Chapter 7: Lina's Family

Lina has a big, happy family. There is tall papa, short little brother, heavy grandfather and light little baby. Let's learn to measure them , using our hands, our feet and our eyes!

What we'll do in this chapter

• Compare things that are tall and short.
• Compare things that are long and short.
• Compare things that are heavy and light.
• Measure using hand spans, footsteps and other simple tools.

The big idea

To measure means to find out how much. How tall is your friend? How long is your pencil? How heavy is your school bag?

Long ago people did not have rulers. They used their hand span (from thumb to little finger) and footsteps (heel to toe). You can too! "My table is 6 hand spans long!" That is a measurement.

When we put two things side by side, we can see which is longer or shorter, which is taller or shorter.

For weight, we use a balance. The heavy thing goes down, the light thing goes up. A watermelon is heavier than an apple. A feather is lighter than a stone.

We also compare how much something holds. A bucket holds more water than a glass. A glass holds more than a spoon.

Measurement is everywhere! Mama measures rice for cooking. Papa measures cloth for stitching. You measure your height every birthday.

Let's play!

👣 Footstep Walk

How many footsteps long is your room? Walk heel-to-toe across it and count. Now ask papa or mama to do the same. Why is their number smaller?

✋ Hand Span Hunt

Measure your study table using your hand span. Then measure a book, a chair, the door. Write down the numbers. The longest thing wins!

⚖️ Heavy or Light?

Pick up an apple in one hand and an onion in the other. Which feels heavier? Try a book and a notebook. Try a slipper and a sock.

🥛 How Much Can It Hold?

Fill a cup with water. Pour it into a small bowl , does it fit? Pour it into a glass , does it overflow? Find out which bowl in your house holds the most.

A small story

It was Lina's birthday. Papa stood her against the wall and marked her height with a pencil. "Last year you were here. This year you are here , you have grown!" Little brother also wanted to be measured. He was shorter than Lina but taller than baby sister. Lina laughed, "I am the second-tallest kid in the family!"

Quick check

1. Who is taller , you or your father?
2. Which is heavier , a kitten or an elephant?
3. Measure your foot. Is it longer or shorter than your pencil?
4. Which holds more water , a bucket or a glass?
5. Stand near your friend. Who is taller? By how many fingers?

What did we learn?

• Things can be long, short, tall, heavy, light.
• We can measure with our hands and feet , no ruler needed!
• Comparing two things tells us which is bigger or smaller.