Linear Measurement & Coordinate Graphing - Intro

These two math concepts aren't typically combined in Waldorf but, since I wanted to do lots of hands-on gardening projects in the Spring, they seemed to fit together. Third grade in Waldorf has Farming & Gardening (which we've already done) and Linear Measurement (building projets for the garden such as fencing, raised beds, or cold frames?). If we are doing the measurement in the context of our garden planning, coordinate graphing just makes sense. After all, you have to grid out your garden.

Now, to throw a wrench in the works, here comes COVID-19 and we are all under a statewide Shelter at Home order. That means instead of meeting as a homeschool co-op at my house, and working on a joint gardening project, each family is on their own gardening in their own yard. How to create lessons that will be universally useful? That is the challenge of this block.

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots:
Activities to Do in the Garden
by Sharon Lovejoy

Here is what we did:

Day One

• brainstorm units of linear measurement and sort into two categories (Imperial and metric); recall last year's Measurement block and the prefixes of the metric stair; discuss other units mentioned in the brainstorm including 2-D (acre) and 3-D (cubic yard)
• look at a measuring tape and discuss the value of standarized units of measurement
• have each child take a pencil as their non-standard unit of measurement and go end over end to measure the length of their arm from shoulder to fingertip (answers included 3, 3 1/2, 3 1/4, 4 1/2, and 5 3/4)
• have each child use that pencil as the unit of measurement for the length of their sofa (answers included 9, 10 1/2, 11 1/4, 11 1/3, and 15 1/2)
• point out that Zac and I were both measuring the exact same sofa but his measurement was 9 and mine was 15 1/2; who had the longer pencil? (Zac)
• reflect on how difficult it must have been in the past when units of measurement were based on the human body (cubit, foot)

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