Support Materials --

Math for All

Measure for Measure

During this 30-minute math program you will help your children learn to use non-standard measurement to estimate:

length

capacity

weight

Activity #1

Measure for Measure!
In this activity help your child discover surprising relationships between different parts of the body by helping with these steps:

Wrap a piece of string around the thickest part of your thumb. Cut the string at each step of this activity. Now double that length and see if it fits around your wrist. (It should be a fairly close fit.)

Next double the length of string that fits around your wrist and see if it fits around your neck. (This should also be a fairly close fit.)

Double the length of string that fits around your neck. Can you guess what part of your body to measure next? If you guessed your waist, you're correct!
Help your child talk about what is happening with this activity by asking questions such as, " Do you see a relationship between the measure of your thumb and that of your wrist?"
Materials:

string or yarn
scissors
Additional Activities:
Using string, have someone measure from the top of your head to the bottom of your heel. Use a market to indicate the height. With the same string measuer from your left fingertip to right fingertip. Use a different color marker to indicate that distance. If the two markes on your string are are in the same place, your are a square; if your arme span is longer than your height, you are a wide rectangle; if your arm span is longer than your height, you are a wide rectangle; if your height exceeds your arm span, you are a tall rectangle. Do this with all the members of your family. Make a graph to show how many of your family are square, wide or tall.

Activity #2

My Cup Runneth Over!
This game is for two people and is designed to help your child estimate capacity. (Before you start the game estimate the number of scoops needed to fill one of the jars.) The object of the game is to make your opponent lose. The person filling the jar loses

Take turns tossing the die. You must put as many spoonfuls in the jar as the number that turns up on the die. If your first throw is not what you want to use, you can choose to throw the die a second time. You must use your second toss. Continue taking turns until the jar is full.
Use another jar and one of the other materials to play the game again. Now discutss the number of scoops needed to fill both jars. Was there a difference? If so, why?
Materials:

Rice, beans, cereals, split peas, salt or sand
Clear Jars of different sizes
A variety of measuring spoons
one die
Additional Activities:

Change the rules so that the person filling the har is the winner.
Using two jars of the same size see who fills their jar fist. Use larger or smaller utensils to fill the jars.
Using larger jars estimate how many of the smaller jars it will take to fill the larger ones; fill the large jars with different materials.

Activity #3

Light Heavy Weight Champions!
In this activity children will explore weight by lifting bags with various items in them. Usint items of different weight, fill three bags for young children and five or more bags for older children. Have them vie for the title of Light Heavy Weight Champion of the World by lifting each bag and putting them in order from lightest to heaviest. Discuss the weight of each item with your child.
Materials:

Five lunch size paper bags
assorted items of different weights - apple, cotton ball, keys, rocks, crayon, etc.
Additional Activities:
Find things in the house that are the same weight as the objects in the bags. Using the scale in "A Good Idea!" how many things weigh the same as a cotton ball? an apple?
Try this at home:

Measure a string the length of your wrist. Place coins end to end along the string. How many coins did it take? How much money do you have?

Would you have more money if you used a different coin? Check it with your calculator.
Materials:

Calculator
string and coins of different value

A Good Idea!!
Make a non-standard scale by doing the following:

Use a 1 foot ruler or piece of wood about 10-12 inches long.
Wrap a rubber band around each end of the wood about one inch from each end.
Open two paper clips and hook one onto each of the rubber bands. (They should hang down from the bands.)
Make a hole near the rim in two paper or styrofoam cups; hook a paper clip through the hole in each of the cups. The cups will serve as containers to use in weighing small items.
Center the piece of wood on an object (a book, piece of wood, etc.) tall enough to allow free movement as a scale.
Materials:

A ruler or similar piece of wood
2 rubber bands
2 paper clips of the same size
2 paper or styrofoam cups of the same size.