Series Building on Young Children's Mathematical Thinking : Using Bodies to Compare Sizes

Spatial Relations in Early Math

Comparing Sizes & Counting Collections

Math in Informal Spaces

Make It Count: Counting & Counting Collections

Exploring Numbers with Counting Collections

Count With Me: Counting Collections

Using Bodies to Compare Sizes

Celebrating Accomplishments

Using Literature to Teach Math

Using Bodies to Compare Sizes

Lesson Objective: Compare heights of students

Pre-K / Math / Reasoning

3 MIN

Math.K.MD.A.2

Discussion
Supporting Materials

Thought starters

How does using their bodies engage students in the task?
What other attributes could students compare in this way?
How does Ms. Salmeron ask questions to guide students' learning?

2 Comments

Avery Baird May 16, 2020 1:55pm

This is a great lesson on teaching the students how to interact and converse with each other while using basic measurement skills to complete the lesson. It is also a great way to get the students moving and using their kinesthetic skills. The students are also understanding place value based on which ones are” bigger or smaller” in height.

Recommended (0)

Cade Patterson Aug 24, 2019 5:54pm

This is a great kinesthetic task especially for younger kids. Having movement like this gets the students involved and allows students to participate in conversation with one another. It is also a great way to begin introducing measurements to students before numerical values are taught.

Recommended (1)

Materials

Transcript: Using Bodies to Compare Sizes

Transcripts

Using Bodies to Compare Sizes Transcript

Speaker 1: What do you think, Kayla? Kayla? Okay, Let's see. Kayla's coming and see.

Kayla:

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Using Bodies to Compare Sizes Transcript

Speaker 1: What do you think, Kayla? Kayla? Okay, Let's see. Kayla's coming and see.

Kayla: It's medium.

Speaker 1: Okay. Let's see. Okay. Look. What did you see? What did you see? How can we solve? Okay. Allison?

Allison: I think Caleb has to be medium and Joyce Ann has to be big.

Speaker 1: Okay. If we're going to do that, so where can we have Caroline to stand up?

Allison: Middle.

Kayla: Natalie needs to go more her way.

Speaker 1: Oh, okay. Can you ask Natalie? Okay. Use your words.

Kayla: Natalie ...

Speaker 1: Oh. She needs to be ... Okay. Now, what do you think? What do you see?

Kayla: That we're the same.

Natalie: Yep. Kayla, Kayla.

Speaker 1: You're the same height? So, did we solve the problem?

Allison: I think I have to be big.

Speaker 1: Okay. If you'll stand up, Allison.

Allison: They already did.

Speaker 1: They already big. Okay. So where would you stand up? Also, who's going to sit?

Dorthy: No. Kayla's more bigger. No, actually ...

Speaker 1: So, Allison, you were measuring yourself with who? With ... Okay, so then are you taller than, are you bigger than ...

Dorthy: Look.

Speaker 1: Okay. Is she?

Dorthy: I'm more bigger. They're the same, maybe.

Speaker 1: They are the same. You think they're the same. What do you think?

Devan: I think Devan could be it, because he's big.

Dorthy: Oh!

Speaker 1: Devan, would you like to try? They want to see how - okay.

Dorthy: She's big dude. He's more bigger than Joyce Ann and Allison.

Speaker 1: Okay. Let's see. Oh.

Devan: Oh my god.

Speaker 1: Yes. So who's going to stay toward gate?

Devan: Devan is much bigger. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: Yes. Okay, let's let ... Okay, who's gonna sit down? Raise your hand who's gonna sit down? Oh, Allison, and ?

Dorthy: Me.

Allison: Dorthy.

Speaker 1: So how many girls sit down?

Joyce Ann: Two.

Speaker 1: Two. Thank you Joyce Ann. Now let's see. Who just stand up? Devan? Let's see.

Devan: She's more bigger. She ...

Speaker 1: Okay. Are you agreed? Are you okay now?

Devan: Oh yeah, he's more bigger.

Speaker 1: What do you think, Kayla?

Kayla: Yes.

Speaker 1: Yes.

Kayla: He's big, medium, little.

Speaker 1: Yes. Okay. So who's small?

Joyce Ann: Steve.

Kayla: They're big, [inaudible 00:02:44] would be Natalie.

Dorthy: No, that's not Natalie.

Speaker 1: So who's big? Kayla, who's big?

Kayla: Devan.

Speaker 1: Devan. Okay. Devan you are [inaudible 00:02:54] again. Thank you. And that's how we'll sit.

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