Children's literature, when teaching students math concepts, helps them to better comprehend the material and see how mathematical ideas and processes are used in real life situations. They can better relate to these ideas and are better able to recall the information at a later time. Teaching students the concept of measurement helps them to understand the relationship between size and length. To be more specific, the book presented in this lesson allows student's to better understand that we can use our feet as a reference for measuring length and even distance, but that each person's foot is a different length and that needs to be taken into consideration.

Inch, Foot, Length, Measure, Width

• Students will be able to make predictions about the content of the book.

• Students will be able to make inferences regarding why the bed was too small.

• Students will be able to make predictions about how big their feet are.

• Students will be able to use proper tools of measurement to achieve the goal.

• Students will be able to verify the accuracy of their prediction and record everything in their journals.

30 Minutes

• Student journals.

• Whiteboard, marker, pencils.

• Ruler.

• Blank/chart paper.

• String.

• Scissors.

• Book: "How Big is A Foot?" by Rolf Muller.

    Modeling, charts, making inferences, collaboration, sharing.

• Before

  1. Teacher will introduce lesson by having students gather in the circle in front of the white board and explaining that they will be reading a new book today.

  2. Teacher will tell students the title of the book and ask students what they think the book will be about.

  3. As students take turns giving their answers, the teacher will check for appropriate skills by asking why they think so.

  4. After students have given all of their answers, teacher will begin reading the book, pausing occasionally to ask students what they think will happen.

  5. After the teacher is finished reading the book, she will ask students why the bed was too small when measured using someone else's foot other than the King's. Students will give their predictions (which they will then write in their journals) and teacher will write them on the board.

• During

  1. Teacher will exlpain to students that they will be working in small groups where they will help each other to trace their feet and cut them out. Students may choose to decorate them if they wish.

  2. Students will have assigned tasks when retreiving and putting away materials.

  3. Students will use a piece of chart paper to create two colums and several rows. Students will write their names in one of the rows. In the columns, one will be labeled P, for prediction of how big they believe each of their feet will be, and the other column will be labeled F, for findings after they have done the measurements.

  4. After students make and write down their predictions, they will help each other trace their feet and cut them out. After cutting them out, students may decorate their foot any way they like. They will then use a rule to measure their feet and write their findings on their chart as well as in their journals.

  5. During this time, the teacher will walk around and make observations, and take pictures, as well as assist students who are struggling. The teacher will also create a larger piece of chart paper with the name of each student written on it.

• After

  1. After completion of this activity, students will put away their materials and return back to the circle to discuss their findings.

  2. The teacher will ask students what they discovered about the size of their feet. Were they bigger or smaller than they thought? Each child will have an opportunity to come up to the board to write down their measurement next to their name.

  3. The teacher will explain to students that not everyone's foot is the exact same size and this is why we need to use measuring tools, like rulers, to get accurate measurements. After activity has been completed, journals and measurement charts will be collected.

                4. To take the activity a bit further, the students may tape their cut out foot, one by one, onto the floor starting from the door of the classroom, making sure they are connected, and winding them around the room. The teacher will take a long piece of string and have students hold the string down at different points to measure how long the line is.

 

• Modifications

         Students who struggle with writing may draw their predictions and observations in their journal and the word wall will be written for them. Also, for those who struggle with reading what is on the board, the teacher will constantly refer back to the word wall and repeat and explain words that are on the wall. Teacher will also be very clear and direct when explaining objectives and procedures and will repeat them if necessary as well as model answers for students. For those who struggle with hearing, they will be given an opportunity to view the book themselves after it is read (or along with the reading if there is an extra book).

Students will be assessed on collaboration with other students, completion of their group chart, and the accuracy of their measurements. Student's journals will also be collected and viewed.

Book: "How Big is A Foot?" by Rolf Muller.

Length, Foot, Width

June 03, 2015