Last week, Professor Mace, Gabbie, Jen, and I explored the PDESAS website and searched for lessons that related to the standard we unpacked the week before. The standard that I am working with this week is CC.2.4.2.A.4 which states; represent and interpret data using line plots, picture graphs, and bar graphs. This standard is under the domain measurement, data, and probability.
The lesson I found that follows this standard is called How Big is a Foot? This lesson is based off of a book called How Big is a Foot? By: Rolf Muller. The essential questions for the students' to keep in mind while completing this activity are why the bed was a different size when measured by someone else's foot other than the king's and whether everyone's feet are the same size and how they can prove whether that is true or not. The students are instructed to get into groups, trace each other's feet, and cut them out. They will predict how big they think their feet are and then measure their cut out feet with their actual feet to see the length. The students will then record the predictions of how big they think their feet are and then the measurements of their feet onto a chart. The teacher shows the students' all of their feet measurements and explains how they are all different and because they are all different, they need standard measurement tools instead of actual human feet to be able to measure accurately.
This lesson follows the standard CC.2.4.2.A.4 because the students represented their feet measurements onto a chart and compared those measurements after to show that human feet are not a reliable form of standard measurement. This lesson states that it follows the standard CC.2.4.2.A.1 which states measure and estimate lengths in standard units using appropriate tools. The students were never instructed to measure their cut out feet with an actual standard form of measurement such as a ruler. The students only measured their cut out feet with their actual feet and compared that data instead of measuring their cut out feet with rulers and comparing those to the foot measuring technique.
For the students to fully grasp the concept of measuring with standard measurement tools, they need to be able to measure their cut out feet with 12 inch rulers. A ruler is a standard measuring tool used in the US. Using the 12 inch ruler would ensure that all of their feet could be measured. They could also measure their actual feet with the rulers to see how long their feet are and whether they have different size feet or not and compare their cut out feet measurements to their actual feet measurements.
Hi
ReplyDeleteAllow me to introduce myself. My name is Deborah Sailsbery and I am a long-time educator, having served as a teacher and administrator. I currently consult in schools and often work with coordinating the standards and textbooks with good pedagogy. I appreciate the efforts that you and your colleagues are investing in understanding the standards and thus seeking to develop excellent teaching practices.
Correlating the CC standards and textbooks is indeed a challenge. As you know, the textbook companies are trying to address all of the needs of all of the people… an impossible and confusing task.
Perhaps it would be helpful to review the entire textbook in a general brief manner. Most math texts - grades 2-8, follow a similar pattern; place value, addition, subtraction, are usually first, followed by multiplication, division, measurement, geometry, fractions and decimals, depending on the grade.
Then try isolating and examining the PA Academic Standards for grade 2 for the purpose of long-range planning and assessment development. Some of the mathematical concepts are ongoing and embedded in all work that is occurring in the classroom. Some lend themselves to pacing throughout the year. By reducing the amount of material one is reviewing, the task becomes much easier.
I have sent Prof Mace a short list of just grade 2 PA Mathematics Standards.
Once the teacher has a basic understanding of the standards and a logical order to teach those, it is so much easier to use the textbook as a resource for planning, choosing what portions of the text seem appropriate to use.
This is worth the effort - so I encourage you to “keep on keep’n on”