Journal of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association
Volume 48 Issue 2, June 2011
17 – 19
Possibilities for Understanding Children’s Mathematics Knowledge
Florence Glanfield and M Shaun Murphy
During the question about conservation of length, Michael, a child in Grade 1, was shown two rows of six rods laid end to end in a straight line. Michael was told that a bunny rabbit was hopping along each row, then he was asked if each rabbit had the same distance to go; Michael responded, “Yes.” For the next question I altered one road by changing its path from straight to a zigzag pattern, using the same six rods (see Figure I). Michael was again asked if the rabbits had the same distance to go and responded, “No.”
