Home Activities

Measurement

Children learn how to measure using nonstandard measuring tools, such as paper clips, Popsicle sticks and cubes. They learn that they must choose one tool of equal size (ex. paperclips) to measure an object. The tools must touch side to side to span the length of the object they are measuring.

Activities:

Measuring Items

Children can measure objects in the house using non-standard units such as paper clips, pennies, toothpicks, etc.

Ordering Objects

Use forks, spoons and knives and ask your child to order them from longest to shortest or shortest to longest.

Geometry- The Study of Shapes

Students will learn that defining attributes of shapes are the characteristics that tell what the shape is (ex. number of sides, number of corners/vertices, open or closed). Non-defining attributes are characteristics that do not tell what a shape is (ex. color and size).

Shapes All Around

Children can find shapes around the home or neighborhood and explain how they know the shape by using defining attributes such as the number of sides, number of corners.

Partitioning- Equal Shares

Without using the term fractions, we begin to explore the concept of partitioning a shape into equal parts. 1st graders learn and apply the terms, halves and fourths or quarters.

Food Shares

Use graham crackers, a cookie or a slice of cheese or other yummy snack and ask your child how he/she would share the food with you.