Subject: Math/Measurement
Grade: 3-5

Brief Description

This lesson is designed as a hands-on approach to standard and non-standard measurement.

Objectives

Students understand and explore the concepts of standard and non-standard measurement.

Keywords

measurement, inches, centimeters

Materials Needed

• ruler with centimeters and inches
• tag board (one sheet per student)
• pencil
• three types of noodles: curly, elbow, and ziti

Lesson Plan

• Ask students: What is a ruler used for? What kinds of measurements appear on a ruler? (inches, centimeters) Explain that a ruler is a standard type of measuring tool.
• Explain that many common items can be used as measuring tools, such as paper clips, spoons, and noodles.
• Distribute the tag board. Write the following on the board:

  • 2 1/2 inches
  • 6 inches
  • 4 1/4 inches

• Tell students to use a ruler to draw a line for each length noted on the board. Circulate around the room to check for accuracy.
• Once the lines are drawn to the appropriate lengths, distribute the noodle shapes. Tell the students to measure the lines using noodles. Discuss why noodles are non-standard measuring tools.
• Have students glue the noodles to the tag board. Have students write a sentence for each example. For example:

  • This line is 2 1/2 inches long.
  • It is _____ curly noodles long.
  • It is _____ elbow noodles long.
  • It is _____ ziti noodles long.

Assessment

To assess informally, circulate around the classroom and measure students' lines. To assess formally, you may wish to give a written quiz, including questions that ask the difference between standard and non-standard units of measurement.

Lesson Plan Source

Submitted By

Rachelle Yungmann, Spring Hill Elementary School, Spring Hill, Florida