From the Foundation Classrooms

Having fun with measurement  

Over the last couple of weeks, the Foundation students have been revising their understanding of measurement, engaging in a variety of hands-on activities that allowed them to explore the concepts of length, mass and capacity.

The students enjoyed the active nature of these activities, making predictions, experimenting and problem-solving, and having some wonderful conversations about their findings.

Read on to learn about some of our activities!

Length

Taking inspiration from the book 'Stick Man' by Julia Donaldson, students created their own stick families, collecting sticks to represent each member of their family.  Students compared the length of the sticks they found, considering the height of each of their family members and choosing sticks that were longer or shorter to represent the varying heights in their family. They then measured these using Unifix or Minis, and recorded the height of each family member. We talked about the importance of choosing uniform units of measurement when comparing length.

Mass

Students were introduced to the concept of hefting - holding an object in each hand to compare the weight of the objects. They hefted various items around the classroom, looking to find objects that were heavier, lighter, and a similar weight to their lunchbox. They then had a go at using a set of balance scales, comparing the weight of items around the classroom. 

Capacity

Students developed their understanding of capacity through an exploration in the sandpit. Students had access to tubs in a variety of shapes and sizes, filling these with sand and problem solving to work out how they could compare which tub had the greater capacity. It was perfect weather for the sandpit this week, and this activity was greatly enjoyed by all!