Measuring Unit

     We begin our year with a short unit on how to measure.  Students are taught how to read a tape measure in a lesson titled, "What Do All These Funky Little Lines Mean?" This lesson also serves as great practice with reducing fractions.
     Students are taught basic safety and applications of various measuring instruments, including a simple yardstick, taking diameters using a caliper, and finding angles using different types of squares.  Basic concepts of the metric system are presented and area is discussed, specifically how to find it and its relationship to materials. 
     The culminating activity for this unit is The Measure Treasure Hunt, a game of sorts in which all instruments that have been taught are laid out and students are given a list of things in the shop to measure.
     One of the most important purposes of this game involves learning styles. Students have heard all about these tools in my lectures and have seen them in my demonstrations;  this activity provides students an opportunity to put these tools in their hands and use them.  An atmosphere of play takes some of the stress away from things like wearing safety glasses for the first time and learning shop geography, such as where the fire extinguisher is.

                   -Mr.Reifler
        

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