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Math Lesson Plan
Introduction to Length
Introduction
Lesson topic Measurement: length in U.S. Customary system
Length of Lesson 45 minutes
VA Standards of Learning
4.7 The student will
a) estimate and measure length, and describe the result in both metric
and U.S. Customary units; and
b) identify equivalent measurements between units within the U.S.
Customary system (inches and feet; feet and yards; inches and
yards; yards and miles) and between units within the metric system
(millimeters and centimeters; centimeters and meters; and
millimeters and meters).
Context Measuring length is taught as part of the SOL measurement strand
along with elapsed time, weight/mass, and capacity.
Global Themes Measurement of length is used on a daily basis.
Content Objectives
Students will:
Determine an appropriate unit of measure (e.g., millimeter, centimeter, meter,
kilometer) to use when measuring everyday objects in metric units.
Estimate the length of everyday objects (e.g., books, windows, tables) in metric
units of measure, then measure those objects to the nearest (1/2 , 1/4, or 1/8)
inch, foot, yard, or mile and compare estimates with the actual measurements.
Identify equivalent measures of length between units within the U.S. Customary
measurements.
Assessment Aligned to Objectives
Formative
The teacher will ask key questions such as:
o What is equivalent to one foot? One yard? One mile?
o Can we measure something that is less than one inch? How do we do
that?
o Is 2/4 of an inch the same as of an inch?
Summative
The students will construct a flap book where they will sort items under the
appropriate unit of measure for those items.
The students will complete worksheets and activities where record their estimate
of the length of objects and the actual measurement of those objects.
The students will complete worksheet where they will demonstrate their ability to
accurately convert equivalent measures of length between units.
Students will complete an exit slip in response to the lesson.
Materials/Technology and Advanced Preparation
Copies of the following worksheets:
o Flap book sheets for US customary units
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o Fractions of an Inch diagram
o Measuring With a Ruler (to the nearest inch)
o Yards, Feet, and Inches
o Comparing Inches and Feet
o Counting by Halves and
o Counting by Fourths
Every student will need a red, blue, and green marker or pencil
Scissors and glue
Copies of Tweet about the lesson exit slips
Small white boards and dry-erase markers
Teaching and Learning Sequence
TIME TEACHER ACTIONS STUDENT ACTIONS
Warm up
5 min Instruct students to complete the daily word problems
located in their binders. Go over them together when
students have finished.
Go over the previous nights homework with the class
and address any questions they may have.
Complete daily word problems and
participate in review.
Participate in homework review.
Introduction/Anticipatory Set
5 min Tell students that they will be learning about
measuring length. Ask if they know some of the units
that are used to measure. Lead towards inches, feet,
yards, and miles. Give examples of what would be
measured by those units.
Give students copies of flap book pages and explain
how to construct the foldable (provide assistance as
needed). Instruct students to cut out the items and
sort them under the appropriate flap for each unit.
Discuss when completed.
Discuss measurement units of
length.
Construct flap book.
Lesson Development
15 min
Part one:
Ask if one can measure something that is smaller
than one inch. Explain that one has to use fractions
when measuring less than one inch or when a
measurement falls between inches (between 4 and 5
inches).
Tell students that they are going to make a giant inch
to learn about the fractions of an inch. Pass out a
sheet of paper and tell students to label one side with
a 0 and the other with a 1. Model.
Tell students to fold the sheet in half hamburger style
then open it up and draw a line in green half way
down the middle fold line then write under the line.
Model.
Have students fold in half again to form fourths and
draw a shorter line than the line on those fold lines
then label in red. Model.
Tell students to fold in half again to make eighths and
draw an even shorter line in blue on those fold lines
and label. The lines should mimic the pattern of a
Create foldable as directed by the
teacher.
Highlight and label diagram as
directed.
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15 min
ruler. Model.
Explain that this is a giant inch to help them
understand the fractions of an inch.
Pass out Fractions of an inch handout and have
them highlight the lines with the colors they used as
in their foldable and label in the same manor. Model.
Give students the Measuring With a Ruler (to the
nearest inch) handout and have them practice
measuring to the nearest of an inch. Do the first
one together then have them try the rest on their
own. Walk around and provide assistance as
needed.
Part two:
Select 3 students to pass out small white boards,
markers, and tissues.
Tell students that we are going to practice converting
between units of length in US Customary units.
Explain that they will do it the same way that they
have done it for capacity and weight where they will
construct a fraction to Show what you know and
another fraction with the given number and the
missing number. Show an example and demonstrate
how to multiply to find the missing number.
Provide guided practice by putting problems on the
board and asking them to solve them on their white
boards.
Once they have shown that they understand how to
convert pass out Comparing Inches and Feet
worksheet to provide independent practice. Call
struggling students to the front table to work with the
teacher and to the side table to work with the
paraprofessional to provide more support.
Ask students to bring their papers to you as they
finish to check their work for accuracy.
Practice measuring the nearest
an inch on the handout.
Participate in guided practice on
small white boards.
Complete handout for independent
practice.
Bring work up to the teach to have
it checked.
Closure
5 min Distribute exit slips and ask students to show what
they learned by creating a conversion or appropriate
unit question and writing the answer on the back.
Have them tape their tweets on the door.
Complete exit slip as directed.
Post slip on the door.
Homework - Students will complete the attached handout to practice converting
between units in the U.S. Customary system.
References
Lemons, A. (n.d.). I Can Measure! (using inches and centimeters). Teachers Pay
Teachers. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-
Can-Measure-using-inches-and-centimeters-238504
Printable Worksheets For Teachers. (n.d.). Super Teacher Worksheets. Retrieved
March 31, 2014, from https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/
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Lesson Organizer
Prior Knowledge and NEW Instructional Content
Prior Knowledge:
The concept of a standard measurement unit is one of the major ideas in understanding measurement.
Familiarity with standard units is developed through hands-on experiences of comparing, estimating, measuring, and
constructing.
Benchmarks of common objects need to be established for each of the specified units of measure (e.g., the mass of a
mathematics book is about one kilogram).
One unit of measure may be more appropriate than another to measure an object, depending on the size of the object and
the degree of accuracy desired.
Correct use of measurement tools is essential to understanding the concepts of measurement.
Perimeter is the distance around any two-dimensional figure and is found by adding the measures of the sides.
Area is a two-dimensional measure and is therefore measured in square units.
Area is the number of square units needed to cover a figure, or more precisely, it is the measure in square units of the
interior region of a two-dimensional figure.
New and continuing content:
Length is the distance along a line or figure from one point to another.
U.S. Customary units for measurement of length include inches, feet, yards, and miles. Appropriate measuring
devices include rulers, yardsticks, and tape measures. Metric units for measurement of length include millimeters,
centimeters, meters, and kilometers. Appropriate measuring devices include centimeter ruler, meter stick, and tape
measure.
Practical experience measuring the length of familiar objects helps to establish benchmarks and facilitates the
students ability to estimate length.
Students should estimate the length of everyday objects (e.g., books, windows, tables) in both metric and U.S.
Customary units of measure.
When measuring with U.S. Customary units, students should be able to measure to the nearest part of an inch (12
, 14 , 18 ), inch, foot, or yard.
Instructional Modifications to
ASSIST Students
Main Events of Instruction
Instructional Modifications to
CHALLENGE Students
The foldable will be pre-constructed
for certain students.
The teacher and paraprofessional
will provide support during
independent practice.
If students have trouble with
measuring have them do the
Counting by Halves and Counting
by Fourths worksheet.
Warm up
Daily word problems
Review homework
Part One
Construct foldable
Label diagram
Practice measuring to the nearest of an
inch.
Part Two
Demonstration of unit conversion
Guided practice on white boards
Independent practice
Conclusion
Tweet about lesson.
