Unit 2
ACTIVITY 7
AC TIVIT Y
Measuring Length
20 MIN
PAIRS
Today we are going to measure some things. What does it mean to
measure something?
Use before
Unit 2, Session 3.1
Students might say:
Vocabulary
“When we need to know how much something weighs,
we measure.”
“We measure to find out how long something is.”
nonstandard unit of
measurement
Materials
• connecting cubes
• paper clips (large and small)
• Activity 7 Master (see below)
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Un i t 2
Activity 7
MASTER
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Surveys and Line Plots
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length using models of cubes and
paper clips.
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Choose two students of different heights. These two students are going to help us
measure how long our room is by taking giant steps. Help the students to count
their steps from the back of the room to the front. Did both students take the same
number of steps? Why or why not?
Students might say:
“No. [Taller student] takes bigger steps than [shorter student],
so [taller student] took fewer steps.”
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Use before Unit 2, Session 3.1
How would you describe the length of the room in terms of the number of steps?
What problems might arise when something could have two different
measurements based on the same unit of measure, such as a step?
We say that a step is a nonstandard unit of measurement .
Give each pair of students 10–15 connecting
cubes, 15–20 large paper clips, and
20–25 small paper clips. Work in pairs to find
the length of a pencil using the cubes. Then
find the length using large paper clips and
then small paper clips. Demonstrate how to
measure with each item. Write the three
lengths on your paper. Were all the lengths
the same?
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Have students use the cubes and the two types of paper clips to measure other items,
such as their desk, a book, and so on.
PR AC TICE
In the Activity 7 Master, students use cubes and paper clips to measure length.
DIFFERENTIATION : Suppor ting the Range of Learner s
Discuss with students the advantages and disadvantages of measuring
with steps, hands, cubes, and paper clips. Would it make sense to measure the length
of the room using paper clips? Would it make sense to measure a button using
your hand? Explain why standard units of length were created.
Unit 2: Surveys and Line Plots
Session 3.1 (Is Your Foot a Foot Long?)