Lesson 2: Measuring with Red Rods

Candidate Name: Host Teacher Name: Lupita

School: Montessori Borealis Grade Level: K # of Students: 2-4
Date & Time of Lesson: Length of Lesson: 1-3 days, 30 min. per lesson
Topic of Lesson: Measurement using Red Rods Content Area:
Mathematics
Materials: Include all materials including types of technology used:
Red Rods, pen, paper, rug, items in the classroom.

ALASKA CONTENT STANDARD

Measurement and Data
Describe and compare measurable attributes.
K.MD.2. Make comparisons between two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has
“more of” / ”less of” the attribute and describe the difference. For example, directly compare the heights of two
children and describe one child as taller/shorter..

Alaska Cultural Standard for Educators

Culturally-responsive educators recognize the full educational potential of each student and provide the
challenges necessary for them to achieve that potential.

TRANSFER GOAL(S) (transferability)

The student will be able to recognize that measuring can be done with different tools and be more aware of the size
difference of the materials in our environment.

STAGE ONE – Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings (meaning)

Enduring Understanding(s): What Essential Questions will be Considered?
Students will understand that….

Students will understand that we have many How can we figure out how long an item is?
different tools to use to measure different items.
What tools can we use to figure out the
measurement of an item?

STAGE ONE: Objectives STAGE TWO: Assessments

Evidence of Learning/Accountability -
Formative/Summative/Performance

Knowledge - What students should know…. Assessment(s)/Other Evidence:

Received 1/9/2019
 The students should know there are 10 different red rod The students will be able to show me the longest red rod,
lengths in our set. down to the shortest red rod.

Skills - What students should be able to do……. Assessment(s)/Other Evidence:

Students should be able to use the rod as a measuring tool The student will carry the rod in an upright position without
to compare sizes of different hitting the floor.
object in the room. The child will be able to place the rod next to, against, or
Students should be able to make predictions about items along an item for measurement.
that are less than, greater than
or equal to. .

STAGE THREE: Opportunities to Learn (Acquisition)

Introduction/Hook
I will gather the students and show them the red rods, I will note that we are going to use them to make
measurements today.

Processes and products for Learning Opportunities Strategies for Differentiation/ Multimodal
Instruction/Universal Design for Learning

I will invite one students to lay out a large rug, and then
we will put all 10 red rods down on the rug. The red rods
do not have any markings so they will be used as a
nonstandard unit of measurement.

Experience:
I will model how I will use a red rod (number 3) as a way
to measure different items in the class. I will show how to
measure a shelf that is next to us and see how many red
rod high it is.

I will model how to check the length of the shelf as well.

I will invite students to choose their own red rod to use as

a measurement for the classroom.

When checking, I will ask students which is longer, the

red rod or the item being measured. We will then make
the statement “the red rod is (greater than, less than, or
equal to) ____ item.”

Have students make a prediction: how many red rods long

do you think it is?

Comparing (Lesson 2):

Received 1/9/2019
 I will create a chart that has an area for “greater than”,
“less than”, or equal to” written down. I will have the
students decide if they would like to work with a partner
or on their own.

I will have the students choose a red rod to measure in the

classroom and find items that are greater than, less than,
or equal to the red rod of their choice.

I will write down what item they were measuring in the

column that they determine.

I will make sure I have the children tell me “the red rod
was _______ (less than, greater than, or equal to) than the
(item measuring against)”.

I will have the student tell me which column I need to

place the item in.

We will do this until time or attention has run out.

Measuring Items (Lesson 3):

I will have students choose an item in the class they want

to measure.

I will have each student choose which red rod they what
to measure with.

The students will measure the same item using different

red rod lengths to see how many red rods long an item is.

I will write down the number of red rods it was for each
student. If a child is able to write, I will invite them to
write down the number.

I will also have students make an estimation before they

measure, seeing if they can predict how many red rods
long it is.

I will first have them make an estimation

“I estimate is it _______ rods long”

I will them have them measure the item:

“I measured that it was ________ rods long”
We will work through a few different measurements of
items in the class.

Closure:
I will have students draw a picture of their measuring experience. I want to see how they are able to show what they
learned or remembered from the experience. I will invite the students to show each other and share their picture. If a
child is able to write, I will invite them to share something about their measuring experience.
Received 1/9/2019
Reflection:
How is this lesson sensitive to cultural and language issues?

This lesson ended up taking up a few days to fully complete because of the attention span and interest of the
students. The first lesson was all about giving students the time to practice and work with the red rods as a measuring tool.
The students quickly wanted to find an item in the room that was the exact same length as the red rod. They would each
take a red rod and walk around the room to measure different items. A couple students paired off to find precise
measurements. The second lesson was a little more focused where I had students measuring items in the class and then
letting me know if it was greater than, less than or equal to the red rod. They were able to measure items, peers, and
themselves. I would write down their findings, but only after they could inform me of what they determined while
measuring. Many students found interest in this process and wanted to join in on the measuring. The final lesson will be
given at a different time. I figured this lesson would be a good extension to what the students have been working on, while
also incorporating actual numbers. I really want the students to have had an experience with measuring before they start to
write and figure out the numbers. I am excited to see what items the students decide to measure, what rods they choose to
measure with, and what they are able to draw or write to show me something about what they learned.
This lesson is sensitive to cultural issues because it is something all children can take and use in the real world.
They can look at things and determine how the sizes relate to each other. It is also a skill they will use in many different
life experiences. We are also ways meaning things to determine if they will fit. For example, when crabbing, we have a
tool to measure the body of the crab to determine if we have to throw it back (smaller than the tool), or if it is a keeper
(larger than the tool). We are helping students make connections in the classroom that they can use in life.
This lesson is sensitive to language issues because we are repeating many of the same sentences to help with
understanding (e.g. the red rod is less than the height of the shelf). I use modeling, manipulatives, practice, repetition,
individual or peer work, along with the option to write for themselves or have help writing. The lesson is something many
students from different language background can participate in and find helpful. This may even help those struggling with
the understanding of comparison to learn what it means because they are physically doing the work.

Received 1/9/2019