This past week we have been working on measuring area, capacity and mass.  You might be wondering ‘What does that look like in Kindergarten and Grade One?’

Area:

This was as easy as 1…2…3…

1. First, we traced our hands
2. Then, we estimated how many fruit loops it would take to cover that area, then glued them on…
3. Next, we counted how many fruit loops it took to fill the area of our hand

Come check out our results on the hallway bulletin board…and ask us (Grade Ones) which has a greater area–our chair or our desk…and ask us to explain how we know…

Capacity:

This is always popular with the students because we use lots of containers and water!!!  

THE PROCESS:

• Each child chose 2 different containers
• Then they had to predict which one would have more capacity
• Next they moved to a tub of water to test our predictions…Hmm…how do we do that?

Aspen says, “you fill the one you think has less (capacity) and then dump it into the other one and if it overflows it has more capacity, but if it doesn’t fill it, it has less”.

(You may have noticed our Poem of the Week is called “Overflow“…there is a method to the madness of the Poem of the Week!)

The next challenge was to find two containers that held ‘about the same‘ amount of water.  This was much harder to do–as we could not choose two that looked the same!  You may want to try this at home–the bathtub is a great place for them to experiment–then clean plastic containers is all you need!  This is a great way to get them to tell you about what they are learning…

Mass:       

We also really love to measure mass because we get to use the balance scales (thanks to Siena & Scarlett for helping me carry them…).

For this activity, we worked in small groups led by the Grade One Boys.  Each group had to find items that were: ‘about the same as‘, ‘lighter‘ and ‘heavier‘ than our book  (we used these Beatrix Potter books as a referent) using a balance scale.  We then recorded our findings in our math books.

The groups found something lighter and something heavier with ease, but finding something that was about the same was much harder!  But each group completed their tasks and we are now skilled at using a balance scale.  We will keep some available in the classroom for further exploration during Games and Choices time each day.

OUR LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• identify common attributes, such as length (height), mass (weight), volume (capacity), and area, that could be used to compare a given set of two objects (Gr. 1)
• determine which of two or more given objects has the greatest/least area by covering and explain the reasoning (Gr. 1)
• determine which of two or more given objects is heaviest/lightest by comparing and explain the reasoning (Gr. 1)
• determine which of two or more given objects holds the most/least by filling and explain the reasoning (Gr. 1)
• compare the volume (capacity) of two given objects and explain the comparison using the words less, more, bigger, smaller, or almost the same (K)
• compare the mass (weight) of two given objects and explain the comparison using the words lighter, heavier, or almost the same (K)

Our Measurement Unit is in full swing–we have been comparing all over the place!  

• Earlier this week we used magazines to find things that were “little” and “big” (check out the bulletin board in the hallway to see our results).  
• We have also used a brand new pencil as a referent and found classroom items that were “longer”, “shorter”, and “about the same” size (as the new pencil). 

Today we compared distances traveled by hot wheels cars in our classroom.

Materials:

• 3 different coloured hot wheels cars
• 3 crayons (that match the colours of the cars)
• pencil
• a ramp
• a recording sheet

Method:

1. record names on sheet with pencil
2. colour cars A, B, & C 
3. take cars to ramp and let each one slide down the ramp
4. compare the distances traveled by each car
5. record your observations on the sheet

We LIVE our classroom rules each day-R.O.C.K.S.!

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Learning Outcomes:

Demonstrate an understanding of measurement as a process of comparing by:

• ordering objects (GR 1)
• comparing the length (height) of two given objects and explain the comparison using the words shorter, longer (taller), or almost the same (K)
• making statements of comparison (GR 1)
• determine which of two or more given objects is longest/shortest by matching and explain the reasoning (GR 1)

 Here are our recording sheets–thanks to all the Grade One girls for being group leaders for this activity!

car recording sheets

For our final math activity today we each made a “wiggly worm” and then we ordered them from shortest to longest on a poster (check it out below and also in our hallway in person!)  So much fun!!!