On Friday, Early Math Counts presented at the Opening Minds conference in Chicago.  We spoke about the Early Math Counts site and our upcoming Professional Development series, soon to be available through the Gateways to Opportunity ilearning system.(More to come about that exciting project over the next couple of weeks). At the end of our talk, we presented the attendees with buckets of counting worms and walked through some possible learning activities that could be done with them.  Although the worms we had were a bit different, they reminded me of this post from 2013.

Have you seen these?  These are called Inchworms and they are actually one inch long.  That means they are standard units of measure (because an inch is an inch is an inch) while looking like a non standard unit of measure.  When children use these to measure, they might say, “It is 3 inchworms long,” which also means that it is actually 3 inches long. This is an important step in children’s understandings of measurement, which can be reinforced by laying these inchworms out next to a ruler to show that they really are one inch each.

It might be fun to introduce the “Inchworm Song” as well.  If you don’t know/remember it, it goes like this.

“Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds
You and your arithmetic, you’ll probably go far.
Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds
Seems to me you’d stop and see how beautiful they are.

2 and 2 are 4, 4 and 4 are 8, 8 and 8 are 16, 16 and 16 are 32.”

Learning Standard B – Begin to make estimates of measurements.

Benchmarks

7.B.ECa  Practice estimating in everyday play and solving everyday measurement problems.

Example Performance Descriptors

Make predictions and estimations during play (e.g., estimate how many scoops of sand it will take to fill a small bucket at the sand table).

Estimate to solve a task (e.g., during block play, estimate how many blocks are needed to make the road being constructed reach the wall).

WOW!  I wish this one had performance descriptors that indicated development over time.  Knowing that it will take 3 buckets of sand to fill a large container requires a certain amount of conservation.  A child needs to know that when put together, the 3 buckets are about the same as the large container.  If Piaget was even close to being right about a young child’s ability to conserve quantity, then this task is not very developmentally appropriate.

Now if the descriptor said, “Estimate if it will take many buckets to fill the sand table, or only a few buckets to fill the sand table” we might see children more able to “estimate” the quantity (if indeed estimation of measurement is the expectation).

What do you think?  Can your kids tell you about how many blocks they will need to construct a road across the rug?

Learning Standard C – Explore tools used for measurement

Benchmarks

7.C.ECa  Explore the use of standard instruments to measure objects and quantities with teacher assistance.

Example Performance Indicators

Use standards measuring tools, with teacher assistance (e.g., use a measuring tape to measure how far a child can jump).

Use a variety of similar tools for measurement (e.g., use both balance scales and scales that provide a numerical weight to explore objects in the classroom).

Know that thermometers measure temperature and clocks measure time.

I like this one better than the last.  As least it leaves room for developmental variability and allows for adult assistance.  A tape measure is a great classroom tool, that is pretty interesting in and of itself (just pulling it out and then releasing it) so as a tool is is engaging. Measuring with it and understanding what that means is a bit more complicated. However,  within the construct of play, I can see children using the tape measure in the was it is meant to be used.

Balance scales and other kinds of scales are also really wonderful measurement tools for the classroom. Trying to get a balance scale to “balance” is a fun task for children and and “weighing” things (especially themselves if you have a bathroom scale in the classroom)is also developmentally appropriate.

They make all of these things so they are easy-to-use with large numbers and clear indicators for young children.  Making these tools available throughout the day, during play, will allow children to get comfortable with them  and will give them opportunities to explore their functions.

The tape measure shown above is soft and rolls back up with a turn of a knob.  It shows both inches and centimeters and has a nice 1 inch width with easy-to-read numbers. These tape measures can be used to measure all sorts of things in the classroom, as long as they are less than 5 feet long.  That means that children can measure their heights (unless you have some extraordinarily huge three year olds in your program).  They can measure furniture, rug space, the edge of a desk, and the width of the easel.  Remind children that inches and centimeters are standard units of measure, and that they are the same everywhere in the world

Try to give children a place to record their measurements, and help them write them down.  They can copy the numbers they see on the tape measure which will reinforce their sense of number as well as support their fine motor skills.

Standard units of measure have their place in the larger world.  They are defined, agreed upon, adopted, and used so that human beings can know precisely the “measure” of a physical quantity.  Wouldn’t it be strange if a gallon of gas was different at every gas station?  It would be complete chaos.

Young children can be introduced to standard units of measurement, although they may not be as interesting as using a more engaging tool, such as links for length, or pebbles for weight.  A ruler is a good way to begin.  The children may be really interested to know, that according to lore, the origin of the foot came from measuring the foot of a man; many say the king.  They can compare their own feet to the length of the ruler to determine if their feet are bigger or smaller than the king’s.

They can look at the ruler and see the divisions and even count the numbers.  You can provide several objects for them to measure with the ruler.  It is important to explain that because you are using a “standard” unit of measure, their answers to the questions should be the same.  That is the purpose of using the same standard.

I might even get every child her own ruler.  They are inexpensive and you may find them measuring things when you least expect it.

This book would be a great addition to this lesson.