Developing Big Ideas
Compare and Measure
Compare and Measure Assessment
Understanding what your child already knows will help you decide what to teach next.
Does child make simple comparisons between two objects?
“The red ball is bigger.”
Does child compare objects by two or more measureable attributes?
“This pumpkin is bigger and heavier.”
Can child accurately arrange objects in order of size or another measurable attribute?
Child lines up blocks on shelf from smallest to largest.
Does child measure using nonstandard tools?
Child traces his shoe then lines up cubes to determine how many cubes long his shoe is.
Does child use standard measurement tools and measurement words accurately?
Child uses a ruler to measure a group of shoes to find the biggest shoe.
Does child use numbers to compare objects?
“This shoe is 10 inches long, that one is 6 inches long, so the 10 is longer.”
Does child correctly use ordinal numbers from first to tenth?
“When we raced, my car was 1st and John’s car was 2nd."
Activity 1: Balance Scale
Materials Included: Balance scale, variety of objects some of uniform weight
(like pennies, unifex cubes, table blocks) and non-uniform weight (like rocks,
bark, pinecones), and a heavier/lighter laminated chart
*Introduce the balance scale to the child, discover together how the heaviest
side goes down, the lightest side goes up, and when both sides are equally
balanced, the arrows line up.
*Put some cubes in one side, have child add cubes to the other side until they balance, then count how many
cubes are in both sides. What did you discover? Count out loud as you put five cubes in one side, ask the
child how many he thinks he will need to put on the other side to balance it, and then have him try.
*Set up a weighing station with a variety of objects to compare by weight. Have the
child chart the results on the lighter/heavier chart (child can either put the object on
the chart or provide a picture of the object to chart). Discuss the results, why does
child think that some objects heavier than others?
*Use the scale to compare. Have two books that the children can chose from for story time
on either side of the balance scale. As the children vote for a book, put a cube in that side of
the scale. Ask the children which side has more votes and which has less votes. Why do
they think that side has more? Verify the results by counting the cubes in each side of the
scale.
*Balance scale math: When child understands that an equal number of cubes are required for the scale to
balance, you can use this as an opportunity for solving math problems.
Example: Put five cubes in one side and 3 cubes in the other. Ask child how many more he needs to add to
the side with 3 cubes to balance the scale.
*Comparing solid to liquid: Have a variety of objects (rock, cotton balls,
etc). Put object in one side of balance scale, ask child how much water he
thinks he will need to balance with that object, have child slowly pour
water into other side until they balance. Measure and record water and
brainstorm why it takes more to balance the rock than the cotton balls.
Activity 2:
Exploring Measuring:
Measure children’s height:
Use a large piece of butcher paper. Glue a sewing measuring tape on to the paper.
Hang paper on wall. Have children one at a time stand with feet against the wall, back
to measuring tape and measure how tall they are. Place a ruler on top of their heads
and draw a line on the butcher paper to show each child’s height. Write each child’s
name on the line that indicates their height. Talk to each child about the numbers and
their height.
While teacher/caregiver is measuring children have the other children play with plastic links making chains.
When the height measuring is completed, give the children measuring tapes and rulers to measure how long
their link chains are and how many links it took to make them.
Make a chart with all of the names of children who participated in the link project.
Place on the chart the measurement of each child’s chain and how many links
they used to make the chain.
Extension:
Have two children count their links then ask them to put their chains together. Now ask children to put their
chains together. Now how many links are there? Example: Child one counts six links in his/her chain, child
two counts 8 links in his/her chain. When chains are added together, how many links are there? (6 + 8 = 14)
Have rulers available. Ask children “How many links do you think it would take to make a
chain as long as the ruler? Have children share their estimations/predictions (may want to
write down the children’s estimations. Accept all answers the children give you. When
estimations/predictions are complete, have children make their chain, place it next
to ruler to see if it the same length, too short or too tall. Support children in figuring
out how many links they might need to subtract or add to make chain match the
length of the ruler.
Activity 3:
Measuring ingredients:
Cooking activities involves measuring. When cooking with children talk to them about what
they are doing and what tools they are using to accomplish the task. “We need three cups
of flour to make the Zucchini Bread.” “We need one teaspoon of salt.”
Copy recipe on a chart
Next to each ingredient, put symbol for number of cups, teaspoons,
tablespoons that will be needed. Before pouring ingredients into mixing bowls, refer to
the chart, having children count the cups, teaspoons or tablespoons needed.
Allow children to fill measuring tools, pour ingredients into mixing bowls and stir (use hand mixer)
Zucchini Bread
Ingredients:
3 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 ¼ Cups Sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (do not include nuts if there is any chance of allergic reactions)
Grease and flour two 8x4 inch pans
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Sift flour, salt baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl
Beat eggs, oil vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the
creamed mixture, and beat well.
Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined.
Pour batter into prepared pans
Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes.
Remove bread from pan, and completely cool
Extension:
Use other recipes: Apple or pumpkin muffins, tortillas, applesauce, yogurt smoothies
Introduce measuring tools to children. What is a measuring cup? So all measuring cups
look alike? How are they the same? Show children dry measuring cups, liquid measuring
cups, different sizes and shapes.
Have several sets of measuring spoons. Have children put them in order of size.
Place containers of various sizes in the sand and water table. Let children experiment
freely with filling containers. Then pose the question “How many small containers (cups,
measuring spoons) will it take to fill this large one?
Remember- When measuring for a purpose, measuring becomes important.
Measure and cut the yarn you need for your art project. (important)
We need 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of salt to make play dough. (more important)
Let’s measure how far you can kick the ball. (very important!)
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Ideas for extensions:
*Use the balance scale to compare how many girls and boys are there today, compare if more children prefer
red apples or yellow apples, chose a name for the new hamster… remember to verify the results by counting.
*Provide measuring tools as a meaningful part of classroom activities: Yardsticks and measuring
tapes in the block area to measure roads and buildings, rulers in the art center, tape a ruler on
the side of the aquarium of worms, have a real scale in the dramatic play area, a food scale in
the play kitchen, rulers with the play dough to
see how long they can roll a snake,
rulers to measure how much their plants
have grown, measuring tape to
measure around the pumpkins to see
which is bigger...
Vocabulary to use when teaching Comparing and Measuring
Large, small, long, short, tall, wide, narrow, fat, thin, heavy, light, high, low
Some Sample Guiding Questions:
Which object was the longest, shortest, tallest, widest?
How many footsteps does it take to go from the climber to the slide? Will you take big
steps or small steps?
How wide is this tree? Can you reach around it? What if we hold hands with each
other? Can we reach around it now?
(Examples from: The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, Mathematics, Juanita V. Copley, Candy Jones, Judith Dighe)