Kid World Citizen



8890-44323000Communicating Mathematically: How Does the United States Measure Up?Project Overview “Communicating Mathematically” is designed to involve students in hands-on activities that will enable them to gain an understanding of metric mass and capacity. While metric length is not a third grade curricular goal, it will be explored by students as it directly relates to the overall goals of this project and will be utilized throughout the school year. The United States, Liberia, and Myanmar are the only countries in the world who still use the customary measurement system (Andrei, 2011). Since customary measurement is what these students are exposed to in their everyday lives, history of the global system of measurement and reasons why communicating units accurately for global communication in math, science, and other content areas will be discussed. To encourage critical thinking, students will work in collaborative groups to brainstorm problems that could occur when people working in different parts of the world are using different measurement systems, and create a video to show and explain their ideas. Students will use their knowledge of the metric system and an online conversion calculator to convert recipes to metric measures in the classroom, and create these recipes with parents and with students in other classes to bring awareness of the metric system to the community.This project fosters global knowledge as student learn to communicate with metric measurement, the history of measurement systems, differences in the US system versus the global system, and how these differences can create global issues. Global skills are fostered as students use comparative thinking and collaborate to consider problems that could occur due to ineffective communication in mathematics. The project fosters global attitudes as students develop an openness to a new way of thinking, self-awareness, and comfort in unfamiliar situations.Targeted Grade Level(s)This unit is designed for third grade students, but could easily be adapted for fourth or fifth grade by adding the additional measurement content.Project LengthApproximately two weeks.Project Learning GoalsStudents will be able to:identify items that can be measured using liquid volume units (milliliter and liter) and mass units (gram and kilogram)understand the relative size of milliliters and liters; grams and kilogramsestimate capacity and mass based on unit sizeclassify units of capacity, mass, and length as customary or metriccompare customary units to metric units of measuressolve estimation problems for capacity and massimagine problems that could occur due to a lack of units or inaccurate unit usagepredict the impact of inaccurate unit usage on mathematical communication Essential QuestionsWhat types of problems are solved with measurement (Key, n.d.)?How do you choose the appropriate unit of measurement?How do units within a system relate to each other?When is using an estimate appropriate and what strategies help estimate measures (Key, n.d.)?How do tools for measuring wet and dry ingredients in the United States (capacity and mass) differ from those used in most other parts of the world?Why do you think the United States has resisted changing to the metric system?What is the importance of a common system of measurement within a culture and why is it important to compare measures using the same type of unit?What are the benefits and drawbacks of a world-wide system of measurement?What problems might occur because of different systems of measurement?Enduring UnderstandingsStudents will understand that:Objects have distinct attributes that can be measured (Key, n.d.).Standard units provide common language for communicating measurement (Key, n.d.).The choice of measurement depends on the measurable attribute and the degree of precision desired (Key, n.d.).Global communication requires internationally accepted systems.National and State Standards3rd Grade Common Core Math3.MD.A.2 Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l). Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.Standards for Mathematical Practices MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.MP4 Model with mathematics.MP5 Use appropriate tools strategically.MP6 Attend to precision.3rd Grade Common Core ELAW.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.W.3.6 With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.NC Essential Standards for Social Studies3.H.1.1 Explain key historical events that occurred in the local community and regions over time.ICT IntegrationVideos through Discovery Education to see real world examples of measurement usage.Online measurement conversion calculator.Use of iPad to create video (other online option could be used).Optional:Animoto video to show items measured using different measurement.Use of technology to word process recipes and create an online recipe municating with a partner classroom to compare measurements in the classroom via Skype.ePals collaborative project to share recipes with a class in another country.Proposed Calendar of Activities and ExchangesNote: A blog/journal prompt is included for each day of instruction. If you do not currently have a class blog, it is recommended that you review chapter four in Connected from the Start: Global Learning in the Primary Grades by Kathy Cassidy (2013). New bloggers may want to have students write the journal prompts and create a blog post from their responses as a whole class. Classrooms of experienced bloggers can have students post their own blog response each day in place of a journal entry. Suggestions for posting pictures of students measuring classroom items are included on Days 2-4, but pictures and/or video posts would be appropriate and interesting for other classrooms to view on all days of instruction. I am using the “edublogs” platform with my third grade students, also listed in the resources section. Each day of instruction should begin with a short discussion of the previous days blog/journal response so students can hear others thinking and make connections with their own learning.Prior to Day 1SI Teachers Kit: Obtain a free set of metric education resources for your classroom by contacting TheSI@ (include your name, school, subject, grade level, phone number, and mailing address).*Read Super Sand Castle Saturday by Stuart Murphy. This is a great bridge from K-2 nonstandard to standard measurement, and connections can be made to the need for a universal measurement system. The book can be purchased or watched for free on you tube at 1*Read the book Millions to Measure” by David Schwartz. This book gives a brief overview of the history of measurement development. There are several spots in this read aloud where a think/pair/share would be beneficial for students. Notes in the back of the book should be reviewed in advance by teacher and used to enhance discussion. The PDF article Toward a Metric America: The United States and the Metric System by NIST can be found at ; source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDQQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2F%2Fpml%2Fwmd%2Fmetric%2Fupload%2F1136a.pdf&ei=Q4iVVaL3BMvmoATi47aQBg&usg=AFQjCNEgViBr-E4d4HjoWIOT3Mv4J-azpg&bvm=bv.96952980,d.cGU and has excellent in-depth notes for background knowledge, as well. Students are not required to learn the customary units of measure in third grade, however this is the current “language of measurement” for most students because of life experiences. Understanding the two are different systems that perform the same function will help avoid confusion and misconceptions.*Watch NASA’s Real World video "US Standard System of Measurement vs. Metric System". The mathematics concepts in this video are most appropriate for 5th-8th grade, but the history and examples of tools are appropriate and interesting for 3rd grade students.*Show students world map of countries not using the metric system at *Blog/Journal prompt: What types of problems can be solved with measurement? Share one time you had to measure something and how you measured it.Day 2-4*Instruction on capacity and mass using your school’s required instructional curriculum. It is recommended that students have multiple hands-on experiences measuring capacity and mass. Using food coloring in water makes it easier for students to read glass measuring cups, beakers, and eye droppers. Regular classroom items can be measured using balance scales. A homework option is to have students bring a kitchen item from home that has a metric measurement on the label to share.*Online resources to supplement instruction:Brain Pop Jr. lesson on grams and kilograms. the Scale, a Weighty Tale by Brian ClearyThe Metric Kitchen webpage has a brief overview of prefixes and how they impact the base measurement word * Blog/Journal prompt suggestions:-How do you choose the appropriate unit of measurement?-How do units within a system relate to each other?-When is using an estimate appropriate and what strategies help estimate measures?Each day, have students photograph each other measuring a classroom item using the unit explored that day to share with others on the blog post.Day 5Comparing Customary to Metric measurement*Watch Discovery Education video "Measurement: Understanding Units of Length, Weight, and Volume" which shows different ways in zookeepers use the standard and metric systems of measurement at Busch Gardens.* Read Pastry School in Paris: An Adventure in Capacity by Cindy Neuschwander. Discuss the problem students had when they used the wrong unit of measure.*Compare a chocolate chip cookie recipe using customary measurement to the metric chocolate chip cookie recipe found at . *Students work in small groups to measure ingredients to make a no-bake recipe. Two options are included:No-bake Cookies option: Find a recipe using customary measurement and bring a copy to class. If this is not assigned for homework, teacher will need to have a collection of simple recipes for student use in tomorrow’s lesson.*Blog/Journal prompt: How do tools for measuring wet and dry ingredients in the United States (capacity and mass) differ from those used in most other parts of the world?Day 6*Read Oh, No, Toto! by Katrin Hyman Tchana. Discuss Cameroonian foods in book and differences between Toto’s market and ours. Demonstrate how to use the online conversion calculator (see below) using recipe for egussi soup found in the book.*Students work with partners to rewrite recipes with metric measures using an online conversion calculator at . If technology is available, typing and illustrating the recipes for a class cookbook is an excellent extension and could be shared with international partners. (Students will continue to work on creating a product that is visually appealing and mathematically accurate during writing time on Days 7 & 8).* Blog/Journal prompt: What is the importance of a common system of measurement within a culture and why is it important to compare measures using the same type of unit?Day 7*Discuss global impact different measurement systems can have on communication using the “Mars Project” information from Day 1 and the problem the children encountered in Pastry School in Paris read aloud.*Students collaborate to imagine a problem that might occur due to use of different measurement systems and create video (or other presentation). Optional: It would add interest and additional cultural awareness if the students’ problems had to be in a transaction between an American and an international company.*Blog/Journal prompt: What are the benefits and drawbacks of a world-wide system of measurement?Day 8*Students present their video from Day 7 showing a problem that could occur due to the use of different measurement systems. Class should take a few minutes to discussion how realistic each problem is and how the problem could have been avoided (focus on clear communication and understanding other cultures). *Blog/Journal prompt: Students write an explanation of learning to post with these videos.Day 9*Students have been working on their recipes from Day 6 during writing time. Have each team present recipes in class. Recipe should be taken home to share with parents.Optional: Scan recipes before they are sent home to share with parents. A class recipe book would be a welcome addition to the classroom library. Scanned images could be posted on the class blog to share with international partner classrooms. *Blog/Journal prompt: Why do you think the United States has resisted changing to the metric system?Day 10Using one or both of the no-bake recipes from Day 5, students become the experts to work with another class to make a no-bake recipe using metric tools. This would be a great time to send an invitation to another third grade classroom in the building to come and “cook” with you. Alternately, you could invite parents to come to school and have their students lead them with the metric tools.*Blog/Journal prompt: Reflect on the experience of teaching other students/parents.Project Assessment with Scoring Rubric38104191000Super Work!-590554191000RightonTrack-150495-34290 Needs More Work!Determines unit of capacity needed (liter or ml) and measures accurately. Estimates when appropriate.ALWAYS*Chooses correct unit.*Measures accurately.*Estimates when appropriate.1-2 errors in required measurement skills3 or more errors in measurement skills.Determines unit of mass needed (gram or kg) and measures accurately. Estimates when appropriate.ALWAYS*Chooses correct unit.*Measures accurately.*Estimates when appropriate.1-2 errors in required measurement skills3 or more errors in measurement skills.Demonstrates an understanding of the need for consistent units to communicate mathematical ideas.ALWAYS*Correct units from within the same system present in calculations and journal entries.*Units missing 1-2 times.*Units used are from within the same system.*Units missing 3 or more times.*Units used are not from the same system.Applies knowledge to create a real world problem scenario related to ineffective communication of units.Creative, realistic problem. Fully developed mistake and explanation of impact on communication.Problem realistic. Mistake developed but impact on communication not explicit for audience.Problem may be realistic or unrealistic.Mistake and impact are missing or not fully developed.Uses collaborative work skills effectively during partner, group, and leadership assignments.ALWAYSFollow rules for communication.Considerate of other points of pletes individual tasks and seeks feedback from team.Generally cooperative, but needs to be reminded 1-2 times about appropriate behaviors during collaborative work.Ineffective communication with team and/or inconsiderate of team members. Needs reminders to complete individual tasks.Demonstrates self-awareness of own culture, openness to new ideas, and respect for differences in other cultures (moving towards others-awareness).Understands metric system is used almost exclusively in other cultures. Shows acceptance and respect for differences of others.Knows metric system is used almost exclusively in other cultures but does not understand “why they don’t do it like us”. Respectful but may not show acceptance of differences.Knows metric system is used almost exclusively in other cultures but thinks others should change to be “like us”. May not show respect or acceptance of differences.ResourcesChildren’s Literature:Cleary, B. P. (2008). On the scale, a weighty tale. New York: Scholastic.Murphy, S. (1998). Super sand castle Saturday. New York: Harper Collins.Neuschwander, C. (2009). Pastry school in Paris: An adventure in capacity. New York: Henry Holt and Company.Schwartz, D. M. (2006). Millions to measure. New York: Harper Collins.Tchana, K. H. & Pami, L. T. (1997). Oh, no, Toto! New York: Scholastic Trade.Technology Tools:EduBlogs. (2015). edublogs. Retrieved from . (2010, June 1). Cooking Resources. Retrieved from The Global Gourmet: , K. (2013). Connected from the start: Global Learning in the primary grades (pp. 43-63). Virginia: Powerful Learning Press. Retrieved from School. (n.d.). Concepts of elementary mathematics: Enduring understandings & essential questions [powerpoint file]. Retrieved from of Weights and Measures/Metric Program National Institute of Standards and Technology. (1997). Toward a metric America: The United States and the metric system. Retrieved from HYPERLINK "" \t "_blank" : BIBLIOGRAPHY BrainPop. (2015, July 9). Grams & Kilograms. Retrieved from Brain Pop Jr.: Education.?(2011). Measurement: Understanding Units of Length, Weight, and Volume. [FullVideo]. Available from Murdock, L. (2015, February 8). Super Sand Castle Saturday [Video file]. Retrieved from BIBLIOGRAPHY NASA. (2015, July 9). US standard system of measurement vs. metric system. Retrieved from NASA eClips: Institute of Standards and Technology. (2015, May 8). Education Resources on the Metric System. Retrieved from NIST: Institute of Standards and Technology. (2015, May 20). Metric Chocolate Chip Cookies.Retrieved from NIST: , M. (2011, Mar 2). Map of countries officially not using the metric system. Retrieved from ZMEScience: Levin, B. (2012, Aug 16). Lemonade Recipes. Retrieved from : , S. (2012, Aug 16). "No-Bake" Cookies. Retrieved from : Kitchen. (2015, July 9). Cooking with the metric system. Retrieved from : ................
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