Mathematical Emphasis
Investigation 1—Measures of Length and Distance

• Using U.S. standard and metric tools for measuring length, weight, volume, and time
• Finding and using benchmarks to estimate measures
• Determining when precise measurement is required and when estimates are good enough
• Recognizing and explaining possible sources of measurement error
• Comparing lengths expressed in different ways, such as meters and centimeters, meters and decimal fractions of a meter, and meters and fractions of a meter
• Keeping track of and calculating total measurements

Investigation 2—Measures of Weight and Liquid Volume

• Comparing relative sizes of U.S. standard and metric measurements of weight and liquid quantity
• Developing a sense of various weights and volumes and developing benchmarks for these measures
• Measuring weight with a pan balance

Measurement Supplement

• Using benchmarks in U.S. standard and metric measurement

Tips For Helping At Home
Questions To Ask:

• What do you need to find out?
• What did you do in class to get started?
• Have you solved similar problems that would help?
• Can you make a drawing (model) to explain your thinking?
• What would happen if…?
• What do you need to do next?
• How do you know your answer is reasonable?
• Has the question been answered?
• Are there any questions you want to ask your teacher?

Helping At Home

• Show your child how you use measurement—with rulers, measuring cups or other specialized tools.
• Talk with your child about the metric system. Do you think the United States should convert to only one system of measurement? Why or why not?
• Have your child look at home or in the market for measures of weight and volume on cans, packages, containers, and bottles. Also look at product labels to identify where the product is from. Are most of the foods you eat locally grown or produced nearby? Are any grown or produced in other countries?

Vocabulary Terms

Length

Centimeter, meter, kilometer, inch, foot, yard, mile

Liquid Volume

Milliliter, liter, fluid ounce, pint, quart

Solid Volume

Cubic centimeter, cubic meter, cubic inch, cubic foot, cubic yard

Temperature

0° Celsius (freezing), 100° C (boiling), 20° C (room temperature), 32° Fahrenheit (freezing), 212° F (boiling), 68° F (room temperature)

Weight

Gram, kilogram, metric ton, ounce, pound, ton

Mathematics Strategy—Metric and U.S. Standard Measurements

Note: Liquid Volume is how much space a liquid occupies. Solid Volume is how much space something takes up.

Source: Investigations in Number, Data, and Space: Measurement Benchmarks. Dale Seymour, 1998. (Page 10)

Mathematics Game—Guess My Unit

Playing the Game

1. One player (leader) chooses a unit of measure and writes it down.



2. The leader then gives several clues that describe characteristics of that unit of measurement.



3. The next player guesses a unit of measurement based on the clues.



4. If the guess is incorrect, that player may ask a question about another attribute of the unit of measurement but does not get to guess again.



5. The turn passes to the next player who guesses based on the clues and answer to the first question. If that guess is incorrect, another question is asked.



6. Play continues until the correct guess is made. The player making the correct guess becomes the new leader.

Variations: Can be played with numbers.