Three reasons were offered for using nonstandard units instead of standard units in instructional activities. Which of these seem most important to you and why?
All three of the reasons made sense for using nonstandard units for introducing the concepts of measurement to younger grades. Focusing on nonstandard units makes measurement visual with more relevant objects that younger children can relate to. For example, children understand how large a jellybean is instead of the obscure inch. Nonstandard units provide a good rationale for using standard units. Having standard measurement with many different nonstandard units can be an exciting way to visualize and conceptually understand measurement at the beginning. However, students will more than likely become confused when they realize that each nonstandard unit is different and thus confusing when collecting data or communicating the measurement of something. Nonstandard measurement activities set the stage for understanding the need for standard units of measurement . I would teach these concepts by asking students to measure their desks with their favorite toy. We would then collect all the measurement they collected and put them on the board. Desks might be 12 rockets or 9 beanie babies long. Students will then be asked how their measurement might be confusing to their friends and why. What if their friends didn't know how big the rockets or beanie babies were. How would they know how big the desk was? This conversation would then lead us to discuss how standard units might be helpful. What if we measured with a unit everyone knew the size of? Students would be at a great jumping off point to study standard measurement.
I think the most important reason given for using nonstandard units is that nonstandard units focus directly on the attribute being measured. When students use measuring tools, such as a ruler to measure a book, they may only focus on the resulting number (ex: 6 inches) and not understand what this unit means. Students must be able to identify what they are measuring (area, length, volume etc) and what it means to measure this attribute. Nonstandard units can be used as benchmarks for students when they begin to make the connection to standard units. After using nonstandard units to measure objects with the class, you can gradually start to compare the nonstandard units to standard units. It took 20 pencils to measure the classroom white board, can we see how many inches long the white board is? How many feet? What does this say about the pencils?
I believe that one of the most compelling reasons to use nonstandard units when teaching students to measure is that nonstandard units provide a good rationale for using standard units. As students explore measuring activities they will come to realize that their results are difficult to compare if they are measured by a variety of nonstandard units. For instance, if students were asked to measure the distance between two points in the room using a measuring tool of their choice, ex index cards or giant footprints, and compare distances they would not be able to easily determine which was longer. At this point, introduces students to standard units would be more meaningful. Students would appreciate the clarity provided by using the same units. I think this approach is significant because it allows students the opportunity to explore the concepts of measurement and draw their own conclusions. This type of guided discovery leads to a more profound learning experience and will enrich the students' understanding of the concepts. I also think that this allows students to learn from their personal experiences rather than simply being told the information.
I agree with everyone here - you've got to start measurement study with nonstandard units. It's all about scaffolding; you've got to start somewhere small, in a tangible way young students can understand. The concept of measurement should sink in well before teachers add any confusing units or tools to the mix. Students need instruction before using any kind of tool, even a ruler. The worry with starting students with standard units, I gather, is that students will not really know the correct way to use the measurement tool, nor have a solid understanding of the space between units on the tool, or even what measurement is for. For example, students may not know how to solve a measurement problem when the item being measured begins at 2 inches and goes to 7 inches, calling it 7 inches instead of 5. Or, they may line up an object to be measured on the 1 inch mark, instead of at zero, and get the wrong answer. I really like the idea of estimating measurements too, and having an understanding of how long an inch or a foot is before actually using a ruler to measure it. I love the idea of students being able to use their own feet, stride, or hands-with to measure with because it is so practical and so useful. I can gauge these units well with my eyes now, but I remember using my stride when I was younger to get to a foot, or measure the distance I had to stand back from my soccer opponent when they got a free kick near my goal in the fourth grade. We use measurements all of the time, in real-life as well as in math class. The goal for students should be to become comfortable enough to estimate appropriately. If students can estimate measurement they will have "measurement sense," and be able to check their own answers and see if their answers makes sense. Standard units should be used only after students have a solid understanding of nonstandard units of measurement, to ensure that they really understand the basic concepts before they go on to the next level.
I found the first reason to use nonstandard units to be most interesting, given the fact that we just finished up reading about unit rates last week. Using random objects to measure would allow students to relate one measurement to another. For example, it might take 15 pieces of paper to cover the area of a table. Students could then scale that up to any number of tables without getting into the nitty gritty of units.
While I don't teach younger children, I can see my 6 year old wrap his head around the old world way of measuring a yard - from the tip of your nose to the tip of an outstretched arm. He would love to measure all his friends 'yards' and choose who he wants to buy a yard of fabric from.
I like the following arguments given by others: * using on nonstandard units makes measurement visual with more relevant objects that younger children can relate to (Rachel); * When students use measuring tools, such as a ruler to measure a book, they may only focus on the resulting number (ex: 6 inches) and not understand what this unit means. (Tiffany) * As students explore measuring activities they will come to realize that their results are difficult to compare if they are measured by a variety of nonstandard units. (Jennifer) * Science is full of units that often don’t help build understanding! (Katherine)
I agree with the above statements by the all of you, but was thinking more about when I was a little kid and did not know a lot about different measurement units. This topic of standard or nonstandard measurement has an interesting spin in a book Nature Deficit....(I am unsure of the entire title) that talks about kids missing playing outside and not developing the ideas of scientific theory because they are not playing outside as often. I think of this because my experience of having to measure sticks to build forts in the woods, or a tree fort, or how we use to mark of distances for a game that we would make when we were kids. We did not have tape measures but got pretty good at estimates, at using a nonstandard measurement tool, and at trial and error strategies! We learned how to think...imagine that from just having our parents sending us out into the woods. Understanding how volume can be measured by the displacement of water, how distance can be measured by a stick, and how if we think about communicating the idea of size to someone who is not familiar with the same units it will be important to have the experiences with nonstandard measurement. There are many reasons why both standard and nonstandard measurement teachings are important...but the most important reason is getting students to feel confident to think and accomplish the task before them.
All three of the reasons made sense for using nonstandard units for introducing the concepts of measurement to younger grades. Focusing on nonstandard units makes measurement visual with more relevant objects that younger children can relate to. For example, children understand how large a jellybean is instead of the obscure inch. Nonstandard units provide a good rationale for using standard units. Having standard measurement with many different nonstandard units can be an exciting way to visualize and conceptually understand measurement at the beginning. However, students will more than likely become confused when they realize that each nonstandard unit is different and thus confusing when collecting data or communicating the measurement of something. Nonstandard measurement activities set the stage for understanding the need for standard units of measurement . I would teach these concepts by asking students to measure their desks with their favorite toy. We would then collect all the measurement they collected and put them on the board. Desks might be 12 rockets or 9 beanie babies long. Students will then be asked how their measurement might be confusing to their friends and why. What if their friends didn't know how big the rockets or beanie babies were. How would they know how big the desk was? This conversation would then lead us to discuss how standard units might be helpful. What if we measured with a unit everyone knew the size of? Students would be at a great jumping off point to study standard measurement.
ReplyDeleteI think the most important reason given for using nonstandard units is that nonstandard units focus directly on the attribute being measured. When students use measuring tools, such as a ruler to measure a book, they may only focus on the resulting number (ex: 6 inches) and not understand what this unit means. Students must be able to identify what they are measuring (area, length, volume etc) and what it means to measure this attribute. Nonstandard units can be used as benchmarks for students when they begin to make the connection to standard units. After using nonstandard units to measure objects with the class, you can gradually start to compare the nonstandard units to standard units. It took 20 pencils to measure the classroom white board, can we see how many inches long the white board is? How many feet? What does this say about the pencils?
ReplyDeleteI believe that one of the most compelling reasons to use nonstandard units when teaching students to measure is that nonstandard units provide a good rationale for using standard units. As students explore measuring activities they will come to realize that their results are difficult to compare if they are measured by a variety of nonstandard units. For instance, if students were asked to measure the distance between two points in the room using a measuring tool of their choice, ex index cards or giant footprints, and compare distances they would not be able to easily determine which was longer. At this point, introduces students to standard units would be more meaningful. Students would appreciate the clarity provided by using the same units. I think this approach is significant because it allows students the opportunity to explore the concepts of measurement and draw their own conclusions. This type of guided discovery leads to a more profound learning experience and will enrich the students' understanding of the concepts. I also think that this allows students to learn from their personal experiences rather than simply being told the information.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone here - you've got to start measurement study with nonstandard units. It's all about scaffolding; you've got to start somewhere small, in a tangible way young students can understand. The concept of measurement should sink in well before teachers add any confusing units or tools to the mix. Students need instruction before using any kind of tool, even a ruler. The worry with starting students with standard units, I gather, is that students will not really know the correct way to use the measurement tool, nor have a solid understanding of the space between units on the tool, or even what measurement is for. For example, students may not know how to solve a measurement problem when the item being measured begins at 2 inches and goes to 7 inches, calling it 7 inches instead of 5. Or, they may line up an object to be measured on the 1 inch mark, instead of at zero, and get the wrong answer. I really like the idea of estimating measurements too, and having an understanding of how long an inch or a foot is before actually using a ruler to measure it. I love the idea of students being able to use their own feet, stride, or hands-with to measure with because it is so practical and so useful. I can gauge these units well with my eyes now, but I remember using my stride when I was younger to get to a foot, or measure the distance I had to stand back from my soccer opponent when they got a free kick near my goal in the fourth grade. We use measurements all of the time, in real-life as well as in math class. The goal for students should be to become comfortable enough to estimate appropriately. If students can estimate measurement they will have "measurement sense," and be able to check their own answers and see if their answers makes sense. Standard units should be used only after students have a solid understanding of nonstandard units of measurement, to ensure that they really understand the basic concepts before they go on to the next level.
ReplyDeleteI found the first reason to use nonstandard units to be most interesting, given the fact that we just finished up reading about unit rates last week. Using random objects to measure would allow students to relate one measurement to another. For example, it might take 15 pieces of paper to cover the area of a table. Students could then scale that up to any number of tables without getting into the nitty gritty of units.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't teach younger children, I can see my 6 year old wrap his head around the old world way of measuring a yard - from the tip of your nose to the tip of an outstretched arm. He would love to measure all his friends 'yards' and choose who he wants to buy a yard of fabric from.
I like the following arguments given by others:
* using on nonstandard units makes measurement visual with more relevant objects that younger children can relate to (Rachel);
* When students use measuring tools, such as a ruler to measure a book, they may only focus on the resulting number (ex: 6 inches) and not understand what this unit means. (Tiffany)
* As students explore measuring activities they will come to realize that their results are difficult to compare if they are measured by a variety of nonstandard units. (Jennifer)
* Science is full of units that often don’t help build understanding! (Katherine)
I agree with the above statements by the all of you, but was thinking more about when I was a little kid and did not know a lot about different measurement units. This topic of standard or nonstandard measurement has an interesting spin in a book Nature Deficit....(I am unsure of the entire title) that talks about kids missing playing outside and not developing the ideas of scientific theory because they are not playing outside as often. I think of this because my experience of having to measure sticks to build forts in the woods, or a tree fort, or how we use to mark of distances for a game that we would make when we were kids. We did not have tape measures but got pretty good at estimates, at using a nonstandard measurement tool, and at trial and error strategies! We learned how to think...imagine that from just having our parents sending us out into the woods. Understanding how volume can be measured by the displacement of water, how distance can be measured by a stick, and how if we think about communicating the idea of size to someone who is not familiar with the same units it will be important to have the experiences with nonstandard measurement. There are many reasons why both standard and nonstandard measurement teachings are important...but the most important reason is getting students to feel confident to think and accomplish the task before them.
ReplyDelete