Guess How Much I Love You?
This is a measurement activity based on the picture book Guess How Much I Love You?
About this resource
This activity, Big, bigger, biggest, is based on the picture book, Guess How Much I Love You? (words by Sam McBratney and illustrations by Anita Jeram).
Specific learning outcomes:
- Explain the relationship between superlative and comparative adjectives and linear measurements.
- Demonstrate an understanding of length with direct comparisons.
Guess How Much I Love You?
Achievement objectives
GM1-1: Order and compare objects or events by length, area, volume and capacity, weight (mass), turn (angle), temperature, and time by direct comparison and/or counting whole numbers of units.
Description of mathematics
Some superlative and comparative words can be translated into measurements for comparison (for example, long, longer, or longest could be boa constrictors that are 3 m, 4 m, or 5 m).
Objects can be ordered by comparing their measurements of a common attribute if using a common unit (for example, this car is longer than that one because this one is 4 orange cuisenaire rods long and that one is 3 rods long).
Required materials
- a class set of cords or heavy strings/wool or skipping ropes longer than the tallest child.
- Guess How Much I Love You? by Sam McBratney.
- clothes pegs.
Activity: Big, bigger, biggest
Little Nutbrown Hare discovers that love is not an easy thing to measure, but he makes an attempt by using width, height, and distance to express his feelings. When his “measures” are “topped” by his caregiver, Big Nutbrown Hare, it’s not so much competitive as it is affirming. The book provides the opportunity to explore comparative measures and statements and link the language of measurement to an engaging story.
1.
Prior to reading, have a brainstorm with your students about some describing words you have put on the board or modelling book.
- What do we know about these words: long, wide, high, tall, and far?
Ask students to give demonstrations or explain what each word means or the context related to the word. Use this as an assessment opportunity to decide if the concepts are developed enough to move on to the -er or -est suffixes.
2.
Share the book with your students, stopping to stress the key vocabulary and related concepts.
3.
On the second reading, have the children work in pairs with their measuring cords. At each measuring part of the story, pause and have them explore the ideas of "wide" (p. 4), "high" (p. 8 and 16), and "long" (p. 13). See if they can find a way to measure arm span and compare who is wider; compare heights and see who is taller; hop and see who can go higher; and lie down and stretch to see who is longer. When making measurements, they can use their cord and place a peg to mark the length.
4.
When you get to "far" (p. 20), take everyone outside and ask them to run across a wide space (that is "far"); once you get to the far side, ask them to run there and back again (that is further). Then come inside and read the last 5 pages.
5.
To follow on from this lesson, students can explore the vocabulary and make comparisons related to heavy, deep, loud, hot, long (time), etc., and order items based on a measured characteristic (for example, cold, colder, coldest; light, lighter, lightest).
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