Measurement
(Video)
Numbers can be used to both count and to measure. But did you ever think about the differences between counting and measuring? Watch the video for an explanation of the differences.
This video segment originally appeared in KET’s GED Connection series.
Did you ever think of all the ways we use numbers every day? Numbers can be used to both count and to measure. We use numbers when we discuss time, distance, size, weight, and temperature. But are we counting or measuring (or both) when we use numbers in these ways?
After watching the video, have learners identify objects in the room that are counted and those that are measured.
Practice measuring and counting by having learners do both. For instance, measure the distance from a table to the wall, and then count how many feet from the table to the wall. You can also have learners step off the distance and count how many steps from the table to the wall.
Encourage learners to work with a partner and use unconventional items (paper clips, pencils, even gum or candy wrappers) to measure various objects in the room (a stapler, a book, a desk, a door, etc.). Have the teams report their findings to the rest of the class. See who can choose the most unusual measuring tool.
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