1st grade · Math · Unit 6 of 14
Measuring
Measure with cubes and clips
What your child practices
Measuring length with paper clips and cubes, comparing longer and shorter, heavier and lighter, and seeing why same-size units matter.
Maine Learning Results learning standard: 1.MD.A.1; 1.MD.A.2 · ordering and comparing lengths and measuring with same-size units
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- 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
Measuring in Maine
In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 6 of 14 in 1st grade Math, after Equal or Not and before Shapes.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Source: Maine Department of Education
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
Tap them from shortest to longest.
Measured in paper clips
👟 shoe📎📎📎📎📎🐛 caterpillar📎📎📎🥕 carrot📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎Each picture = 1
- 🐛caterpillar
- 👟shoe
- 🥕carrot
caterpillar → shoe → carrot
Hint: Fewer paper clips means shorter. Start with the caterpillar.
Question 2
How many cubes long is the spoon?
🥄🟦🟦🟦- 4
- 3
- 13
3
Hint: Count each cube from one end of the spoon to the other.
Question 3
How many paper clips long is the snake?
🐍📎📎📎📎📎📎📎- 7
- 12
- 6
7
Hint: Count each paper clip from one end of the snake to the other.
Question 4
What is best for measuring a long hallway?
- 👣footsteps
- 📎paper clips
👣 footsteps
Hint: Big things need bigger units, so you don't have to count so many!
Question 5
Which is longer?
Measured in paper clips
🖍️ crayon📎📎📎📎📎📎📎🖌️ paintbrush📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎Each picture = 1
- 🖌️paintbrush
- 🖍️crayon
🖌️ paintbrush
Hint: The one that needs more paper clips is longer.
Question 6
Which is shorter?
Measured in cubes
🖌️ paintbrush🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🐛 caterpillar🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦🟦Each picture = 1
- 🐛caterpillar
- 🖌️paintbrush
🐛 caterpillar
Hint: The one that needs fewer cubes is shorter.