LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

TITLE: Am I a Square

CONTENT AREAS:  Math, Communication,

 

GRADE LEVEL: 6th grade

 

MATERIALS NEEDED: String, writing materials, chalk board, sticky notes.

 

KEY CONCEPTS: Determine how the length of one’s arm span relates to their height.

 

EALR'S and GLE'S (Make the connections clear and specific)

Math: 1.2 Understand and apply concepts and procedures from measurement. Also using estimation.

3. Student uses mathematical reasoning, gathering data, graphing info, and discussing results.

Communication: All the GLE’s for communication are practiced in this small group activity. Students use listening and observation skills to gain understanding from group members about decision making in measurements (1). Students use communication skills to interact and work in the small group (2). Students use communication skills to present ideas and problem solve how to best measure with string (3). Given enough time we will debrief the group experience and analyze the group communication and effectiveness (4)

Learning Goals:  Establish  an effective method of measuring with string. Discover more about one’s body, ie. Relation of arm span to height.

 

PROCEDURES: Pre assessment question

Introduction: Am I a square, a tall rectangle or a wide rectangle. Square  = arm span the same as height, tall rectangle = height greater than arm span, wide rectangle = arm span greater than height.

Have students predict if they are a square, a tall rectangle or a wide rectangle, select a different color sticky note for each type of shape and post it on the board on an estimation graph.

Count off for groups of three, 1’s materials; 2’s reporter; 3’s recorder.

Have Materials person get pens, string, scratch paper.

Have groups keep track of each persons measurement, deciding among the group what is the best way to measure people

Have Reporter come up and post group member’s sticky notes and give brief explanation of how they measured and kept track of measurements.

Compare estimation graph with measurement graph.

Discussion of time.

 

Introduction/Preassessment:

      Activity: Raise your hand if you have any ideas for how to measure something without a tape measure or ruler?

               Closure: Raise your hand if you have any ideas for how you could take your string and find out how tall you were in cm’s. This would show transference of the concept of measurements converting to different units.

 

POST-ASSESSMENT
Reporter explanation of how the group measured, and evidence of measurement of individuals sticky notes.

Debrief of group process.

 

TEACHER REFLECTION (What went well, what would you do differently?)