Free Font Find, Positively Sublime Pinterest Tutorial, and an Investigation Into Mass

So first off, I was doing my TpT research and stumbled upon a wonderful video turtorial  by Deniece on how to make long pins for Pinterest.  Click her button to go to her fabulous post featuring the video tutorial.

 

She makes adorable fonts!  And she has them for FREE in her TpT store.  If you click the picture below, it will take you to the product I used for the font on the new pins I made, and also the graphic organizer later in this post.  And she has TWO other packages for free- go get them!

 

 

 

After I watched her tutorial, I was able to make collage pins of my products. Here's three I made, I think they came out quite nicely. (And I used her cute Little Piggy Cake font too!)

 

 

 

 

Now, on to our scheduled program on measurement:

I wanted to see what my kids knew about mass today.  Sometimes it really amazes me when I look at how our state standards spiral, and yet kids have no memory of what they learned the previous year.  I wonder if it means that the standards are just too hard, or if we just aren't able to deliver the material in a life applicable and therefore memorable way?

Here's the graphic organizer I was using to help us break it down today:

Yeah, I was really interested to find out they didn't know any of the related words to measurement aside from heavy, light, and equal.  My "quick" measurement lesson is going to be expanding for a few days looks like.

After this discussion (took about 15 minutes total) I set out the different types of scales I had, and described their uses to the whole class.  I feel pretty lucky with the variety I do have- besides bucket balance scales, I also had two tray weighted scales, a spring scale, a very basic balance scale, and a little more "old fashioned" looking one with the round trays held on by beaded strings.  We partnered up and I put out a variety of items for them to free explore with.  I usually break up rotation times into seven minutes.  It gives them a good five minutes and then I give them the "two minute warning" to begin to tidy their space.  We had a royal mess in seconds.

 

During this first walk-through, each station looked like this.  They just piled everything they could into the buckets.  Note to teach: They do not know how to use scales.

 

So after the free explore, we gathered back together and I gave them a specific assignment.  First they had to choose three specific toy items from their hoard and decide which one was heaviest, lightest, and in between using their balance.  Second, they had to pick ONE of the toys, and find out exactly how much it weighed using only ONE type of unit.

 

 

Verdict: The Swedish Chef is heavier than a slinky.

Verdict: The slinky is heavier than a bean.

 



The final line up. From left to right, heaviest, in between, and lightest.

 

We struggled on the second half of the assignment.  So that's what's up for tomorrow.  Non-standard units- balancing a scale.  Then- how to introduce them to standard units in a life-applicable way?

 

What are you doing in your rooms? Dish.