Measure Your Path Home
Children will take on a challenge to build a path for a small toy using everyday objects. This lesson explores measuring length with non-standard units, comparing distances, and problem-solving through hands-on construction.
The lesson goal is in this spark, your learner will estimate and measure lengths using non-standard units, compare and order objects based on their length and apply problem-solving skills to adjust measurements.
What You Need
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Learning Guide
Step-by-step guidance. No preparation required.
- 1
Introduction5 Min
- Introduce the Great Path Challenge.
- Pick a toy, find start and end points.
- How can we make a safe path for our toy?
- Move on when Student understands the challenge and has identified a toy and start/end points.
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels - 2
Explore & Plan8 Min
- Gather paperclips, yarn, and blocks.
- Lay out materials, encourage exploration.
- How can these items help us measure our path?
- How is this different from that item?
- Move on when Student has explored the materials and shared initial thoughts on how they could be used for measuring.
Photo by William Warby on Pexels - 3
Discussion6 Min
- What did you notice comparing our measuring helpers?
- If we use something small, do we need more or fewer?
- Move on when Student can explain basic differences in measuring with varied non-standard units.
Photo by Orkhan Sweden on Pexels - 4
Activity9 Min
- Confirm toy, start, and finish lines.
- Encourage an estimate for the path length.
- Build the path using chosen tools.
- Is the path long enough? How do you know?
- Adjust the path until it's just right.
- Move on when Student has completed the physical activity of building and adjusting their path.
Photo by Саша Алалыкин on Pexels - 5
Summary2 Min
- What was the trickiest part of building your path?
- Move on when Student shares one key takeaway or observation from the activity.
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