NCDPI – AIG Instructional Resource: Background Information

Resource Title: The Longest and the Shortest
Subject Area/Grade Level (s): Math/Grade 2 / Time Frame: 1 class
Common Core Standard Addressed:
MEASUREMENT AND DATA
Measure and estimate lengths in standard units.
2MD.1 Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
2MD.2 Measure the length of an object twice, using length units of different lengths for the two measurements; describe how the two measurements relate to the size of the unit chosen.
2MD.3 Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.
2MD.4 Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length difference in terms of a standard length unit.
Mathematical Practices:
6. Attend to precision.
Additional Standards Addressed:
ELA-IRI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Brief Description of Lesson/Task/Activity: Who really cares about precise measurement anyway? Students will read a current article about international disagreements about measurement. Then students will go to the website http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/size/ and find a record of the longest or shortest of something. They can share this information with classmates on a poster, bulletin board, or in a booklet. They may want to identify the location of this record on a world map as well. Students should give the length measurement in both customary and metric units and be able to discuss the relationship between the units. Example: Thomas Blackthorne of the UK has the largest screwdriver in the world. The overall length of it is 101 cm. In inches, it measures 39.7 inches. I know that inches are larger units than centimeters so the number of inches is smaller. These facts can be saved for later to write measurement word problems.
Type of Differentiation for AIGs (include all that apply): x Enrichment Extension Acceleration
Adaptations for AIGs: Content x Process Product
Explanation of How Resource is Appropriate for AIGs: This activity relates to the real world. While there is more focus on just the facts than is usually appropriate, the facts can be used later to construct word problems and it gives students a chance to be interested as they relate the measurements in the two measurement systems. The numbers involved in this research are often larger than the numbers covered in second grade but calculators can be used.
Needed Resources/Materials
·  Article http://blogs.wsj.com/numbersguy/surveyors-scale-new-heights-of-mountain-measurement-1077/
·  Website http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/size/
·  Posters or bulletin board or other way to share findings.
Sources: NA
TEACHER NOTES: NA

NCDPI AIG Curriculum Resource Outline

STAGE ONE: ENGAGE
When do people care about precise measurement? Students may give some examples (size of clothing, building a house). Let’s read an article about how some countries want a precise measurement for mountains.
Read the article together. Discuss why people care about precise measurement. How does GPS help make measurement more accurate? The author says that humans will always want to know more. Do you want to know more?
STAGE TWO: ELABORATE
Go to the website http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/size/
Do a little bit of exploring. Can you find the tallest of something? The longest of something? The shortest? When I looked, I found out about the longest screwdriver (could show this to students or just tell about it). Thomas Blackthorne from the United Kingdom has a screwdriver that is 101 cm. How long is that? Can we use our meter stick to show how long that is? Will it measure more units or fewer units when we measure in inches? It measures 39.7 inches. Inches are larger units, so its measure has fewer inches. When you find your interesting fact, be sure to tell who, where, and what. Be sure to find the metric and customary measurement. Let the students know how you want them to share this information – on a poster, etc.
Students could also show the “normal” size of the item they find in the World Records. Have them do some comparing…how much bigger/smaller is this than usual? Again, they can express this comparison in both customary and metric units as they are able.
STAGE THREE: EVALUATE
The student can explain which measurement has a larger unit and which measurement will have more or fewer units in the measure.
TEACHER NOTES: NA

PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Education | Department of Public Instruction AIG ~ IRP Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted Instructional Resources Project