In math class, measurement was the only thing I saw myself using outside of school. Our society is always focused on quantity..."How much?" How much money do I have? How much time does it take? How big is it? These are things we ask of others on a daily basis. The need for measurement has been around for thousands of years. Thus, a system of measurement was developed. Here is a brief video on the Metric & Standard Measurement Standards:
I think that students understand measurement quicker than other mathematical concepts because it is easily applied to real life scenarios. Measurement isn't abstract. There is no "pretend" measurement. Any examples given are directly related to the real world. We measure height, length, speed, time, weight, etc. Plus, once students learn HOW to measure things, it is fun for them to practice. It is fun to compare and contrast different things. Students don't even realize that what they are doing is directly related to their math studies because it is fun to them.
I can create this same fun environment in the classroom. I can use a website to provide measurement games to my students. I can also provide manipulatives for students to use to understand measurement. I don't think convincing students that they will use measurement in the real world will be a problem. I think I may have to provide many problem-solving scenarios so that students understand WHY the area equals length times width. If I can teach my students the WHY of measuring things, then I feel confident that they will be able to apply measurement techniques outside of the classroom in very useful situations. This will be my ultimate goal with all subjects.
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