Team Awesome has been learning about measuring and comparing using nonstandard units such as these paper clips. Measuring with non-standard units means measuring things with blocks, pencils, hands, feet, etc rather than rulers and tape measures. As long as the items used to measure with are all the same size, e.g. identical blocks or brand new pencils, they are suitable. Measurement builds number sense by having students make predictions and then allowing them to use measurement to check their prediction. Team Awesome is being provided lots of opportunities to sort objects by size using everyday activities and experimenting with real objects. Words such as measure, taller than, shorter than, wider than, narrower than, length, volume, weight, area, centimeter, meter, heavier and lighter are all vocabulary words that the children are introduced to and use during our various measurement activities. Seriously, have you ever met a kid that wasn’t intrigued with how big or small something is? Its exploration at it’s best and when we can add in numbers and counting . . . bonus.
