I am looking for a talented freelancer to create educational content for a project length of “long” - more than 1000 words. The content should cover general education using a presentation format. The freelancer should have a strong understanding of the educational topics and should be able to provide the project in a timely manner. The presentation should include both visuals and text, and should be informative, accurate, and engaging. With this, I want the educational content to be both comprehensive and concise, while also presenting the material in an easy-to-understand way. I’m hoping to find a freelancer who is passionate about educating others and willing to work with me to create an informative and delightful experience for our audience. Create a 5-minute multimedia presentation for a parent audience showing how the NSW K-6 Mathematics Syllabus concepts in Length are addressed from Stage 2 (using the new syllabus)
Include in your presentation the difficulties and misconceptions the students may have when learning this topic.
Your presentation must also give an outline of the activity that you have used in Part A and refer to the key information (all 8 points) provided for Part A.
Your multimedia presentation is a presentation which includes information presented with PowerPoint slides, video and/or digital presentation.
Your presentation must include sound, which is your spoken narrative to match the slides. 1. Describe the activity in 150 words or less:
My activity of choice is "Measuring Everyday Objects Scavenger Hunt." This activity is intended to address the new K-6 Syllabus Stage 2 outcome: "Measures and estimates lengths in metres, centimetres, and millimetres (MA2-GM-02)." Students work in pairs or small groups to investigate their environment and measure various objects they come across. They will measure objects in metres, centimetres, and millimetres with rulers, measuring tapes, or metre sticks. The students will keep a journal in which they will record their results, including a list of objects and their measurements. This project can be done both inside and outside of the classroom, making it versatile and exciting for children. This project helps students to apply their measurement skills in a real-world situation, whether it's measuring the length of a classroom desk, a tree in the playground, or an object from their daily lives.
2- What exactly is the mathematics? What do you want the children to notice? (100 words):
This activity's major focus is measurement, specifically length measurement. Children will measure things in metres, centimetres, and millimetres, giving them the opportunity to use their knowledge of the metric system. Students should be able to notice the correlations between different length units as a result of this activity. They will learn that one metre equals one hundred centimetres and one centimetre equals ten millimetres. They will also become aware of the precision required for measuring objects, particularly when dealing with millimetres. This activity is designed to help students comprehend the metric system, measuring precision, and the notion of estimating. Students will also improve their observation skills as they search for objects to measure.
3. List the key mathematical vocabulary for the activity (50 words):
• Meter
• Centimeter
• Millimeter
• Measurement
• Metric system
• Length
• Estimation
• Precision
• Ruler
• Conversion
• Observation
4. Describe the teacher role and questioning (100 words): The teacher's role in this activity is to facilitate and guide the students. They should start by explaining the objectives and providing a brief overview of the metric system, emphasizing the relationships between meters, centimeters, and millimeters. The teacher can ask questions like:
• What is the metric system, and why is it used for measurement?
• How many centimeters are in a meter?
• How many millimeters are in a centimeter?
• Why is precision important when measuring in millimeters?
• Can you estimate the length of an object before measuring it?
The teacher should also be available for support, ensuring that students are correctly using measuring tools and recording measurements accurately.
5. Describe the adaptation – Enabling prompts and Extending prompts (100 words): For students who may need additional support (Enabling prompts), teachers can:
•Provide visual aids or diagrams to help students visualize the metric system.
•Pair them with classmates who have a stronger understanding of measurement.
•Encourage estimation by asking, "Can you estimate whether the length of this object is closer to a meter or a centimeter?"
•Use concrete objects like building blocks to help them grasp the concept of measurement.
For students who excel and need a challenge (Extending prompts), teachers can:
•Introduce non-standard units of measurement, like hand spans or paperclips, to compare and contrast with the metric system.
•Ask them to convert measurements from meters to centimeters and millimeters, or vice versa.
•Encourage discussions about measurement precision and rounding.
•Challenge them to find objects that are close to specific lengths, such as 5 meters, and measure them accurately.
6. What might you assess? How might you do that? (100 words): Assessment in this activity can focus on various aspects of measurement. Teachers can assess students' ability to:
•Measure accurately in meters, centimeters, and millimeters.
•Convert between different units of measurement.
•Estimate the length of objects before measuring.
•Record measurements consistently and neatly.
•Explain their measurement processes and reasoning.
Assessment methods can include:
•Observation of students' engagement and accuracy during the activity.
•Reviewing students' measurement records and calculations.
•Asking students to describe their thought processes when estimating and measuring.
•Presenting scenarios where students need to convert measurements from one unit to another.
7. Give the justification for why you have chosen the activity to address the syllabus outcome and explain how it addresses the outcome. Refer to mathematics education literature to support your ideas (200 words): This activity aligns with the Stage 2 outcome of "Measures and estimates lengths in meters, centimeters, and millimeters (MA2-GM-02)" by providing a hands-on and contextual approach to developing measurement skills. According to research in mathematics education, activities that engage students in real-world measurement tasks enhance their understanding of the metric system and the relationships between different units of length (Hiebert, 2013).
Hiebert (2013) emphasizes the importance of experiential learning, where students actively engage in measurement activities to develop a deep understanding of measurement concepts. This aligns with our chosen activity, where students measure everyday objects in their environment, promoting an understanding of meters, centimeters, and millimeters through direct experience.
Furthermore, this activity fosters students' estimation skills, which is a critical component of measurement in mathematics (Cramer, 2015). Estimation encourages critical thinking and the development of a sense of scale, both of which are essential for proficient measurement.
By engaging in this scavenger hunt, students are not just passive recipients of knowledge; they are active participants in their learning, promoting deeper comprehension of measurement concepts and meeting the syllabus outcome effectively.
8. Describe likely student difficulties/misconceptions when teaching the syllabus outcome. Refer to mathematics education literature to support your ideas (200 words): When teaching measurement, several common student difficulties and misconceptions can arise. These align with findings from mathematics education research (Lamon, 2007).
[login to view URL] the metric system: Students may struggle to grasp the relationships between meters, centimeters, and millimeters. They might not realize that 1 meter equals 100 centimeters or 1 centimeter equals 10 millimeters.
[login to view URL] challenges: Estimation can be challenging for students. They might have difficulty approximating the length of an object before measuring it. Some may underestimate or overestimate lengths, leading to measurement inaccuracies.
[login to view URL] with units: Students might mix up the units (e.g., saying 5 meters when they mean 5 centimeters), leading to measurement errors and incorrect conversions.
[login to view URL] errors: Understanding when and how to round measurements, especially in millimeters, can be confusing. Students may not recognize the importance of precision when measuring in millimeters.
[login to view URL] recording: Properly recording measurements, including units, can be problematic. Students may omit units or make errors when transcribing measurements.
To address these difficulties and misconceptions, it is crucial to provide ample opportunities for hands-on measurement experiences, like the scavenger hunt activity, and encourage discussions that explore the subtleties of measurement. These challenges can be seen as valuable teaching moments to promote a deeper understanding of measurement concepts.