News - Measuring up at Edgemere Elementary

In a miniature golf activity created by the fifth graders, younger students had to “putt” a cotton ball and a foil ball, and measure how far each ball traveled.

On October 29, fifth graders at Edgemere Elementary School sponsored a “Measurement Fair” for primary students at the school.

The event was well attended, and all students were enthusiastically engaged in many measurement stations developed by the fifth graders. For example, to measure length, one group of fifth graders created a miniature golf activity where the younger students had to “putt” a cotton ball and a foil ball, and measure how far each ball traveled. To explore capacity, another group of fifth graders had the younger students predict how many cups of rice would fill a gallon container and then use measurement tools to see if their predictions were correct. All measurement activities were hands-on and required participants to predict and measure.

Older and younger students discuss measurement techniques at an activity station.

“It was fun to see the students so interested and excited about creating their activities and passing their knowledge on to the younger students,” said Sara Rowan, the fifth-grade Edgemere teacher who implemented the event.

Rowan collaborated with her fellow fifth-grade teachers at Edgemere and with mathematics resource teacher Sue Vohrer to introduce the concept of the Measurement Fair to fifth graders, set up the criteria for the stations, and provide the time and materials needed to create the stations. In addition, Rowan worked with her school’s administrators to schedule the schoolwide event.

Fifth grade students created activities to teach younger students about various measurement tools and techniques.

Edgemere Principal Bob Findley described the event as “meaningful math talk and active student engagement at its best!”

Story by Sue Vohrer, resource teacher, Office of Mathematics PreK-12. Photos courtesy Office of Mathematics and Edgemere Elementary School.

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