………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

December 2006 Measurement

Curious George: How Tall? http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/games/how_tall/how_tall.html Cyberchase: Can You Fill It? http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/liquidvolume/liquidvolume.html PBSParents Guide to Early Math: Time to Move http://www.pbs.org/parents/earlymath/grades_games_timetomove_fla.html

MEASUREMENT IS EVERYWHERE The ability to measure is a crucial skill that helps us in almost everything that we do. Whether you are reading a map, baking brownies, weighing yourself, or trying to figure out how many cookies are in the cookie jar, measurement is everywhere. Help your children sharpen their measurement skills by taking the time to complete the following activities together. Not only will they develop important math skills, but they will have fun in the process! View CYBERCHASE to discover how The Cyber-Gang learns to measure shapes. Read Inch by Inch and learn how a savvy inchworm uses his ability to measure to keep from being eaten. Then do the Body Math activity and use different body parts to experiment with measurement. Web Resources:

VIEW: CYBERCHASE (#105)

Sensible Flats Thursday, December 21, 2006 @ 8:00 a.m.

The Cyber-Team is transported to a Wild West site to prove that Hacker has taken a larger piece of land than he is allowed. Hacker is in jail and the trial is about to begin, but is his homestead really larger than what Judge Trudy will allow? The kids must discover how to measure the area of his irregularly shaped property in order to find the answer. The Big Idea: To find the area of an object, count how many squares fit on it. But there's an easier way! Measure an object's dimensions, and you can use mathematics to calculate its area.

Follow-up Activities

• What types of things do you measure? • Why is measurement important? • List some measurement tools. What does each one do? • What is a map? Why are they useful? • Use a map to find a new location, use a scale to weigh

yourself or bake cookies and use measuring cups to get just the right amount of ingredients.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Support for Thirteen’s Ready To Lead in Literacy Service is made possible by the Uris Brothers Foundation with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Bloomingdale’s Fund of the Federated Department Stores Foundation.

Measuring Penny by Loreen Leedy How Big is a Foot by Rolf Myller (Illustrator) Millions to Measure

by David M. Schwartz and Steven Kellogg How much is a Million

by David M. Schwartz and Steven Kellogg

READ: Inch by Inch By Leo Lionni

The ability to measure can help us in many ways, and it can even help a tiny inchworm outsmart a hungry predator! See how a quick-witted, confident inchworm uses his talent to keep from being eaten. Beginning with a robin's tail, inch by inch, he measures a flamingo's neck, a toucan's beak, a heron's legs, and finally a nightingale's song.

Other Recommended Books:

DO:

Body Math For a lot of people, their foot is the same length as their forearm! Is yours? Let’s find out!

Materials: • Piece of String (a little longer than your height) • A black marker

Directions: Start at the end of your string and mark off seven of your child’s foot lengths so that there are a total of seven black dots on the string when you are done. Now, help your child use the string to measure these body parts. Make sure to measure from one black mark on the string to the next. Measure About how many foot lengths? From wrist to elbow ________ Around widest part of your fist ________ Around your forehead ________ From head to toe ________

Did you know…

Adapted from: http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/parentsteachers/lessons/fun.html

A person’s height is often the same as their arm span (arms out to side, middle fingertip to middle fingertip) Try it out!