Grade One: Teacher Resources

Grades K-12 General Resources

Grade One: Geometry Resources

Grade One: Measurement Resources

About the Amazon Rainforest
http://wwwjunglephotos.com/amazon/amhome.shtml

About Macaws
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/macaw.html

About Toucans
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/toucan.html

Grade One: Geometry Resources

Children's Literature

Friedman, A. (1994). A cloak for the dreamer. New York: Scholastic Inc.
In A Cloak for the Dreamer students will learn about patterns and relationships with shapes.

Murphy, S. Floca, B. (2000) Let’s Fly a Kite. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
Learn about the math concept of symmetry.

Article

Schoffel, J. Breyfogle M. (March 2005). Reflecting Shapes: Same or Different? Teaching Children Mathematics, 11(7), 378-382.
The author recounts experiences introducing a first grade class to the concept of symmetry. The lesson includes activities for developing recognition of objects that have symmetry as well as visualization of both horizontal and vertical lines of symmetry.

Electronic Resources - Websites

Acute/Obtuse Angle generator: http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=angle

(2007) Illuminations: Figuring in Football. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from NCTM website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L211
In this primary grades lesson, students identify figures on a football field. They look for both congruent and similar figures, and they consider figures that are the same but that occur in a different orientation because of translation, rotation, or reflection.

(2007). Illuminations: Investigating Shapes (Triangles). Retrieved March 6, 2009, from the NCTM website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=U52
Students identify characteristics of triangles, manipulate electronic geoboards to construct triangles, and name the triangles’ relative locations.
Three Sides: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L81
In this lesson, students compare and contrast shapes using attribute blocks.
Tracing and Drawing: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L82
In this lesson, students continue to discuss attributes of triangles.
Geoboards: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L83
Students use appropriate vocabulary to describe shapes to their classmates.
Making Virtual Triangles: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L84
In this lesson, students use virtual manipulatives to explore triangles.

(2007). Illuminations: I’ve Seen That Shape Before. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from the NCTM Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L237
Students learn the names of solid geometric shapes and explore their properties.

(2007). Illuminations: Ladybug Adventures. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from the NCTM Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=U72
These activities can help students build ideas about navigation and location, as described in the Geometry Standard, and use these ideas to solve problems
Designing a Virtual Path: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L158
In this activity, students use their knowledge of number, measurement and geometry to design a "virtual path" which enables a ladybug to hide under a leaf.
Making Triangles: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L159
In this activity, students use 45- and 90-degree angles to create triangles, and develop an understanding of the relationship between angles and the shape of triangle.
Making Rectangles: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L160
In this activity, students use their knowledge of number, measurement and geometry to plan the steps necessary for a ladybug to draw rectangles of different sizes.
Ladybug Mazes: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L161
In this activity, students plan a series of moves that will navigate a ladybug through a maze.

Grade One: Measurement Resources

Children’s Literature

Leedy, Loreen. (2000). Measuring Penny. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Co.
In this Children’s book, Lisa has an important homework assignment -- to measure something in several different ways. She decides to measure her dog, Penny, and along the way learns a lot about her dog and measuring...and even has fun doing it!

Lionni, L. (1960). Inch by Inch. Harper Collins Publishers.
In this classic children’s book, an inchworm escapes being eaten by a Robin using his ability to measure inches.

Munsinger, L. Tompert, A. (1993). Just a Little Bit. Houghton Mifflin Company Boston.
In this children’s book, Mouse and elephant need a lot of help from the other animals to make the see-saw go up and down.

Electronic Resources - Websites

Emery C. and Whitley M. (2005). Measurement with a Pop! Retrieved December 7, 2007, from The Core Knowledge Foundation web site: http://www.coreknowledge.org/CK/resrcs/lessons/05_2_MeasurementPop.pdf
In this unit, students will develop an understanding of the many uses of measurement.

Illuminations: Block pounds. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from NCTM Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L167
Students explore the use of variables as they solve for the weights of objects using information presented in pictures.

Illuminations: Exploration of a Balance: Keeping in Balance. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from NCTM Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L183
In this unit, students participate in activities in which they focus on patterns and relations that can be developed from the exploration of balance, mass, length of the mass arm, and the position of the fulcrum.

Illuminations: Get the Turtle to the Pond. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from NCTM Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L396
This activity provides opportunities for creative problem solving while encouraging young students to estimate length and angle measure.

Illuminations: Ladybug Lengths. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from NCTM Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L123
This experience focuses student’s attention on the attributes of length and gives students the opportunity to develop knowledge of and skills in using nonstandard units of measurement.

Illuminations: Magnificent Measurement. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from NCTM Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=U66
This unit uses multiple materials and models to help students explore measurement.
The Length of my feet: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L124
This lesson focuses students’ attention on the attributes of length and develops their knowledge of and skill in using nonstandard units of measurement. It provides practice with and remediation of the measurable attributes of length.
The Area of Things: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L125
Students have opportunities to recognize and use the attributes of length and area using non-standard units.
The Weight of Things: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L128
This lesson introduces and provides practice with the measurable attributes of weight.

Illuminations: What Should I Measure Next? How About Me!. Retrieved March 6, 2009, from NCTM Website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=U187
In this unit, students practice measurement by measuring themselves. Students use nonstandard units to practice measuring their heights and arm spans. They create a "body map" and use directional and positional words.
Measuring Me: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L758
Students use yarn to measure lengths such as arm span and height.
Mapping All of Me: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L759
Students use the knowledge and skills gained from previous lesson by placing yarn strips appropriately on 4' × 3' strips of paper and drawing around them to create a map of their body.

Articles

Castle, K. Needham, J. (December 2007).First Graders’ Understanding of Measurement. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35(3). 215-221.
This article discusses the meaning of measurement to first grade students. The author recommends measurement activities that focus on what it means to measure rather than how to measure.

Dougherty, B. & Venenciano, L. (May 2007) Measure Up For Understanding. Teaching Children Mathematics, 13(9), 452. This article describes how first graders' sense of number can be developed through the perspective of measurement. Discusses comparing, and using a unit.

Moyer, P. S. & Mailley, E. (January 2004). Inchworm and a Half: Developing Fraction and Measurement Concepts Using Mathematical Representations. Teaching Children Mathematics, 10(5), 244. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from: http://my.nctm.org/eresources/view_media.asp?article_id=6436
This article details a first grade unit of measurement that uses the book Inch-worm and a Half (Pinczes, 2001) to explore the fractional relationship of non-standard measuring units. Though used in a first grade classroom, this activity can be modified for second grade students.

Scott, M. (October, 2002). Use Measuring Penny to Introduce the Lesson. Teaching Children Mathematics, 9(2). 70-74.
A mathematical exploration of measuring that evolves from reading a piece of literature called “Measuring Penny” to students.