Kelsey Mercadante

ELED 533
Goal Update: Final Additions
My Documentation Includes:
1. Prep Notes
2. List of Math Connections
3. Math Connection Activities
4. Articles on Math Connections
1. Prep Notes
Chapter 16: Building Measurement Concepts & Measurement Content
Learning Progressions
Quotes
Measurement involves a comparison of an
attribute of an item or situation with a unit that has
the same attribute ( Van de Walle, p. 312).

Notes
On my pre-assessment in class, I agreed with the
fact that measurement involves comparison.
When you measure something, you compare an
attribute of an item that has the same attribute.
Attributes are used in geometry and
measurement. In geometry, you classify shapes
by attributes.
Estimation of measures and the development of Estimation is used in a variety of math strands.
benchmarks for frequently used units of measure You can estimate the amount of almost anything.
help students increase their familiarity with units, You can estimate when adding, subtracting,
preventing errors, and aiding in the meaningful use dividing, and multiplying. You can estimate when
of measurement (Van de Walle, p. 312).
measuring while cooking and you can estimate
the time it will take to drive somewhere.
Measurement is one of the most useful math
From gigabytes that measure amounts of
content strands because it is an important
information, to font size on computers, to miles
component in everything from occupational tasks per gallon, to recipes for a meal, people are
to life skills for the mathematically literate citizen surrounded daily with measurement concepts that
(Van de Walle, p. 312).
apply to a variety of real-world contexts and
applications. People use measurement in realworld contexts that also connect to other math
concepts. For example, if you measure a brick to
see if will fit in a slot when you build a house,
you are measuring a rectangular prism, which
relates to geometry.
Understanding the role of the decimal point as
Students need to know the role of the decimal
indicating the units position is a powerful concept point in order to understand metric conversions.
for making metric conversions (Van de Walle, p. As students grasp the structure of decimal
319).
notation, develop the metric system with all seven
paces: three prefixes for smaller units (deci, centi,

The use of a benchmark to make an estimate

promotes multiplicative reasoning. The width of
the building is about one-fourth of the length of a
football field perhaps 25 yards (Van de Walle, p.
319)

The pattern between surface area and volume is

similar to the one found between area and
perimeter. Namely, prisms that are more cube-like
have less surface area than prisms with the same
volume that are long and narrow (Van de Walle,
p. 332).

The connectedness of mathematical ideas can

hardly be better illustrated than with the
connections of all of these formulas to the single
concept of base times height (Van de Walle, p.
334).

Geometric measurement connects the two most

critical domains of early mathematics, geometry
and number, with each providing conceptual
support to the other. Measurement is central to
mathematics, to other areas of mathematics (e.g.,
laying a sensory and conceptual foundation for
arithmetic with fractions), to other subject matter
domains, especially science, and to activities in
everyday life (p. 2 Learning Progressions).
Area relates to operations of multiplication and
addition (p. 5 Learning Progressions).

milli) and three for larger units (deka, hector,

kilo). Its important to remember to avoid
mechanical rules such as to change centimeters
to meters, move the decimal point two places to
the left.
It is important for students to know fractional
parts of units when measuring. Students can use
fractional units to be more precise when
measuring. This is a great way to connect
fractions and measurement. Benchmarks are also
helpful while teaching and working with variety
of math strands. Benchmarks help with
estimating and they also promote multiplicative
reasoning. Students who have practiced using
benchmarks in class are better estimators.
When students learn about perimeter and area it is
important for them to know the relationship
between them. When students begin to learn
about surface area and volume in the upper
grades, students can connect the new
material/relationship to the old
material/relationship involving perimeter and
area. Students can see how the relationships are
similar and it will allow them to also connect
previous knowledge to new experiences.
A conceptual approach to the development of
formulas helps students understand they are
meaningful and efficient ways to measure
different attributes of the objects around us. After
developing formulas in conceptual ways, students
can derive formulas from what they already
know. The single concept of base times height
will allow students to find the area of any shape
or object.
Geometric measurement connects to geometry
and number. Measurement lays a foundation for
arithmetic with fractions. I feel that measurement
relates to many concepts other than math too,
such as science experiments.

You can use multiplication or addition to find out

the area of a polygon. This relates to my ELED

533 unit on perimeter and area. Students will see

this connection throughout the unit.
Chapter 18: Helping Students Represent and Interpret Data & Content Learning
Progressions: Measurement and Data
Quotes
Grade 3 Data can be gathered through
measurement activities with fractional units (p.
378, Van de Walle).
Grade 4 Students can make line plots to display
numerical data from measurements (with
fractional units) and interpret the data to solve
problems involving addition and subtraction of
fractions (p. 378, Van de Walle).
Grade 5 Students continue to use line plots to
display numerical measurement-based data and
use operations with fractions to solve problems
using information from the graphs (p.378, Van de
Walle)
Graphs help us consider the shape of the data (p.
379, Van de Walle)

Notes
Students can collect data while completing
measurement activities. Students will be able to
see how measurements can be collected and
classified. This connects data analysis with
measurement.
Students can use numerical data from
measurements to solve problems involving
addition and subtraction of fractions. This
connects measurement, data analysis and number
operations. Students can find the mean, median,
and mode of data.
This allows students to connect measurement
with data analysis, and number operations since
they will also work with fractions and solve
problems from using the graph.
The shape of the data gives us a sense of how
data are spread out or grouped, what
characteristics about the data set as a whole can
be described and what the data tell us in a global
way about the population from which they are
taken. The choices of which graph and how many
categories to use in a graph will cause different
shapes to emerge. This connects geometry to data
analysis. Ex. Circle graph.
Students will be more interested in the material if
they can connect to it. Using personal measures
or numbers that they can be involved in or relate
to will engage the learners. Using information
involving numbers and measures connects
number operations and measurement to data
analysis.

Students want to learn about themselves the

easiest questions to begin with are those that can
be answered by each class member contributing
one piece of data, Numbers: number of pets,
siblings, hours watching TV, or hours of sleep;
bedtime; time spent on computer. Measures:
height, arm span, area of foot, long-jump distance,
shadow length, seconds to run around the track,
minutes spent traveling to school (p. 381, Van de
Walle).
Economic Research Service, USDA: Here you
These are examples of internet sources that can
can find wonderful data sets on the availability and be used for data collection. The economic website
consumption of hundreds of foods. Annual per
has annual per capita estimates. This is a great

capita estimates often go back to 1909 (p. 383)

State Data Map: Source that displays state data
on land area (p. 383, Van de Walle)
Data analysis includes data classification (p.
383-384, Van de Walle).
The scale of a bar graph (located on the axis
without the bars) is merely a measuring tool like a
ruler sometimes with nonstandard units and other
times linking to standard units (p. 386, Van de
Walle).
Circle graphs show percentages and fractional
units. Circle graphs display proportions (p. 387,
Van de Walle) The numbers in each category are
added to form the total or whole. By dividing each
of the parts by the whole, students will find the
decimals and convert them to percents. It is an
interesting proportional problem for students to
convert between percents and degrees
(considering the angle measures) (p. 388, Van de
Walle).
Kindergarten work with data uses counting and
order relations. First and second graders solve
addition and subtraction problems in a data
context. In grades 3-5, work with data is closely
related to the number line, fraction concepts,
fraction arithmetic, and solving problems that
involve the four operations (p. 2 Learning
Progressions)

In Grade 3, students are beginning to learn

fraction concepts (3.NF). They understand fraction
equivalence in simple cases, and they use visual
fraction models to represent and order fractions.
Grade 3 students also measure lengths using rulers
marked with halves and fourths of an inch
(Learning Progressions)

way to connect estimation to data collection. The

state data map displays state data on land area.
This is a great way to connect area
(measurement) and data collection.
This quote allows me to connect data analysis to
geometry. In geometry, we classify shapes
according to attributes. In data analysis, we
classify data using certain attributes too.
This connects data analysis to measurement. I
never thought of a bar graph as a ruler. Units are
used in measurement and in graphs.
Circle graphs connect a variety of mathematical
connections. Circle graphs show percentages and
fractional units and they also display proportions.
Circle graphs can involve addition, and division.
Circle graphs also allow students to convert
percents and degrees. Lastly, circle graphs also
connect to geometry since they have angle
measures.
There are many notable connections including:
Categorical data: K-counting to tell the number of
objects, comparing numbers. 1- problems
involving addition and subtraction. 2-problems
involving addition and subtraction. 3-problems
involving multiplication, two step problems using
the four operations, categories of shapes.
Measurement data: 2- length measurement and
number line. 3- fractions on a number line. 4problems involving fraction arithmetic. 5problems involving fraction arithmetic.
In third grade, they can use their developing
knowledge of fractions and number lines to
extend their work by working with measurement
data involving fractional measurement values.

Supplemental Reading on Canvas: Measures of Center

Supplemental Reading on Canvas: Probability

Quotes
Algebra is used to analyze and describe
relationships. Whenever data are gathered on two
related variables (height, arm span, age and
growth). Algebra can be used to describe the
relationship between variables (p. 387, Measures
of Center).
An average is a single number or measure that is
descriptive of a larger collection of numbers. The
mean, median and mode are specific types of
averages or measures of central tendency (p. 397,
Measures of Center).
To evenly distribute the inches for each students
foot among the members of the group, they can
fold the strip into equal parts so that there are as
many sections as students in the group. Then they
can measure the length of any one part (p. 400,
Measures of Center).
The mean will continue to be used in popular
media and in books. For smaller sets of data such
as your test scores, the mean is used in the
computation of the other statistics such as the
standard deviation (p. 399, Measures of Center).
If the data can be grouped by tens, list the tens
digits in order and draw a line to the right
(Measures of Center)
References to probability are all around us: The
weather forecaster predicts a 60 percent chance of
snow; medical researchers predict people with
certain diets have a high chance of heart disease..
(p. 339, Probability).
Tree Diagrams are most easily used when the
outcomes of the experiments are equally likely
(p. 349, Probability)

Notes
Algebra can be used and applied to a variety of
different math concepts. For example, algebra can
be applied to operations, (addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division) geometry, and
measurement (formulas when measuring shapes).
The mean is computed by adding all of the
numbers in the set and dividing the sum by the
number of elements added. This is a statistic that
is sometimes referred to as the average. The mean
connects data analysis to computation.
During this activity, students are creating equal
parts, which relates to fractions. Measuring the
length of any one part connects to measurement.

Mean is used in a variety of ways. Mean can be

used to find the averages of test scores to the
averages of weather temperatures. Finding the
average of a set of data is useful in many ways,
and it is important for students to learn how to
find the mean.
This is one example of how place value is
important to know when graphing. This connects
number operations and data analysis.
Probability connects to real world applications
such as the examples in this quote. Probability
also connects to other math concepts: fractions
and percentages. Probability may also include
operations such as adding up tally marks.
Tree diagrams can be used to find out how many
combinations of something there are. Tree
diagrams can be used in word problems when
finding combinations that could occur in a variety
of ways. Pie charts can also be uses to show
probability.

2. List of Connections between Mathematical Concepts:

Multiplication and Addition

o Multiplication is repeated addition
Addition and subtraction

o They are inverses

Number and Operations with Measurement
Algebraic Thinking and Number Properties
Algebraic Thinking and Geometry
Algebraic Thinking and Patterns
Clocks and angles
Multiples and Money
Counting and Money
Fractions and Money
Place-value and Money
Open number lines and measurement
Patterns and Measurement
o Calendar
o Clock
Patterns and Geometry
o Patterns involving shapes
Patterns
o Repeating patterns
o Arithmetic sequences
o Geometric sequences
o Numeric patterns
o Represented physically and visually using rhythmic, color, size, shape,
position, design, and other attributes
Geometry to Measurement
o Students can measure shapes and objects perimeter and area
o Students can graph using coordinate planes and line segments
o Spatial structuring, decomposing shapes, measuring length and area are
closely related to volume.
The Box Factory Activity
Measurement and Fractions
o Rulers and how they are divided up into fractional units. (Ex. an inch)
Volumes of Solid Shapes
o A prism has 3 times the volume of a pyramid
o A triangle is a parallelogram and a pyramid is 1/3 of a prism, so you can
use the pyramid to find the volume of a prism.
o The volume of a cone is 1/3 the volume of a cylinder
Data Analysis and Operations
o Calculating the mean of data
o Figuring out the difference of data
o Answering questions about graphs that involves operations of addition,
subtraction, multiplication, or division
o Circle Graphs connect fractions and percentages. Circle graphs are divided
into equal parts and they can be made by use of base tens.

Probability
o Measurement the measure of chance
o Number sense collecting numerical data
o Operations
o Decimals
o Patterns
o Fractions and Percentages connect to probability words
0% - 100%
1/12 12/12
Impossible - Certain
o Money: flipping a coin
o Spinner pie chart
o Dice addition and multiplication

3. Math Connection Activities activities and strategies that connect

mathematical concepts in ways that promote student learning.

Number & Operations with Measurement:

o Money (cardinality)
Currency around the world
Collect $2
Set: Dollars
o Time: Clocks
Collecting Time Data
My Schedule (patterns, anchors and benchmarks)
Times Around the World
o Time: Calendars (ordinality)
Patterns in Calendars (multiples of 7)
Famous People and Places
How Much is a Million? (Addition, division, or multiplication)
Open number lines and Measurement:
o Example: Ashley checks the movie times at the theatre. Her favorite movie
is showing _______ She looks at the clock and it is 8:42am. How much
time does she have till the movie begins? Choose a movie time to ill in
the blank.
o A.) Today at 11:45am
o B.) Tonight at 6:10pm
o C.) Tomorrow at 12:35pm
Ant Races: Connecting Measurement (distance/length) and Fractions
o Comparing fractions and equivalent fractions
o Adding and subtracting fractions
Colonial Quilts: Connecting Area, Patterns, Percent, Decimals and Fractions

o http://teachinginroom6.blogspot.com/2012/02/math-social-studiesawesomeness.html
Algebraic Thinking and Measurement
o Exploring equality by using a balance scale. Balance scales are approaches
to modeling problems such as 8+4= __ +5 as they allow students to work
on both sides of the equation. Even very young students can explore the
concept of equality by using concrete materials and a balance scale
without needing to see the symbolic number sentences.
Data Analysis & Probability
o http://woodkinderclass.blogspot.com/2012/11/graphing-shoescubes.html
Data Analysis & Geometry
o Graphing shapes: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39678673/grab
%20and%20graph%20pattern%20blocks%20graph.pdf
Probability and Operations
o Addition Evens Odds Game
o Multiplication Evens Odds Game
o Design a Bag Activity
o Spinner Activity
Math Connections: Multiplication & Addition
o https://beyondtraditionalmath.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/let-them-makethose-math-connections/
Math Connections: Perimeter, Area, and Problem Solving
o http://allthingsupperelementary.blogspot.com/2013/05/perimeterproblems-and-area-art.html
Making Connections: Math-to-Math /Math-to-Self/Math-to-World
o Math-to-Math: how does the math concept we are currently learning about
remind you of another math concept we have learned about?
What I just learned about reminds me of_______ because
The ideas in this math concept are similar to the ideas in
_____because
The ideas in this math concept are different than the ideas in
______ because
o Math-to-Self: how do the ideas in the math concept relate to your own life,
ideas, and experiences?
What I just read/learned reminds me of a time when I
I agree with/understand what I just read/learned because in my
own life
I dont agree with what I just read/learned because in my own
life
o Math-to-World: how do the ideas in the math concept/reading relate to the
larger world past, present, and future.
What I just read/learned makes me think about _____ (event from
the past or event from today) because

What I just read/learned makes me wonder about the future

because

Whip Around
o Name a math concept and have students do a whip around. Have them
each say one word that links the concept to another math term or concept.
Quick Pic
o Have students draw a quick pic about two mathematical concepts to allow
students to see math connections and differences. Example: Have students
draw a quick pic of weight and mass.
Word Graffiti
o Write 2 math concepts on pieces of poster board that are hung up around
the room. Tell students to go around to each of the boards and write math
connections they can think about when thinking of the two listed math
concepts. Or, just list one math concept on each poster board, and have
students go around to each one, listing all of the mathematical connections
they can think of that involve that word.

4. Articles about Math Connections:

The Importance of Math Connections

o http://www.nctm.org/News-and-Calendar/Messages-from-thePresident/Archive/Linda-M_-Gojak/Making-Mathematical-Connections/
o http://www.allkindsofminds.org/thinking-with-numbers-understandingmath-concepts/
o http://www.fayar.net/east/teacher.web/math/standards/document/chapter4/
conn.htm