2nd Grade Unit- Measurement and Data
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Lesson #3: Land of Inch (adapted from Investigations - Unit 9: Investigation 2.1)
Cluster: Measure and estimate length in standard units
Standards:
Standards:
2.MD.1. Measure the length of an object by selecting and using
appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and
measuring tapes.
2.MD.2. Measure the length of an object twice, using length units of
different lengths for the two measurements; describe how the two
measurements relate to the size of the unit chosen.
2.MD.3. Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters,
and meters.
2.MD.4. Measure to determine how much longer one object is than
another, expressing the length difference in terms of a standard
length unit.
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Mathematical Goal:
Students will:
 Create and use a 12 inch measuring tool
 Identify strategies for accurate measurement
 Identify what to do with partial units of measurement
Materials:
SAB 19-20
M10- Inch Bricks- make copies on card stock. Give
each student one strip of 18 bricks
M11-Measuring Tool Template- make copies on
card stock. Each student gets one template
Demonstration measuring tool- glue 12 inch bricks
from M10 onto a measuring tool template. Number
the units 1-12
Chart paper- Label it with “Measuring Tips”
Words you should hear students use in mathematical
conversations:
Inch, measurement
SMP.1 Make sense of problems and persevere in
solving them
SMP.4 Model with mathematics
SMP.6 Attend to precision
Classroom Routine: Quick Images: Strips and Singles
Using Stickers: Strips and Singles (T38-T39), display the number 14 with 1 strip and 4 singles.
Follow the basic Quick Images activity. Have pairs discuss how many squares they saw and how they determined the
amount.
Repeat with the numbers 24 and 34. As a class, find 14, 24, and 34 on the number line and 100 chart and discuss what is
the same and different about them. If time permits, repeat with the numbers 22, 32, and 42.
Before:
Prepare all materials before the lesson. (see list of materials)
Read the story “The Land of Inch” found in Investigation 2.1 of Unit 9 in Investigations. This is a story about the need for a
standard unit of measure. In the Land of Inch the miniature people wanted to have a contest to see which of the athletes
could jump the farthest. They realized that, without a common measuring unit, it was impossible to figure that out. This
activity introduces students to “inch-bricks” (units used in the imaginary Land of Inch). Students will be using these in the
next lesson.
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2nd Grade Unit- Measurement and Data
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
During:
After passing out the materials to each student, have them cut along the lines to make 18 separate inch bricks. Using SAB
p.19, students will begin to measure the lengths of the distances jumped. Teachers will need to clarify the terms length
and width of the notebook paper. Students will measure the length and width of a sheet of notebook paper and the lengths
of a glue stick and a craft stick. Have groups of students discuss their results and explain why some of the measurements
might be different (if gaps are left between inch bricks) Remember that writing the symbols for fractions such as 1/2 is not
part of the Common Core in second grade. Students can talk about between inch 8 and 9 being half, but should not be
required to actually write the symbol.
Finish the story on p 61 which explains why the people in the Land of Inch realized the need to make a tool to use for
measuring.
Students will now paste their inch bricks onto the Measuring Tool Template to create a 12 inch-brick measuring tool which
they will use in the next part of the lesson.
Students should revisit SAB p.19 and check their original measures with the new measuring tool to see how accurate they
were. Ask “how many whole units long is…” and then talk about what happens when the measure is a little over the whole
unit.
Finally, students should mount their inch-brick measuring tool on a piece of construction paper, card stock or sentence
strip and number each of the inch bricks at the END of the brick as shown below:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Have students check with a partner to see that their tools are numbered the same.
After:
Using chart paper, as a whole group create a “Measuring Tips” chart highlighting the following ideas:





Start measuring from the beginning or one end of the object
Line up your measuring tool or unit
Count every unit on the tool
If you are using more than one unit or tool, lay them end to end; do not leave gaps
Measure in a straight line
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