Contextualization: teaching estimation to grade five and six learners using maize crop

Estimation is one of the motivating concepts in mathematics especially if one gets accurate or close to accurate answers. In this paper we look at how 26 primary school learners in Grade 5 and 6 in Masvingo district, Zimbabwe, learnt this mathematical concept practically using maize during their holiday lessons. They measured the length and circumference of maize cobs at the base, and counted the number of seeds. After that they then filled a bucket. The idea was to find out how many maize cobs it would take to fill a 20 kilogramme bucket, a 50 kilogramme sack, and subsequently a tonne. After that the learners went on to estimate the three features of maize cobs (length, circumference at the base and the number of seeds). The entire exercise was mainly based on estimating the number that can Jill a bucket. After the study, the level of application of the concept was astounding as they went on to estimate the yields in their fields where the results were very close.

A journal article on primary mathematics education in Zimbabwe.