Elementary Education Models

Inventing Measurement Unit: Overview

(Shannon Brandt is the 4th grade teacher in the video clips)

Although measurement is often taught directly by giving students certain units and tools with the units on them, Ms. Brandt has the children question he use of standard units and invites them to invent their own units. The problem set-up invloves a desk display where a "skirt" of fabric is needed. Students need to figure out how much fabric is needed to go around the perimeter of the desk, reaching to the floor all the way around. 

After Ms. Brandt poses the question and removes all conventional rulers from the room, she assigns the students to groups. They work on the problems as she "floats" from group to group listening to their problem solving strategies. She poses further questions rather than answering their questuions directly.

In the culminating activity, groups share their strategies for measuring without conventional tools and answer the larger questions of why conventional tools and units are useful.
 
 

Extension of The Invention Lesson Into Various Subject Areas 

Math: The lesson in the video clip focuses on the mathematics of measurement, asking the following more specfic questions: 

1. Are the units of measure universal?
2. What does it mean to measure something?
3. Is there a practical need for measurement in the real world?
4. If standard units of measure had not been invented, can I use my own invented units and still get the job done?

Social Studies: Student group (pairs) choose an inventor, research the invention, and make a presentaion to the class with one of the group members dressed as the inventor.

Science: Students "invent" ways to classify the leaves they collected-- that relies, in some way, on measurement.