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Giant Steps, Baby Steps

Lesson Plan

Giant Steps, Baby Steps

Objectives

In this unit, students are introduced to the concept of measurement. Students will:

  • measure a given distance using nonstandard units.
  • determine the relationship between using larger and smaller nonstandard units.

Essential Questions

How precise do measurements and calculations need to be?
In what ways are the mathematical attributes of objects or processes measured, calculated and/or interpreted?
What does it mean to estimate or analyze numerical quantities?
What makes a tool and/or strategy appropriate for a given task?
When is it is appropriate to estimate versus calculate?
Why does “what” we measure influence “how” we measure?
  • What does it mean to estimate or analyze numerical quantities?
  • What makes a tool and/or strategy appropriate for a given task?
  • Why does what we measure influence how we measure?

Vocabulary

  • Length: Measurement of an object from end to end.
  • Less Than: Not as great in amount or quantity.
  • More Than: Greater in amount, degree, or number.

Duration

30–45 minutes

Prerequisite Skills

Prerequisite Skills haven't been entered into the lesson plan.

Materials

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Related Materials & Resources

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Formative Assessment

  • View
    • Your observations during lesson activities and classroom discussion should help to guide instruction.
    • Lesson 1 Exit Ticket (M-1-5-1_Lesson 1 Exit Ticket.doc) can be used to determine whether students are able to use nonstandard units to measure and whether they understand that the smaller the unit of measure, the greater the number of units required.

Suggested Instructional Supports

  • View
    W: Students are introduced to measurement.  
    H: Students learn to measure a distance using “giant” and “baby” steps. 
    E: Students cover distances using three different types of steps: giant, baby, and walking.
    R: Students review what they learned during the activity by coming together and recording and discussing the differences between the various kinds of steps.  
    E: Through discussion evaluate students’ understanding of the relationship between the size of the step and the number of steps taken. Throughout the activity, monitor student steps to see that they are fairly consistent. 
    T: The lesson may be tailored to meet student needs. For review, students can complete a small-group activity that compares lengths measured in different sizes of steps. For a greater challenge, students can measure distances using cut-out feet. 
    O: Students practice using the different kinds of steps to cover distances. They discover the relationship between the size of the step and the number of steps needed to cover the distance. 

Instructional Procedures

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    Note: In preparation for this lesson, create different stations around the room with the same distance marked off (4 to 5 feet). Also mark off a line 4–5 feet long in the front of the classroom.

    “Today you will learn about measurement. We are going to measure a distance by making different sized steps. Some steps will be big or giant, and some steps will be small or baby steps. Let me show you my giant step.” Take a giant step as a demonstration. Have two or three students come to the front of the room and demonstrate what their giant steps look like. “Next, let me show you my baby step.” Demonstrate a baby step; for the purpose of being consistent, it is recommended that you make a baby step a heel/toe step. Have two or three students come to the front of the room and demonstrate what their baby steps look like.

    “Now, we are going to use these different steps to measure a distance. I want you to count the number of giant steps I take to get from one end to the other.” Have students count the number of giant steps it takes you to cover the marked distance. Draw a chart on the board similar to the one shown below.

    Name

    Giant Steps

    Baby Steps

    Teacher

     

     

     

     

     

    “How many giant steps did I take?” Record the number on the chart. “Now, count the number of baby steps I take to cover the same distance.” Record the number of steps on the chart.

    “Now you will do the same thing that I just did, but you will work in pairs.” (Students may need to work in a small group due space limitations in the classroom.) Distribute to each group the Recording Sheet (M-1-5-1_Recording Sheet.doc). “All students in your group will take turns measuring the distance first with giant steps, then baby steps. Have each person take one turn doing giant steps. Make sure to write the number of steps next to the person’s name on the recording sheet. Then, have each person take a turn taking baby steps. Write this number down next to the person’s name under the Baby Steps column on the recording sheet.”

    Set a predetermined amount of time for students to spend measuring and recording their steps. Then bring the class back together. Collect the recording sheets and transfer the information to the board. Discuss with students what they noticed while measuring the distance with giant and baby steps. Facilitate a discussion about why they took fewer giant steps than baby steps, or more baby steps than giant steps, to cover the same distance.

    Add a third column on the chart on the board called Walking Step.

    Name

    Giant Steps

    Baby Steps

    Walking Step

    Teacher

     

     

     

    Student

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Call on a student to demonstrate a walking step. Ask students to explain how walking steps differ from baby steps and giant steps. Ask, “Do you think you will take more or fewer walking steps than giant steps? Why? Do you think you will take more or fewer walking steps than baby steps? Why? Why does the teacher take fewer giant steps than a student when covering the same distance? Why is there a difference from one student to another student?” Be sure that students recognize the relationships among the three types of steps. The larger the step, the fewer steps are needed to cover the distance. The smaller the step, the more steps are needed to cover the distance. When you use walking steps, the number of steps is in between the total number of giant steps and baby steps.

    Extension:

    • Routine: When students line up to go to different places in the building (e.g., the library, music class, etc.), have them silently count the number of giant steps it takes to reach each location and the number of walking or baby steps it takes to return.
    • Small Group: Separate the class into three different groups. Have a marked distance on the floor. Have one group take giant steps to measure the distance. The second group takes baby steps and the third group takes walking steps to measure the distance. Before the groups do their measuring, discuss which group will take the most steps and which group will take the fewest steps. When students are finished measuring, compare the outcome to students’ predictions.
    • Expansion: Provide students with three different sized feet cut from tagboard or construction paper. Show students a marked distance and have them predict how many feet placed end to end it would take to measure the distance. Then have students measure and check their predictions.

Related Instructional Videos

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Final 4/18/14
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