1B

Mathematics in 1B: 

To begin our new term of learning in Mathematics, 1B have been deepening their skills in Measurement. Guided by our Mathematics program Ochre, students have been exploring how to measure objects and two-dimensional shapes using informal units.

To support this learning, students have been using familiar objects—such as paperclips, unit blocks, and unifix cubes—to measure the length of items around the classroom. They’ve closely examined the process of measuring, beginning with the important step of selecting an appropriate informal unit.

Using a helpful checklist, students ensured their measurements were accurate. This included lining up units end-to-end with no gaps or overlaps and making sure each unit was uniform in size and shape. Students even practiced measuring using just one unit, moving it along the object by marking with their finger and counting as they went.

Building on this foundational skill, students then compared their measurements, ordering objects from longest to shortest. They also explored how different informal units can affect the measurement of the same object. A highlight was measuring the length of their own foot and comparing it with their classmates!

Below, we’ve shared some of the interesting discoveries we made along the way:

• “Length is how long something is from one end to the other.” Luna 
• “You have to measure accurately by lining the material you are using end-to-end.” Johannah
• “You have to measure from point to point so you know how long something is. If you do it wonky donkey, then you will just get a random number. It must be straight.” Jiyaan
• “When I measure I make sure I count how many objects it is. If you don’t count then you will forget how many it is.” Ali
• You have to make sure that your material is smaller than your object. You can’t use a cricket bat to measure a shoe because it will be too big.” Kiyan
• “The object you use must be the same size. If the block I’m using is bigger than the other one I used before, it will not be measure accurately.” Jaynmae