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Measuring Up!

A girl measures her height on a chalkboard. She is about four feet tall. JGI/JAMIE GRILL—GETTY IMAGES

We can learn about the world around us by taking measurements. Different tools help us make different kinds of measurements. Here are a few tools for measuring.

Thermometer

PAGA DESIGN/GETTY IMAGES

A thermometer measures temperature. It tells us how hot or cold something is.

Scale

WESTEND61

A scale measures weight. It tells us how much something weighs. Which of these two loads is heavier?

Ruler

FROM TOP: JANGELTUN (2); DNY55/GETTY IMAGES

A ruler measures length. It tells us how long or short something is. How many inches long is this eraser?

Clock

PAUL BRICKNELL—GETTY IMAGES

A clock measures time in hours and minutes. The round clock is analog analog ARIEL SKELLEY/GETTY IMAGES a type of clock or watch with hands that point to the time (adjective) In school I am learning how to tell time on an analog clock. . It has hands that move. They point at the numbers to show the time. The black clock is digital digital YIPENGGE/GETTY IMAGES a type of clock or watch that shows the time with numbers instead of hour and minute hands (adjective) My digital alarm clock wakes me up every morning. . It has only numbers.

Did You Know?

RICHARD CUMMINS—GETTY IMAGES

This is a sundial sundial ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS a device that uses the sun to tell time (noun) My grandmother has a sundial in her garden. . It is one of the oldest tools for telling time. A sundial has markings. They stand for the hours of daylight. It also has a pointer. The pointer casts a shadow. The shadow moves as the sun moves. This is one way people could tell time long ago.