Knowing when to advance your child

from using informal units of

measurement to formal units like the Activity 1
metric system can be a challenging time
but in order for children to be capable an activity that will get children
of that next step they must be experiencing indirect comparison at home is
exposed to informal units in a variety of to find the lengths of objects that cannot
different ways. The next stage in a be directly compared.
child’s length measurement journey length of the table
looks at their ability to indirectly the height of the fridge
compare objects based on length using the space between a door frame
appropriate uniform informal units. the height of a chair
Talk to your child about the possible
ways to solve the problem using
Activity 2 informal units of measurement like:
string
tape
paper clips
their handspans
Picture books area great
resource for keeping students
engaged in what they are
learning and encourage children
Activity 3
to explore and develop their Communicating with children about mathematical
mathematical knowledge. concepts is a useful way to support children’s
Books such as 'How big is my learning and understanding, get your children to look
foot' by Rolf Miller (1962) and and talk about at the lengths of things in their
'Measuring Penny' by Loreen everyday lives. When going on walks or playing in
Leedy (2000) are fantastic the garden encourage discussions that incorporate
resources for teaching length indirect comparison, ‘that flower is shorter than
and perimeter concepts. my foot but taller than my thumb’. these talks
promote the critical and creative thinking needed
BONUS! By using picture books,
to grasp length measurement concepts and
you can get involved in your
strengthen their ability to use the correct
child’s learning as it is something
language for this concept.
you can do together.