Our Current Math Topics—

We can measure length.  This will be our primary focus now.   We used clocks, thermometers, and money already.

    Some tools here are a measuring tape, a ruler, and  a yard stick or meter stick.   We learned that in ancient Egypt they used their fingers, hands (span) and arms to do this.  We learned that in Ancient Egypt that 1 finger = digit and 4 fingers = palm.   If  you opened you hand the distance between the tip of the thumb and the pinkie finger it was a span.  The most popular measurement in ancient times was the cubit.   If you bend your arm at the elbow then a cubit is the arm from the bent elbow to the tip of the middle finger.   The Pharaoh decided what this would be because they went with the length of his arm.   Just one thing is wrong with their measurements.  Not everyone has the same size hand or bent arm so measurements were not accurate or exact.

• We have weight measurement.   We use scales as the tool.  How much does the vegetable weigh?  What do you weigh?  What does an dolphin weigh?   What does a paper clip weigh?   
• We can measure volume with a cylinder tube with numbers on the side.
• We can measure height and use these same tools.
• We can measure time and use a clock.
• We can measure money like 1cent, 5 cents, 10 cents and dollars in the USA.   We learned last week about other currency.
• We can use grams to measure weight and use a scale or balance pan with weights.  We use this at the grocery store if we want to buy pounds of vegetables.   The doctor weighs us.  We use pan balances to see the difference between objects like a paper clip and wooden block.
• We measure in inches, feet and yards in the United States where other places may use centimeters and meters.
• We can measure distance in miles how far it is from one place to another.
• We can measure rainfall and wind speed.  We would use a rain gauge and  anemometer.  
• We can measure the temperature.   We would use thermometers. We learned about these during our weather science unit.
• We can use cups, teaspoons, tablespoons, pints, quarts and gallons when preparing and buying food.   We discussed using a cup of flour, a cup of sugar and a cup of melted butter to cook.   When we help mom and grandma in the kitchen we use measurement a lot.

There is standard and metric measurement.  We wonder why we use standard based on 12  when other countries used metric based on 10.   It seems simpler to figure out and move from one unit to another in metric.  

• Do you use measurement each day?
• What do you use measurement for?
• Do people in other parts of the world use measurement in the same way even though the unit may differ?
• Can you think of a job that would not need some kind of measurement?
• How important is exact measurement?  
• If you were a builder and your town depended on you to design their town and build the buildings would you need measurement?   If so which ones would be the most important to use.   Which unit of measurement would you pick to use?
•  If you had lived in Ancient Egypt and measured a pyramid would using your palm work well?  How about the cubit?