Jan 19 2012
How many inches?
Miss Robinson helps Ruth try a new technique for her trading card.
- Regan experiments with the ruler.
This week during math, we have practiced measuring things in many different ways. We began measuring items around our room with our own hands and then compared results with our friends. We’ve had several conversations about why the results were sometimes different. After investigating the different techniques of measurement, items measured, and then eventually one another’s hands, our friends decided that results were not consistent because people’s hands are different sizes, thus, different results! After our discovery that non-standard measurement can be inconsistent, we worked with a manipulative called the inch worms (you might remember we measured our 24 foot airplane with these) and measured different items around the room with inches in this way. Today, Miss Schmidt and I introduced the ruler to our group. We began by letting the kids investigate and experiment with the ruler. What did they notice? What markings are on the ruler? Is it the same size as anything around you? Tajanaye noticed something very powerful- “It matches the inch worms. I can line then up like this!” Tajanaye then lined up 12 inch worms next to the 12 inch ruler. The kids all looked in amazement- the ruler is made up of inches, 12 inches to be in fact! Ruth then brought up the fact that the other side of the ruler had different markings than the inch side (which had the numbers 1-12 to indicate each inch) and Ruth observed that these numbers went up to 30. She suggested that they looked awfully close to half inches. She also noted that, “No matter which way you look at it, both sides are still equal to 12 inches!” What a fabulous observation.
- Tajanaye explains her find.
After our excitement with math, the kids were reminded that tomorrow, we will have our first official trading card event in our classroom. After morning meeting, we will review our trading agreements and take time to share our self-created cards with one another. Many friends have been working on cards hard all week and are anxious to get trading! I know I am excited for some new cards from my friends. Today during Big Studio time, Mrs. Grotojan and her student teacher, Miss Robinson, introduced our friends to a new technique for their trading cards- embroidering them. The cards look beautiful when done this way. What a fabulous new technique for us to experiment with. We look forward to introducing the kids to other mediums as well for their cards.
