First Graders’ Understanding of Measurement

This study focused on the meaning of measurement to a group of 16 first grade students. A university professor and the teacher of the students partnered together using qualitative analysis of field notes, student interviews, and student work samples gathered from September through May of a school year. Findings indicate students’ knowledge of measurement including transitivity, unit iteration, conservation of number and length, and social knowledge of measurement terms and tools increased over the year. Researchers identified six themes of students’ measurement understanding including that children’s literature played a motivating role in student-initiated measurement activities. Recommendations call for first grade measurement activities focused on what it means to measure rather than on how to measure. Researchers caution that educators using mathematics curriculum and assessment should not assume that primary grade students understand conservation and unit iteration.