Finishing Up Measurement and Tasting the Rain Forest

In our latest rain forest lesson, the girls learned about the different foods that the rain forests provide.  We watched a short video on how chocolate was made many years ago by the indigenous tribes.  After the video, the girls participated in a taste test of different spices that come from the rain forest.  The following spices were used:  Allspice, Cocoa, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, and Vanilla.  Only one spice really threw your daughters....make sure you ask her which one!

We completed our measurement unit last week and one of those days we focused on measuring weight, rather than length.  We talked a lot about heavy verses light and gave a bunch of examples of things that fit into each category.  The girls were introduced to a balance scale and had to estimate which groups of manipulatives would be heavier (example 3 dice vs. 4 unifix cubes).  After we estimated, the girls were broken into groups of 2 or 3 where they actually measured the manipulatives using their balance scales.  There was even a challenge where they had to find a perfect balance between bears and cubes.

One of our final measurement lessons was on capacity.  We discussed how capacity is the measurement of what something can hold.  The girls were shown a bucket and had to estimate how many times it would take to be filled with the different containers: a yogurt cup, measuring cup, water glass and coffee mug.  After they estimated, they were put into groups of two and used water to complete the actual measurement.  The girls discovered while filling the bucket with water, it took many more times to fill it with a smaller container than a larger one.

We began fractions last week and started with halves.  This week we will move onto larger fractions.

We had another mystery reader today...only one more left!