Big Ideas in Measurement

In each strand of mathematics curricula, there are important underlying ideas we need to bring to students’ attention to set the foundation for future learning. Marian revisits these ideas in relation to measurement in this issue’s Let’s Dig In sessions. We don’t want to gloss over these “big ideas,” but rather break them down into more manageable bits by exploring and discussing them together. For each grade band, Marian provides examples of questions you could present to your students to help them make connections to other concepts and understand the reasoning behind certain mathematical ideas or formulas.

Conceptual Understanding

While it is important that our students know how to perform a mathematical procedure or solve a math problem when presented with one, it is even more important that they understand the mathematical ideas brought out by that problem; it is those ideas they will confront again, not that particular problem. Conceptual understanding paints a bigger picture for our students and helps them notice relationships and make connections. In this issue’s Let’s Dig In sessions, Marian revisits the importance of conceptual understanding. She covers several curriculum topics and highlights the conceptual understandings in each that you might want to focus on or draw attention to in your classroom. For each grade band, Marian provides examples of questions you could present to your students to help them understand the “why” behind certain mathematical ideas, instead of just memorizing “rules” or formulas.