Grade 1 · Math · Unit 11 of 12
Measuring
Measure with cubes and clips
What your child practises
Measuring length with paper clips and cubes, comparing longer and shorter, heavier and lighter, and seeing why same-size units matter.
Alberta Curriculum learning outcome: 1M1.1, 1M1.2 · measuring length with non-standard units and comparing sizes directly
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practise.
- Start at the very end of the thing.
- Use units that are all the same size.
- Leave no gaps. Count the units.
Example: A book is 5 cubes long. A pencil is 8 cubes long. Which is longer? Compare 5 and 8. 8 is more than 5. Answer: The pencil
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
How many cubes long is the carrot?
🥕🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦- 4
- 5
- 3
Show answer
5
Hint: Count each cube from one end of the carrot to the other.
Question 2
What is best for measuring a long hallway?
- 👣footsteps
- 📎paper clips
Show answer
👣 footsteps
Hint: Big things need bigger units, so you don't have to count so many!
Question 3
Which is the longest?
- 🛹skateboard
- 🚗car
- 🚆train
Show answer
🚆 train
Hint: Imagine them parked in a line. Which one stretches the farthest?
Question 4
Which is longer?
Measured in paper clips
🖌️ paintbrush📎📎📎📎📎📎📎🍌 banana📎📎Each picture = 1
- 🖌️paintbrush
- 🍌banana
Show answer
🖌️ paintbrush
Hint: The one that needs more paper clips is longer.
Question 5
How many paper clips long is the carrot?
🥕📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎- 8
- 12
- 11
Show answer
8
Hint: Count each paper clip from one end of the carrot to the other.
Question 6
Tap them from shortest to longest.
Measured in paper clips
👟 shoe📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎🥄 spoon📎📎📎🔑 key📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎Each picture = 1
- 🥄spoon
- 🔑key
- 👟shoe
Show answer
spoon → key → shoe
Hint: Fewer paper clips means shorter. Start with the spoon.