Students can master measurement concepts by hands-on exploration.
When thinking about measurement, the first thing that pops into the mind is linear measurements, such as length and height. However, measurement covers many topics, including weight, time, money and temperature. To help third grade students understand measurement, spend time allowing students to explore the concept by providing hands-on, inquiry-based activities where they can form their own understanding and learn use measurement tools accurately.
How Big Is a Foot?
For some fun with nonstandard units of measurement, read the book "How Big Is a Foot?" by Rolf Myller to the class. The story is about a king who commissions a bed to be made with specific measurements in feet. The carpenter makes the bed and returns it, but it is the wrong size. The story takes place before standard units of measurement were invented, so the bed was the wrong size because the king had bigger feet than the carpenter. After reading the book, ask students to take off their shoes, trace one of their feet and cut out the tracing. They will each need to create nine footprints.
When the students have finished, take them outside to a large area where they can place their footprints to form two sides of the bed. The dimensions should be six feet by three feet. Ask students to observe the "beds" created by classmates and ask engaging questions, such as "Are the beds the same size?," "Whose bed is smaller?," "Whose bed is larger?" and "Why do you think a ruler was invented?"
This activity will guide students in understanding that a standard form of measurement is needed to maintain consistency in measurement.
Spitting Contest
For some outdoor fun with standard forms of measurement, take students outside and draw a starting line on the sidewalk with chalk. Each child will need a ruler. Line up three students at a time on the starting line and ask them to spit as far as they can. Have the students help each other by lining up the rulers to measure the distance each child was able to spit. You can measure the distance in inches, centimeters, feet or meters. After every child has had a chance to participate, declare the classroom winner of the Third Grade Spitting Contest.
For some competitive fun, get other classes in the school to have a spitting contest and declare a school winner!
Clean, Clear Water!
For some measurement fun with temperature, allow your students to work in groups of four to conduct a water experiment. Provide each group with glasses containing samples of cold tap water, ice water, ice, refrigerated water, room temperature water, ice water with 1 teaspoon of salt, warm tap water, hot tap water and hot tea. For more accurate measurements, pour one sample at a time. For example, pour the cold tap water and have students complete that measurement process before pouring the ice water. Use a Fahrenheit thermometer to measure each of the liquids. Have students record the results in a chart.
Have a discussion with the students about which form of water was the coldest, warmest and how salt changed the temperature.
Tags: water water, cold water, Contest some, Have students, measure distance, Spitting Contest, Spitting Contest some
