Will It Fit?

Scripture: Genesis 5-9

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will review the story of Noah
  • Students will learn how to estimate and use measurements to determine if one object will fit inside another object
  • Students will practice estimating and measuring the linear dimensions of objects

Guiding Question: How can we use estimation and measurement to determine if one object will fit inside another object?

Materials: rulers, tape measures, boxes and containers of various sizes, toy animals of various sizes

Procedure: Review the story of Noah with students, focusing especially on the measurements God gave Noah for building the Ark. Ask students what they think would have happened if Noah had decided to make the Ark much smaller than God told him to make it. Tell students that just like Noah had to fit a lot of animals in the Ark, sometimes we may have to fit things into boxes (moving, mailing things, etc.). Tell students that sometimes when we are finding a box to use we may not have a ruler or measuring tape with us. Then we have to use our best guess or estimate if the box is big enough. Other times, we may know the measurements of the object, but not have it with us when we see a box. In that circumstance, we must measure the box to determine if the object will fit in it.

Have boxes or “Arks” of various sizes placed around the room. Each box should have a number clearly displayed on it. Also have a variety of animal toys in different sizes around the room. Each animal should have a letter of the alphabet clearly displayed on it. Have students look at the boxes and animals without touching or measuring them. Then have students write down which animals they think or estimate will fit in which boxes. After they have written down all of their estimates, allow students to go around the room and measure the various boxes and animals. Do the measurements change any of their answers? After everyone has recorded their answers, actually attempt to place the various animals in the various boxes. Ask students when they think they can estimate the size of something and when they should measure it accurately. Have them give as many different examples as possible for each method.

Additional Question: Can we estimate weight as accurately as we can length?

Supplemental Activity: Repeat the activity above, except this time have items of different weights. What if your “Ark” could only hold a certain amount of weight before it started sinking? Have students discuss how accurately they were able to estimate weights? When would it be helpful to be able to estimate weights well?

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