Comments on: 1. Measuring up http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/measuringmiddlelevel/2006/05/31/measuring-up/ Hello! I\'m Terese (Terry) Herrera, a math teacher of grades 6-10 for many years, and now a creator of online units for the NSDL Middle School Portal found at http://msteacher.org. Teachers have a lot to share with one another, so it seems efficient to provide a space for you to talk about your successes, great or small, in teaching math. Our students find measurement a challenge in all its forms--from using a ruler to finding volume to solving distance problems. So we\'re setting out measurement as a first topic. We\'ll recommend full-scale projects you can use in your classroom, but also simple problems that can start your students thinking. We hope you\'ll do the same--recommend lesson ideas that have worked for you. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:52:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Kimberly Rimbey http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/measuringmiddlelevel/2006/05/31/measuring-up/#comment-6 Kimberly Rimbey Thu, 08 Jun 2006 16:32:54 +0000 http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/measuringmiddlelevel/2006/05/31/measuring-up/#comment-6 I couldn't agree more with the project approach! So often our traditional approach to teaching measurement focuses on textbook exercises and formulas. However, without actually measuring things in the real world, measurement really has no utility. One of my favorite activities with students it to have them make art projects with exact specifications. One year they made picture frames. They had instructions with specific measurements for the outside and inside dimensions. All supplies were provided, but there was enough variety to allow for creativity as well (if all frames looked exactly alike, the students would just copy one another and the measurement would disappear). They were not shown the actual picture that was to fit into the frame until after the project was completed. Then we could tell if the inside measurement was correct simply by looking at how the picture fit into the frame. It was fun, relevant, easy to prep, and yet challenging for the kids. They were so engaged in the project that they were actually surprized when we analyzed all of the math they used from fractions to geometry to proportions! I couldn’t agree more with the project approach! So often our traditional approach to teaching measurement focuses on textbook exercises and formulas. However, without actually measuring things in the real world, measurement really has no utility.

One of my favorite activities with students it to have them make art projects with exact specifications. One year they made picture frames. They had instructions with specific measurements for the outside and inside dimensions. All supplies were provided, but there was enough variety to allow for creativity as well (if all frames looked exactly alike, the students would just copy one another and the measurement would disappear). They were not shown the actual picture that was to fit into the frame until after the project was completed. Then we could tell if the inside measurement was correct simply by looking at how the picture fit into the frame. It was fun, relevant, easy to prep, and yet challenging for the kids. They were so engaged in the project that they were actually surprized when we analyzed all of the math they used from fractions to geometry to proportions!

]]> By: Doug Darfus http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/measuringmiddlelevel/2006/05/31/measuring-up/#comment-4 Doug Darfus Mon, 05 Jun 2006 16:39:38 +0000 http://expertvoices.nsdl.org/measuringmiddlelevel/2006/05/31/measuring-up/#comment-4 When I taught math at a career center, we had a great project using measurement. We handed students an actual blueprint of a sawhorse and told the students to build it. That was all the info they were given. Students then had to ask good questions on how to measure, how to make a proportion, how to do this and that... which led to many great mathematical lessons for them to complete the project. For middle school this could be used by giving students a blueprint of some basic structure and asking them to build a model of it. Students could use cardboard and glue but would have to figure out a good scale and do a lot of measuring. It too could lead to some great math lessons. I love the projects where there are as little directions as possible and a goal to be achieved. Then when students start asking questions... you get many teachable moments. When I taught math at a career center, we had a great project using measurement. We handed students an actual blueprint of a sawhorse and told the students to build it. That was all the info they were given. Students then had to ask good questions on how to measure, how to make a proportion, how to do this and that… which led to many great mathematical lessons for them to complete the project.
For middle school this could be used by giving students a blueprint of some basic structure and asking them to build a model of it. Students could use cardboard and glue but would have to figure out a good scale and do a lot of measuring. It too could lead to some great math lessons.
I love the projects where there are as little directions as possible and a goal to be achieved. Then when students start asking questions… you get many teachable moments.

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