Mathematics Week 8 & 9

For these two weeks we looked into geometry/spatial sense and measurement. 

Geometry and Spatial Sense

In the junior and intermediate level some of the key concepts are:

• Properties of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional figures
• Geometric relationships
• Location and movement
• Application of geometric properties in real world 

When instructing this strand of math it is very important to differentiate instruction to target individual learning strengths. It is imperative to present geometry and spatial sense in concrete, pictorial, and abstract forms. Instruction should also include examples and non-examples, for example, when teaching symmetry and technology should be incorporated. 

Here is a game for teaching students about basic co-ordinates on a graph.

https://www.education.com/game/graphing-rescue-mission/

The game is suitable for a grade 5 level and I like how it relates to a map of the world. Use can use the game to encourage cross-curricular development by encouraging students to think about what continent or country the plane lands in based on the given co-ordinates. 

Measurement

Using real world situations is a good way to get students thinking about measurement. 

Measurement relates to:

• Length
• Perimeter
• Area
• Mass
• Capacity
• Time

In Canada and the rest of the world the metric system is what is used to determine measurement, but this is not the case in the United States. 

This is a great video to get students thinking about measurement. It features legendary and future Hall of Fame quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees. Even in a game like football, measurement is a critical part of it and you must advance the ball at least 10 yards to achieve a first down. Quite often the chains will come into measure if the ball has advanced 10 yards. As you can see in the video objects, which relate to real life are used to do measurements as any standard can be used. 



"The Game of Inches" 

Measurement is a math strand with plenty of real world application and something, which is a vital life skill. When building anything or designing blueprints, measurement comes into play and we are using it all the time. Sometimes this is through estimation or visualization and educators must also emphasize this in their instruction of measurement. There are many ways educators can make teaching measurement engaging and hands-on for students and this should be the ultimate goal.