Measurement

Measuring things used to be learned at home. Baking, building, ordering, and purchasing all included some form of measurement which young minds could observe and eventually be part of. The number of adults who can accurately use a ruler is rapidly dwindling. Tools used for measuring have changed, too.  

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Cooking may include weight, and distance may use lasers. Online calculators and conversion tables redirect what is important to know.

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My recent projects with students have included how we classify what is measured which impacts the tools used to measure with. Is the object discrete pieces, such as M&Ms, or is it fluid or continuous such as sand or water? The classification impacts human decision making in translating solutions into useful information.