MPI - Day 6: Number through Measurement

Today's focus was understanding Number through Measurement. We looked at the following areas:

1. Beginning multiplicative thinking
2. Multiplicative Thinking: Fractions and Decimals
3. Exploring length, perimeter and area 
4. Measurement: Volume and Capacity
5. Measurement: Triangles and Angles 

Today's learning reminded me how much fun measurement is to learn but especially to teach! The last two sessions of today's learning is what interested me the most. 

Today's 4th session centered around volume and capacity, focussed on how learners can measure the space objects take up (volume) and how much containers can hold (capacity). I reflected that this is really about helping learners make the jump from 2D to 3D thinking, which for some of our learners is a really tough progression to make. Once again (and this has been a reoccurring theme during the MPI sessions) we need to constantly make connections for our learners to everyday situations—like in this session, measuring liquids or figuring out the capacity of containers. This keeps the maths learning practical and easier to visualise, especially when using manipulatives - which is a must!

Today has really got me thinking about what our learners need to help them pass the PAT tests (short term) and the prerequisites (long term). It was really interesting to see what questions seemed to stump our year 8 learners. It’s clear that many students find measurement challenging. The key reminder yet again is to keep it interactive—use manipulatives, get students visualising their work, and always tie it back to things they know from the real world! As teachers, it’s up to us to keep building on this and ensure students not only understand the mathematical concepts but also see how maths applies to their everyday lives.

Today was full of great reminders. I'm looking forward to helping learners grapple with measurement next term!