Non- Standard Measurement

Everything is prepped and ready for Marshall!

We are going to begin our math lesson by reading a story called Measuring Penny. Based on the title and picture on the cover, what do you think we will learn about today? That's right, measurement. Today, you are going to learn about standard and non- standard measurement. (Demonstrate) One way to measure is to use a standard unit of measure like inches on a ruler. The book is 11 inches tall.  If I don't have a ruler, I can measure it with a nonstandard unit. (Measure book with pencils) The book is about one and a half pencils tall. We will talk more about measurement in a few minutes, but first, let's read the story! (Read story)

1. Looking at the cover, who can tell me the name of the girl?
2. What is the name of her dog?
3. The story we read is called, Measuring Penny after reading, I want to know, why do you think that is?

(T- Chart on Standard and Non- Standard measurement) This is a T- Chart on Standard and Non- Standard measurement. I want us to create a list. Raise your hand, and tell me, what units did Lisa (the main character in the book) use to measure?

We are going to do some measuring using Non- Standard units of measurement just like Lisa. Each of you is going to get a mini- book that looks like this (show book). You will be asked to find the width, length, and height of objects. (Read chart) Wide= width, long= length, and tall= height. 

To find your measurement, you will use a Penny Ruler. This is your Non- Standard unity of measurement for this activity. Before I send you off to work through this booklet on your own, let's do a few examples together!

Does anyone have questions?

** Check out Simply Skilled in Second and her Measuring Penny activity here on Teachers Pay Teachers.

*** I was observed during this lesson and my professor provided me with some fabulous feedback. She wrote, "Good job at giving quick expecations: "Spread out a little not to the back of the room." I like the idea of getting the wiggles out. Good classroom management skills. :-) LOVE when lessons begin with a book. :-) Your students are good listeners. You read the book well with fun introduction, enthusiasm, etc. You did a nice job of explaining how the dogs ears were measured. Thank you for complimenting the student by saying, "That's a really good observation." :-) Nice work of explaining the difference between "standard and non standard measurement. Thank you for asking students to raise hands! Thank you for telling the girl who said pennies as a measurement why her answer was good yet incorrect. Questioning skills are good to have and you are doing a nice job of questioning your students and your students are excited about measuring. :-) Their hands shot up in excitement! Thank you for thanking others. :-) Great quick informal assessment to see if students understand and are ready to move on. You are a natural, Liz!! A school will be lucky to get you and so will your students. :-) Good luck to you!"

Sequencing

Today, we are going to learn about the beginning, middle, and end of a story. Let's take a minute to think of the beginning, middle, and end of our school day. (Write beginning, middle, and end on chart) Raise your hand if you can tell me one thing our class does in the morning. Great job! In the middle of the day, we eat lunch. What else happens in the middle of our school day? What happens at the end of the day?

As you can see, there may be more than one event that can be classified as the beginning, middle or end. That is okay, as long as the events are put in order. You wouldn't want to say you line up for the bus and then get ready to go home. That does not make sense. First, you need to get ready to go home, then you line up so you can be dismissed to catch your bus.

(Chart) Certain words and phrases in a story give clues about whether the event is at the beginning, middle or end of the story. 

Many stories have a sequence to them. Sequencing refers to putting events or actions in order. Let's take a minute to retell the story of the "3 Little Pigs" from memory. What happens first? In the middle? At the end? This is our sequence of events. First this happened, next this happened, and then this happened.

This morning, we are going to read my favorite story. It is about a boy named Alexander who has had a very bad day. What do you think I mean when I say, bad day? Raise your hand if you have ever had a bad day. (Call on a boy and one girl to explain why their day was so bad and how it made them feel.)

Over here, you'll see that I have some events from the story. I want you to really be listening to the order of these events because after we read, we are going to try and put them in the correct order. (Read events)

Read story and ask, "Why do you think Alexander's mom said, 'Some days are like that. Even in Australia.'" Can you avoid bad days by moving? 

Raise your hand if you can tell me what the word, "Sequence" means. That's right! Sequence refers to putting events or actions in order. As a class, we are going to recall the sequence of events in our story and work together to put them in order. (Recall 7 or 8 events)

I have a short sequencing worksheet for you to complete. I want you to write a sentence and draw a picture to show the correct order of events from the story. There were more than four events from the story but I only want you to write and draw four of them. It can be any four events that you remember, just make sure to put them in the right sequence. (Show my example)

Below are several of my students examples:

We also had enough time to play an Alexander board game which my 2nd graders loved. You can get your copy here.

Water Cycle

Take a good long look at the water on the table. Now, can you guess how old it is? The water in this glass may have fallen from the sky as rain just last week, but the water itself has been around pretty much as long as the Earth has!

Today, we are going to learn about the Water Cycle! (Turn on PP)

The Earth has a limited amount of water. That water keeps going around and around and around and around in what we call the "Water Cycle."'

The Water Cycle is made up of four stages:
1. Evaporation
2. Condensation
3. Precipitation
4. Collection
(Have students repeat stages one by one focusing on pronunciation)

Evaporation is when the sun heats up water in rivers or lakes or the ocean and turns it into vapor or steam. The water vapor or steam leaves the river, lake or ocean and goes into the air. 

Water vapor in the air gets cold and changes back into liquid, forming clouds. This is called condensation.

Precipitation occurs when so much water has condensed that the air cannot hold it anymore. The clouds get heavy and water falls back to the earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow. 

When water falls back to earth as precipitation, it may fall back in the oceans, lakes or rivers or it may end up on land. When the water ends up on land, it will either soak into the Earth and become part of the "ground water" that plants and animals use to drink or it may run over the soil and collect in the oceans, lakes or rivers. We call this collection, and it is where the water cycle starts all over again. 

Next, we are going to watch a one- minute video clip that is going to walk us through the four stages of the Water Cycle. 

Now, I want us to label a poster of the Water Cycle. 

The four stages of the water cycle are evaporation, condensation, precipitation and collection so this is our word bank or the words we get to choose from. 

When the sun heats up water in rivers, lakes or oceans, some of the water turns into vapor or steam and goes into the air. What is this stage called? Is it evaporation, condensation, precipitation or collection? It is evaporation. 

When water vapor in the air gets cold and changes back into liquid, forming clouds it is called? Is is condensation, precipitation or collection?

When so much water has condensed that the air cannot hold it anymore, the clouds get heavy and water falls back to the earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow. This stage of the water cycle is called? It starts with a p.

And the final stage of the Water Cycle, when water falls back in the oceans, lakes, rivers, or may end up on land is called? That's right, collection. Great job! Labeling the Water Cycle was not an easy task, but you did it!

Alright 2nd graders, I want to teach you a song! This song is going to help you remember the stages of the Water Cycle. This is going to be so much fun and I am super excited to be able to sing about the Water Cycle with you this afternoon. Let's all stand up and form a circle. Make sure you have room and are not in your friend's personal space.

"The Water Cycle Song"
(Sung to the tune of She'll be Coming Around the Mountain)

Water travels in a cycle, yes it does
(Use pointer finger to make a big circle in the air)
Water travels in a cycle, yes it does
(Repeat finger circle)
It goes up as evaporation
(Move hands up to the sky)
Forms clouds as condensation
(Make a cloud overhead with arms)
Then comes down as precipitation, yes it does!
(Sprinkle with fingers while bringing arms down in front of you) 

**I was observed during the second half of this lesson. My professor wrote: 
"Water Cycle- 
Students were watching a short video clip to reinfroce their learning from earlier. Great discussion post video... Very engaging and respectful. Good check for understanding. Fun review- song with actions- students loved it! Thorough, well- developed lesson plan! Nice job!!"