Identifying and Evaluating Strategies for Teaching Measurement According to Student Conceptual Development

Low scores on the measurement portion of the yearly Proficiency Assessment for Wyoming Students (PAWS) Mathematics test in sixth grade at Rawlins Middle School led to the research for classroom materials that could better improve student understanding. A literature review identified developmental factors and instructional strategies for promoting student understandings of concepts and processes of measurement and of perimeter and area. These were incorporated into a unit plan to teach to a 2011-2012 sixth grade class. The instructional plans were pilot tested and modified based on student assessments and teacher observations. The unit plan, which took two weeks to complete, consisted of a pre- and post-assessment, lessons, and worksheets. The pre- and post-assessment, along with student work were used to determine whether there was an improvement in student understanding. Overall, for this group of students, there was an improvement in the level of understanding; limitations to this study are also discussed.