What tools are used for measuring?
To begin to answer their question, “What tools are used for measuring,” students gathered measuring tools from home and around the school. The teachers wanted students to gain awareness that measurement takes place at school and at home. The first place students “visited” was their own classroom. They continued to explore the measuring tools in the classroom for five months! Their collection of artifacts that were either measuring tools or involved the use of measuring included teaspoons, measuring cups, trundle wheel, watches, clocks, a quilting template, a sewing machine, yard sticks, a fabric cutting board, antique spring scale, balance scale, doctor’s scale, a bungee cord, several different thermometers, money, calibrated weights, tape measures, an oil stick, and a tire air gauge. They also found that people use body parts and other non-standard units as reference points to measure. They compared standard to non-standard units.
