tuning into perimeter

To help students tune into measurement, our student teacher and I challenged the kids in math class to do this:

Find an object in the classroom and figure out the distance around the outside of it.

Document the strategies you used.

That's it. Now go...

Here's what happened:

students chose how to organize information

accurate use of measurement tools

noticing how understanding fractions on a number line helps when measuring (!!!)

using prior knowledge

attending to precision

interest piqued!

collaboration

organization

misconceptions uncovered

From here, we did a bunch of talking and sharing. Next, we'll be able to define perimeter, model and teach formulaic equations, and practice precise measurement techniques. It was a great way to get the kids focused on math in a hands-on way and engaging in math conversations with little intervention. For us as teachers, it was a great little check-in to see what the kids know and how much, and where we'll need to step in to improve conceptual understanding.