Module 6 Measuring
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Can I choose sensible units to measure?

Example review questions

  • Sally and Josh measured the hall using their feet but they couldn't agree how many feet long the hall was. Why do you think that happened? What else could they use to measure the hall? Will that be better? Why?
  • What could you use to find out how much water this container holds?
  • Would it be better to use multilink cubes or peas to balance the weight of this shoe? Why?
  • Would you measure the length of a book in centimetres or metres? Why?
  • What units would you use to measure the width of the classroom? How about the weight of your teacher?
  • Look at a mug. Which of these amounts would you choose to say how much water the mug holds?
    1 metre, 1 litre, 1 centimetre, ¼ kilogram, ¼ litre

Teaching guidance

This teaching guidance document suggests some of the key vocabulary, models, images and practical equipment that children should experience and be able to use. It also includes some teaching tips to provide a few starting points for ways of supporting children with this area of mathematics.

PDF file Can I choose sensible units to measure? - teaching guidance | 63KB new window

Consolidation and practice

These resources are to support children in guided or independent work.

PDF file ITP Guide | 4317KB new window

SWF file Ruler ITP | 29KB new window

SWF file Measuring scales ITP | 68KB new window

SWF file Measuring cylinder ITP | 50KB new window

Opportunities to use and apply

Possible contexts include:

  • Estimating measures, e.g. give children a 1kg weight to hold. Then give them a range of everyday items and ask them to say whether they weigh more, less or about the same as 1kg.
  • Estimate and then check how far you can jump from this line.
  • Units used to measure everyday objects, e.g. look at food labels and find a big packet of food that weighs less than a small packet of food.
  • Comparing objects using appropriate measurements, e.g. working with two or more objects to find the shortest, longest, heaviest, smallest capacity, etc. and explain how this was done and what units of measurement were used.

Confirming learning

Ask probing questions such as:

  • Think of something that would be better measured in metres rather than centimetres. Explain why it is better.
  • Why wouldn't you measure the length of the playground using a ruler?
  • Alfie measured the length of his reading book and recorded the length as 20kg. Could he be right?
  • Why do we need standard units like metres and centimetres to measure accurately? What would happen if we didn't have standard units?
  • Nisha says the table is 10 handspans long. Emily disagrees. She thinks it is 11 handspans long. Why do you think they disagree? Can you think of something else they could use to measure the length of the table so that they will agree?