how far one place was from another. Have any of you measured using your body? Now, you are going to get to measure on your own soon! But first lets practice! First we will measure with your finger-also called a digit. So follow me on the elmo-put one finger on the desk, put your next finger next to it, then move your first finger over by the second(continue until measured desk). Now try it on your own but count for each finger! Once you get to the end you will know about how many fingers long is your desk! Ill call on kids measuring quietly to get to share! Do same procedure using these body parts as units: Hands closed Hand spans Yard-elbow to wrist Explore Alright friends, now its your turn to do it on your own! I am going to assign you to a partner; you are going to work together to measure different objects. You take turns measuring-so one person can measure the other person can record your measurement in your math journal. If you want you can both measure the same object thats fine. Alright so who would like to tell me what are the directions? Now I would like table monitors to get the tool kits. Go to page 56 in your journal, you will record your answers there-the pictures show you what you are to measure and with what body

clap, ect. Have at least 15 seconds of wait time for questions

Always read the directions several times

Write in bold writing in a black marker on white boardas you write make sure to write out what saying and then repeat

Re voice students answers If cannot understand student responses then ask them to re phrase, or come up to the white board to explain Have MT sit with students who are having trouble paying attention/sitting still Have students explain different strategies the used If some students are finished early have them work on extension project where they chose objects they can measure with their feet, digits or hand spans at the other side of the room.

part. Then you go to the next page-it asks you to measure the same objects with different body parts-see if you notice what happens when you measure with different body parts-raise your hand if you need my help figuring out the pictures. Lets do the first one together (make sure students have grasped how to record data and how to use language of estimation and move on if they have, if not than practice the second one) You are going to have level 1 voices or I will have to stop you. Make sure to be respectful to you and your partner-you are not going to throw materials around. And you are going to help your partner and not yell at them if you think that they did not measure correctly-be courteous and explain to them your ideas. Here let me model with (pick a student). Remember: line up the unit (body parts measuring- end to end, without leaving gaps. Record results on page 56. We will share out our results and discuss them. Remember: measure end to end with no gaps and say about how many of the body part, we are estimating. Voice level 1 is expected so we can concentrate. Walk around the room as students work, assist them as needed Notice if students are leaving gaps or have trouble measuring end to end Model for students who struggle If many student struggle then stop class and model again

Summarize Clap hands to get attention. Explain that you are going to ask for some students to share answers and record them on your journal page. Ask partners to share their findings, make a chart for one object and record multiple measurements. Ask for the measurement with the unit from the first page and then the second (so record measurements of the same objects measured with different body parts). Repeat with multiple objects-leave data on white board for students to look at. Clap hands, tell students to clean up and stand behind desks, count to ten, call quickest and quietest tables to the carpet.

Whole group share out: Ask: Does anyone notice anything? Hmm.This group measured with the same body part and the same object, but there answers are not the samewhy do you think that is? have students whisper ideas to someone sitting next to them then let them share out Why is the desk ___ hands and ____ digits? Why is the number of units so different? have students whisper ideas to someone sitting next to them then let them share out If I measured this rug with my feet, and you measured with your feet would we can the same answer? What do you think? Lets try it! Who would like to help me measure? Why is it less of Ms. Spendels feet and more of ____s feet? Thats right because my feet take up more space and ___s feet take up less space! Can anyone tell me if a time they used their body part to measure? When would you have to use a body part to measure? When is a good time to use your body part to measure? Great ideas! Lets make a chart about the advantages and disadvantages of using our body parts to measure. Make a T-chart with advantages and disadvantages of using non-standard units

Closure: Exit card- students choose which task write on a note card (if there is more time, have students answer more than one) Students write a time when they would use their body part to measure something and explain why. Students write an advantage of using body parts. Students write a disadvantage of using body part Give an example of a time you measured with a body part.

Assessment Feedback: Thumbs up if good idea to use body parts to estimate: To measure a wall to see if it is longer than another wall. To estimate how long my bed is. To know exactly how long a piece of wood is to build a shelve. To know exact measurement. To estimate.

Academic, Social, and Linguistic Support during assessment

If students seem lost, converse with them one on one or work one on one with them during a math game

Measuring with a Broken Ruler Date: November 14th, 2011 Overall lesson topic/title and purpose Students will learn how to measure objects length using a ruler. Students will practice how you line up the object next to the ruler. Students will use a broken so they conceptually understand what they are doing when they measure and what the numbers and dashes mean on the ruler. Standard: MD.2. Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps. Limit to contexts where the object being measured is spanned by a whole number of length units with no gaps or overlaps. Goals/Objectives for todays lesson: Students will be able to measure using a broken ruler and use language of approximation. Materials & supplies needed: Broken Rulers, books, pencils, crayons, Masters ruler transparency, Math Journals, document camera

Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event Launch 10-12 minutes Review how to measure with a ruler that is not brokenline up the object and start at zero

Academic, Social and Linguistic Support during each event

When students are at the carpet then make sure to put students who have trouble seeing and/or paying attention then to put them in the front

Script: Friends, the other day we measured with rulers and guess whatMs. Bishops class is borrowing them and all we have are these broken rulers.but we can still use them! We just have to count the number of units. You still need to line up your object at the beginning of your broken ruler. So do you think you can use these broken rulers? (Model on Elmo) Now I am going to have table monitors pass out our broken rulers and you will measure a crayon with your ruler-I am going to do this same at the elmo and we are going to decide how long the crayon is altogether The whole class will measure along with you Model how to count the units to find measurement Remind students how to use language of approximation Practice until students understand how to measure with broken ruler If a couple of students are struggling let the group work independently while you sit with struggling students Explore Now you are going to measure by yourselves! I have the objects you will measure on your tables and you look at the picture to know what to measure and write how long it is on the line next to the object. Remember to line up the object, start at the beginning of your ruler, count the number of inches and use about or around or in between if the object is not right at the line. Lets have level one voices so kids can concentrate and I will be walking around, just raise your hand if you need help - Hand out a work sheet which has pictures of what students will measure (the items are provided on their tables and are small so they are not longer than the broken ruler) and have a line to record approximate measurement (remind students to write about) - Sit with struggling students - If students finish early allow them to pick their own items to measure around the opposite side of the room and record measurements on the back of their worksheet - Walk around and observe students: see if measuring correctly, see if recording answers on page (make sure numbers are not backwards), if students are not

Separate students if they make poor choices together at the carpet

If students are not paying attention: count down from 5, clap, ect. Have at least 15 seconds of wait time for questions

Always read the directions several times

Write in bold writing in a black marker on white boardas you write make sure to write out what saying and then repeat

Re voice students answers If cannot understand student responses then ask them to re phrase, or come up to the white board to explain Have MT sit with students who are having trouble sitting still/paying attention Have students explain different strategies the used If some students are finished early have them work on extension project (comparing objects) if some students are struggling then work with

counting units and simply looking at the numbers help them with this activity Summarize Clap hands- tell students that we are going to stop working- it is okay if they have not finished-and discuss and compare answers-they will need their worksheet and rulers on their desk. Would anyone like to come up and share their answer for the paper clips length? Now students, look at your answer as the volunteers come up, did you get the same answer? Why or why not? Do you think your answer is right or wrong? Re-measure your paper clip-Ill do so on the Elmo and we will check if it is correct. (Repeat for each object) Now remember friends, how some of you came up and asked me, what do I do if the object only covers part of the inch? Does anyone have an idea? Thats right! We can say about an inch, in between, or just past or almost (model these different ways). Can a volunteer come up and show me how they estimated when the measured one of the objects-that is what we are doing-estimating Great job friends! We really learned the importance of marking end to end and paying close attention when we are measuring-we cannot just look at the numbers-but really understand what an inch is-and how many inches and object is. We always need to pay close attention when we are measuring, and understand exactly what unit we are using. And now if you ever get a ruler that has no numbers or one that is broken you know how to use it! Or you use your own inch (distance across index and middle) to measure. Feedback: Thumbs up and thumbs down (model using broken ruler incorrectly and correctly). Is this the correct answer? Can someone raise their hand and tell me why (Repeat)

them in a small group

Assessment Did students correctly measure objects and record their answer correctly in their journal page? (walk round room with clip board and take notes on students answer/look over journals after lesson)

Academic, Social, and Linguistic Support during assessment Talk with students one on one about their answers

What students volunteered? What did they say (record/write on clip board)? Did they measure correctly? If students did not measure correctly did they change their thinking? (ask students to come up if they did not get correct answers and measure with broken rulers Have seat work where students write length of object placed at the middle of the ruler