Unit 4 Measurement

Unit Driving Question

How does finding measurements help solve real-world problems?

Essential Questions

1. What information can we gather when measuring?

2. When are accurate measurements necessary?

3. How do we investigate and communicate about measurements?

Big Ideas

1. Standard and nonstandard measurement are used to find the lengths of objects.
2. Temperature is measured using thermometers. 

The following apps, websites, and smartboard lessons can be used throughout the unit, as needed, during small groups, lessons, to reinforce standards.  They are also useful for students who may need reinforcement, remediation, or differentiation. 

• Choosing Appropriate Measurement Review: This question game would be a great review on choosing the appropriate unit of measurement.

• Measurement Games- Education.com provides an array of measurements games students can play to practice.  

Launch Task

1 Lesson

Measuring Cups: This investigation can be widely different based on what is available in your classroom. You will need cups that are transparent, a choice of items to measure with, and a thermometer.

Big Ideas for Development Lessons

2-3 Weeks

Big Idea 1: Standard and nonstandard measurement are used to find the lengths of objects.

Collaborative Engagement 

1. Paper Football Challenge: This is an activity to introduce measurement in a hands-on way. Students can create paper footballs in pairs or in teams. They will flick the paper football to see how far it will travel. Challenge is, they must use a different object than a measurement tool to figure out how far their football traveled! They can get creative on what they would like to use to find their nonstandard measurement (i.e. erases, paper clips, crayons, fingers, etc.). Students can record in journals and make predictions of what they think the actual measurement would be in inches or centimeters.

Key Resources 

1. Georgia Standards of Excellence Curriculum Frameworks: This resource includes tasks for measurement, length and time. Four of their tasks introduce and demonstrate the importance of estimating length. Find the following tasks listed in the table of contents:

• Footprints on the Rug- Introduces nonstandard measurement and how the size of the unit affects the measurement of the object.
• My Big Feet- Demonstrates the importance of being able to use different units and helps students determine if estimates are accurate
• Snakes and Lizards- Tests students ability to estimate length by choosing an appropriate measuring tool
• Measurement Scavenger Hunt- Students apply their understanding of using different tools
• All rights in and to the material belong to the Georgia Department of Education 

1. Measure to the Nearest Half-Inch:  This is a hands-on activity that will provide students the opportunity to measure everyday objects, to the nearest inch and half an inch. 
2. Measuring with Metric Ruler Not Starting at Zero: This is a free activity from Teachers Pay Teachers that have students practice finding measurements that do not start at zero on the ruler. It offers two different strategies.
3. Working with Dinosaurs: This article comes from Nrich.Maths.Org where students can investigate dinosaurs. You could show your students the image of the dinosaurs measurement in meters and then have them guess their own height based on their size. They can estimate the average height and length of other animals and dinosaurs as well.

Big Idea Formative Assessment

1. Measurement Assessment: You can create printable tests and worksheets from these Customary Measurement Concepts questions! Select one or more questions using the checkboxes above each question. Then click the ADD SELECTED QUESTIONS TO A TEST button before moving to another page.

Evidence of Understanding 

Determine the measuring tool and use an appropriate procedure to find the length of objects.

• Identify 12 equal sized inches in a foot.

• Measure an object to the closest half inch for a more accurate length.

• Identify the metric system units of 10, specifically 100 cm in one meter.  

• Measure objects to the closest whole meter or cm using metric measurement tools. 

• Relate measurement units to fractional understanding of parts related to a whole. 

Big Idea 2: Temperature is measured using thermometers.

Collaborative Engagement

1. How It Melts: A Science Project on Ice Cubes and Ice Cream: If you love ice cream, here are three science projects you will not want to pass up. Ice cubes are going to challenge ice cream; two flavors will race, and crushed ice will see if it is a match for ice cream in these experiments dealing with melting. It's hard to believe you are learning!

Key Resources 

1. Room Temperature Prediction: Students predict and discuss what they think the temperature will be inside and outside of the classroom based on their prior knowledge. They will find the difference between their prediction and the actual temperature as well as the difference between the temperature outside and inside the class.
2. Temperature Lesson Plans: The purpose of these lessons is to get the students familiar with a thermometer, temperature scales, and conversion of temperature units.  They will also have the opportunity to collect data and express their results using temperature graphs.
3. In Order: Students use their understanding of temperature and other mathematical content to put certain quantities in order. They must be able to explain their logic using mathematical language.

Big Idea Formative Assessment 

1. Temperature Assessment: Create printable tests and worksheets from questions with Thermometers. Select questions to add to a test using the checkbox above each question. Remember to click the ADD SELECTED QUESTIONS TO A TEST button before moving to another page.

Evidence of Understanding 

Record temperature by reading thermometers and draw conclusions based on their findings.

• Apply mathematical connections to tools such as a ruler, graph, or number line to better understand the scale of a thermometer.

• Make predictions and conjectures based on the temperature. 

Unit Closure

1 Week (includes time for probes, re-engagement, and assessment)  

• Paper Airplane Fun: This is a hands-on way to test students’ ability to estimate and measure both length and temperature.