4_23_07

Whole-class math
Begin with normal pieces of paper to measure.

How could you measure this piece of paper? What part would you measure if you wanted to measure it? What would you measure it with? How do you do good measuring? Where do you start? How do you know you are done with one side?

Introduce words such as length, width.

Present possible non-standard units: paper clips, cubes, square tiles.

Students begin by choosing a unit and then estimate how many of that unit they will need for one side of the paper. They record their estimate and their final measurements on the piece of paper.

Return to the rug to share work and talk about results.

Extensions for those who finish quickly:
 * be sure they measured length and width
 * measure it with a different unit -- be sure to make a new estimate
 * give legal size paper to measure