A Primary Classroom Inquiry: Estimating the Height of a Tree

Autor/inn/en	Brown, Natalie; Watson, Jane; Wright, Suzie; Skalicky, Jane
Titel	A Primary Classroom Inquiry: Estimating the Height of a Tree
Quelle	In: Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 16 (2011) 2, S.3-11 (9 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1326-0286
Schlagwörter	Rural Schools; Measurement Techniques; Middle School Teachers; Foreign Countries; Elementary School Mathematics; Mathematics Skills; Faculty Development; Preservice Teachers; Elementary School Teachers; Computation; Educational Technology; Australia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Rural area; Rural areas; School; Schools; Ländlicher Raum; Schule; Schulen; Messtechnik; Middle school; Middle schools; Teacher; Teachers; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Ausland; Elementare Mathematik; Schulmathematik; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematics ability; Mathematische Kompetenz; Elementary school; Grundschule; Volksschule; Unterrichtsmedien; Australien
Abstract	Measurement is one of the key areas of study in mathematics and features prominently in the "Australian Curriculum: Mathematics" (ACARA, 2010). In this set of investigations requiring students to estimate indirectly the height of a tree they are encouraged to use the "power of mathematical reasoning" and "apply their mathematical understanding creatively and efficiently". Specifically, the various measurement techniques involved in the investigations encourage students to use ratio, proportional reasoning and properties of triangles to calculate something that they are unable to measure directly. This article suggests activities that are intended for use with upper primary school students, taking into account that teachers will consider the background and level of the students they teach to ensure they are sufficiently skilled to carry out the investigations successfully. The investigations presented here were used by the authors during a half-day professional learning session with middle school teachers from five rural schools in southern Tasmania (as a part of the ARC-funded research project "Mathematics in an Australian Reform-Based Learning Environment" (MARBLE)). They have also been used with pre-service primary and middle school teachers as part of the Bachelor of Teaching program in the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania. Regardless of the structure being measured, the hands-on approach to learning used in the investigations allows students to explore seemingly abstract, disconnected concepts in a meaningful, enjoyable way. (Contains 10 figures.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers (AAMT). GPO Box 1729, Adelaide 5001, South Australia. Tel: +61-8-8363-0288; Fax: +61-8-8362-9288; e-mail: office@aamt.edu.au; Web site: http://www.aamt.edu.au
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10