String It Along
Dawn Jesse
Dan Kenzie
String It Along is an interactive measurement activity that allows students to explore the
relationship between the height and circumference of objects using non standard units of
measurement.
NYS Mathematics Science, and Technology Standard: Standard 3
4.M.1 Students will select tools and units appropriate for the length being measured.
4.M.2 Students will use a ruler to measure to the nearest standard unit.
4.N.27 Students will check reasonableness of an answer by using estimation.
Content Strand: Measurement
• The students will determine what can be measured and how, using appropriate methods and
formulas;
• The students will use units to give meaning to measurements;
• The students will understand that all measurement contains error and be able to determine
its significance;
• The students will develop strategies for estimating measurements.
Objective: The students will have an understanding of spatial relationships using non standard units
of measurement to determine the height and circumference of objects.
Instructional Task:
• Students will determine ways that they can meringitalongasure objects using non
standard units of measurement.
• Students will make predictions if the height and circumference of objects are the same
or different.
• Students will compare their predictions to the actual measurements of objects.
• Students will brainstorm and work together as a team to determine the correlation of
the height and circumference of objects.
String It Along
Dawn Jesse
Dan Kenzie
Subject: Mathematics
Grade: 4th
Lesson: Measurement
NYS Mathematics Science, and Technology Standard: Standard 3
4.M.1 Students will select tools and units appropriate for the length being measured.
4.M.2 Students will use a ruler to measure to the nearest standard unit.
4.N.27 Students will check reasonableness of an answer by using estimation.
Content Strand: Measurement
• The students will determine what can be measured and how, using appropriate methods and
formulas;
• The students will use units to give meaning to measurements;
• The students will understand that all measurement contains error and be able to determine
its significance;
• The students will develop strategies for estimating measurements.
Purpose:
• The students will understand the concepts of and become proficient with the skills of
mathematics;
• The students will communicate and reason mathematically;
• The students will become problem solvers by using appropriate tools and strategies.
Objective: The students will have an understanding of spatial relationships and using non standard
units of measurement.
Materials:
• Activity questionnaire sheet
• Pringles containers
• String
• Soup and pop cans
• Containers
Procedure:
• The students will be assigned to a group that consists of four members.
The job of each group member is to help each other and share ideas and findings.
• The students will each be given an activity questionnaire sheet to fill out as they measure
the height and circumference of different containers and cans.
• The students will each brainstorm ideas on how they can measure objects using a non
standard unit to measure.
What can you use to measure different objects?
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Examples of answers that may be given – pencil, eraser, paper clip
The students will record their ideas.
The students will practice using non standard units of measurement to measure three
objects.
Examples of different objects that may be measured – book, desk, seat of their chair
The students will predict if the circumference and height of a Pringles can are the same or
different.
When you look at this Pringles can do you think that the height is the same as the as the
circumference?
Do you think that it is different?
How is it different?
The students may respond that the height of the can will be greater than the
circumference.
The students will record their predictions.
The students will use a piece of string to measure both the height and circumference and
compare their finding with their predictions.
The students will record their findings.
The height and the circumference of the Pringles can are the same.
The students will measure the amount of string that was needed for both the height and
circumference and record their measurements in centimeters.
The students will then predict if the height and circumference of all containers and cans
will measure the same.
The students will measure a soup can, a pop can, and a container.
The students will record their finding.
The height and circumference are not always the same.
Extension:
• The students will be given a container of three tennis balls and asked to determine the
height of the container in relationship to the circumference of a tennis ball. The height of
the container is three times the circumference of a tennis ball. This extension would
introduce the concept of pie.
Teacher Interaction:
• The teacher will circulate to observe the strategies that the students are using to measure
their objects.
• The teacher will help any student that is having difficulty.
• The teacher will encourage students to participate in discussion with questions that will
challenge students. Is the height and the circumference always the same for all containers
and cans? Why do you think so?
• The teacher will answer any questions that the students may have.
What Will Be Accomplished?
• The students will build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving as they
understand that they do not need to have a standard ruler to find the approximate
measurement of an object.
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The students will apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems as
they use a non standard unit to measure objects.
The students will expand their mathematical knowledge as they understand that all
measurement contains error and are able to determine its significance as their answers are
slightly different.
The students will have an understanding of spatial relationships using non standard units of
measurement as they determine that the height and the circumference of the Pringles can
are the same along with not all objects have the same height and circumference.
Evaluation:
1. The students will each be given an activity questionnaire sheet to fill out as they do
the activity.
2. The students will each list three ideas on how they can measure an object using a
non standard unit of measurement.
3. The students will record their prediction.
4. The students will record the actual measurements of the height and circumference
of a Pringles can.
5. The students will measure the amount of string used and record their measurement
in centimeters.
6. The students will measure other containers, record their findings, and determine if
all containers have the same height and circumference.
7. The students will be evaluated for contributing through oral responses and
participation.
Name _______________________________________________________
String It Along!
Name three different ways that you can
measure objects.
1.
2.
3.
Do you think that the height and circumference
of a Pringles can is the same or different?
Explain.
Measure the height and circumference of a
Pringles can and record your findings in
centimeters.
Height
Circumference
Was your prediction the same or different than
your findings? Explain.
Is the height and the circumference always the
same for all containers and cans?
Measure the height and circumference of a pop
can and record your findings.
Height
Circumference
Measure the height and circumference of a soup
can and record your findings?
Height
Circumference
Measure the height and circumference of a
container and record your findings?
Height
Circumference
After measuring the height and circumference
of different containers and cans did you find
that the height and circumference is always the
same or different?