TRADITIONAL MEASUREMENT

Eldy Ricky, Ursula Miria, Pauline Anea.

Ref: Mathematics Grade Seven Pages 64-80

This is a revision lesson based on Measurement using the Metric System and the Traditional way of measuring. In this lesson we will be looking at Time, Mass and Length. We will also be looking at the different means of using Traditional Mathematics and modern mathematics and also the base units of the Metric System. Activities will be given to students to do and should be able to the given objectives.

The objectives are:

1. Using the correct base units when measuring Time, Mass and Length.
2. Comparing and identifying the advantages and the disadvantages of using the Metric System and the traditional of measuring.
3. Naming the instruments used today to measure Time, Mass and Length compared to the traditional way.

In the past days, people had no idea of what the Metric System was. They did not use modern means of measurement such as rulers or tape measures to measure distances, watches or clock to measure time and scale or balances to measure weights. In traditional mathematics, people used simple materials. Nature and their body parts to measure distances or length, time and mass. To measure time they used the sun by reading their shadow, the chickens and the sounds of birds. They also used bush ropes to tie knots which represented the days or months. When measuring distances or length they used ropes, arm length and pacing. Pacing was very useful when building houses. They measured the weight of something by lifting and comparing with another thing which is heavy or light. There weren’t any units used for length, time and mass. All these means of measurement in traditional mathematics were simple and cheap.

There can be some advantages and disadvantages of traditional mathematics. One advantage is that it is simple to use and people need not spend money to buy the materials for measurement. The disadvantage of it is that, it is more like estimating and leads to not having an accurate measurement. For example, people can miscount the number of steps when measuring distances. They also cannot keep on counting steps to measure long distances as this will take them hours and hours or days and days to measure. Also, when using ropes they could make slight mistakes or errors in marking the lengths of certain things on the rope. Lifting and comparing the mass of certain things also does not give us the actual weight of the things.

LESSON PLAN

SUBJECT: Mathematics
TOPIC: Measurement GRADE: 7

OBJECTIVE(S): By the end of the lesson the students should be able to:
a) Use the correct base units when measuring time, mass and length.
b) Compare and identify the advantages and disadvantages of using the Metric System and the traditional way of measuring.
c) Name the instruments used today to measure time, mass and length compared to the traditional days.

PHASE TIME CONTENT TEACHING PRO. STUD. ACTIVITY MATERIAL

1. INTRODUCTION

5 minutes. 1. Ask students to name some of the means of measuring time, mass & length.
1. Students give ans.
2. EXAMPLES
People working in the garden read their time by looking at the sun and hearing the evening birds.
2. Describe traditional mathematics. 2. Students listen.
3. State the objectives.

4. Ask studs. to state the base units of time, mass and length. 4. Students give ans.

5. Get students to name the materials. 5. Name the materials.

Rulers, Tape measure,
6. Get students to identify the instruments used in measuring time, mass & length accordingly.
6. Name the instrument. bathroom scale, spring balance, kitchen scale, pan balance,
7. Give out the questions to each group. Studs. answer the questions.
watch, wall clock
BODY
20 minutes 8. Call after sometime to let the students answer the questions. 8. Studs. write the ans. on the board.

9. Correct the answers.

10. Get students to list the advan. & disadvan. of using the Metric System and the traditional way of measuring. 10. Students list the advantage & the disadvantages.
CONCLUSION
5 minutes 11. Summaries lesson content.
*What are base units of time, mass & length? 11. Students listen and respond to the questions.

*Give an example of a Traditional
way of measuring time, mass & length.

This lesson should achieve its goals because the topic is very important in our everyday life. Since the Metric System has been introduced all educated students should have a fair idea of how to use the Metric System and that is using the correct base units and the correct measuring equipment to measure time, mass and length.

Zepp's conclusion