Math measurement fair C.E.U. - 1st grade
Students participating in this CEU worked during math class to reason and problem-solve using various measurement attributes.
1. First we tried to decide which tool would be best to use to measure a box, and then we tried to agree on how the tool would be used to measure it.
2. Then we wrote and drew our ideas.
3. Time to start thinking about the attribute of weight.
4. We went to all different stations to measure the weight of different objects using hanger scales. Then we recorded what we noticed.
5. We decided we could use 50 pennies to measure different objects, since everyone in the county can use pennies to measure the weight of different items, and fifty pennies will always way the same thing.
6. We got to bring in objects from home. We put them in a zipper bag and brought them to math class to see which was heavier than, lighter than or about the same as the fifty pennies.
7. We used the pennies to weigh two different bags of objects, and then we used logic to write statements comparing the weight of each of the three bags. Some of our statements are in words, and some of them use math symbols.
8. One of the things we do in math is "Turn & Talk," so we can think about and discuss our ideas first before we share them aloud.
9. Another attribute used to measure an object is its AREA. We explored area by using SQUARE UNITS to cover two different placemats so we could compare their areas.
10. Then we used what we knew about area to create targets that could be used for a Pom-Pom toss at the math measurement fair. We made targets with all different amounts of square units, and then we lined them up to compare them. We met to discuss our ideas on which targets would be the best to use at a Math Measurement Fair.
11. In the end, we went to centers with odd shapes to predict the are of each shape and then to measure them to see how close our predictions were.
12. We were excellent Student Mathematicians and mathematical writers for Mrs. Young!