3.2  Measure, measuring and measurement

Objectives•  Measure and draw lines to the nearest 

millimetre•  Use names and abbreviations of units of 

measurement to measure, estimate, calculate and solve problems in everyday contexts involving length, area

•  Solve word problems and investigate in a range of contexts: length, area and perimeter

•  Make simple scale drawings

Starter (1) Oral and mental objective

Draw a ‘spider diagram’ on the board with numbers on the legs. Write × or ÷ and one of 10/100/1000 on the body, and point to each leg in turn. Pupils complete the calculations.

Starter (2) Introducing the lesson topic

Divide the board in two. Write a different mathematical word related to measures at the top of each half. Divide the class into two teams. Teams then take turns to write a ‘measure’ word starting with one letter of the previous word, e.g. ‘metre ~ estimate’. The team with more words wins.

Main lesson − Askpupilsforthenamesofcommonunitsofmeasurement.(Ifyouused

Starter 2, pupils can start by identifying any units from this list.) You may need to explain the difference between metric and imperialunitshere.Askpupils to pick out length/mass/capacity units in order of size.

− Whydoweuseunits?

Howmanymillimetresarethereinacentimetre?Howmanycentimetresarethereinametre?…

−  Use objects to show 1 litre, 5 ml, 1 kg, 1 g, 1 m, 15 cm, etc, for example alitredrinksbottle,amedicinespoon(5ml), 1 kg bag of sugar, a centicube (1g)…

Askpupilstousethese‘standards’toestimatethemeasurementsofotherobjects.

Estimatetheheightoftheclassroomdoor.Estimatethecapacityofthissmalldrinkingglass?

  1   Metric units − Whatdowemeanbyconvert?

2   Converting metric units   Demonstrate how to use the diagrams for a range of different examples. 

Howdoyouconvertcentilitrestolitres?…kilometrestometres.Whatis75metresincentimetres? Stress that to convert to larger units you divide by a multiple of 10, and that to convert to smaller units you multiply by a multiple of 10.

Resources•  Mini whiteboards•  Main: Objects such 

as a litre drinks bottle, a medicine spoon, a centicube, a 1 kg bag of sugar etc, to show some ‘standard’ measurements.

• ActivityA:Scalesforweighing and rulers for measuring. 

E-book•  Explanations   1  –  4•  Extra questions•  Worked solutions•  Quiz•  Competitive game

Intervention• AccessBookp34-42

1

− Whatisascale?Wherearetheyused?

  Discuss what these scales mean: 1 cm to 1 m, 1 to 100, 1 : 100.

Whatdoes1:1represent?Whatdoes1:2000represent?

  What scale would you use for a scale drawing of a footballpitch?…ofafloorplanofahouse?…ofatown map?

  3   Scale    4   Using a scale  Thescaleofamodelis1:10.Alengthonthe

modelis2.7cm.Whatisthecorrespondingactuallength?

Activity AEncourage pupils to estimate before they weigh or measure. 

Activity B  Discuss solving this problem with the pupils. 

Agreeadefinitivelistofitemsthatwillbeheldinthedrawer. Pupils will need to measure these and ensure that the sections of the desk are able to store all the items agreed upon.  

Plenary− Play‘QuickUnitBingo’.Askpupilstodrawa3×3gridandwriteinnine

different units of measure. These could include units of time and temperature. Call out a range of questions such as ‘WhichunittomeasurethedistancefromParistoLondon?’PupilswithkmontheirBingogridcrossitoff.Continue until there is a winner.

HomeworkChallengingHomework:Aplankofwoodweighs1.4kg.Alengthof25cmiscutoff the plank. The plank now weighs 0.8 kg. What was the original length of the  plank?

Answers to textbook questions ( Highlighted answers haveworkedsolutionsonthee-book)

2  b) cm or  mm  c)  g  d)  l 3  a) mm  b)  ml  c)  g4  b) 67.2 cm  c)  4.5 kg  d)  4600 g  e)  250 cl  f)  330 ml 5  No6  1250 m 7  a) 1.4 m  b)  11 triangles  c)  380 cm8 a)ScaleC6.7cm b) ScaleA5.4cm c) ScaleA11.3cm  d)  Scale C 5.2 cm 9  a) i)  2.4 m  ii)  0.6 m  iii)  0.75 m  b)  line length 1.4 cm

2

Functional skillsRef. 3.2 Maths at workRef. 4.1 Money skills

Websites

Discussion pointInpairs,pupilsdiscussmeasuring they have done outside school. When has it been very important to get it right? Share as a class.

LinksScales are used with maps in geography.Acleardistinctionbetweenmass and weight is drawn in science. 

MisconceptionsWhen converting units, pupils often divide instead of multiplying and vice versa. Emphasise that when changing to smaller unitsyoumultiply.Itmaybe helpful to compare with money: larger → smaller  £  → p (multiply  5  →  500  by 100)

FS