Math  /  1st Grade  /  Unit 3: Measurement

Measurement

Students develop the foundational skills of measuring length by comparing and ordering objects by length and by iterating length units. They solve story problems about measurement.

Math

Unit 3

1st Grade

Unit Summary

In Unit 3, students build on their understanding of length and measurement by learning about indirect comparison, iterating length units, and solving story problems about measurement. Students attend to precision when reasoning about how to measure and making comparative measurement determinations MP.6 Attend to precision. . Throughout the unit, students analyze and justify their positions and critique the reasoning of their peers MP.3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. .

In kindergarten, students described measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. They directly compared two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object had “more of”/“less of” the attribute, and described the difference.  

In Unit 3 Topic A, students are introduced to comparing the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object. In Topic B, they learn to express the lengths of objects as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end. Students build an understanding that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps. In Topic C, students expand their understanding of compare story problem types by learning two new subtypes: compare with bigger, and with smaller, unknown. In each subtype, the language of the problem suggests the operation. Compare story problems with bigger/smaller unknown where the language suggests the opposite operation will be introduced in a later unit, but students are not expected to reach proficiency until Grade 2.

The work that students engage with in this unit continues to build the strong foundation, started in kindergarten, for understanding length and measurement. Students begin to build awareness that the number associated with the length of an object depends on the size of the unit being used to measure it (approaching 2.MD.A.2 Measure the length of an object twice, using length units of different lengths for the two measurements; describe how the two measurements relate to the size of the unit chosen. ). In Grade 2 and beyond, students continue to develop their understanding by learning about standard units of measurement and the tools used to measure objects. They connect the idea of units of measurement to a number line (Grade 2) and to fractions (Grade 3).

Assessment

The following assessments accompany Unit 3.

Student Observational Spreadsheet

Use the Student Observational Spreadsheet as a formative tool to monitor the progress of students throughout the unit.

Post-Unit

Use the resources below to assess student understanding of the unit content and action plan for future units.

Unit Prep

Intellectual Prep

Intellectual Prep for All Units

  • Read and annotate the "Unit Summary" and "Essential Understandings" portions of the unit plan. 
  • Do all the Target Tasks and annotate them with the "Unit Summary" and "Essential Understandings" in mind. 
  • Take the Post-Unit Assessment.

Unit-Specific Intellectual Prep

Essential Understandings

  • The lengths of two objects can be compared indirectly by using a third object as a reference, reinforcing that comparative measurement does not always require direct comparison.
  • Recognize that measuring length involves laying the same-size unit end to end with no gaps or overlaps, and that the number of units used represents the length of the object.
  • Begin to develop the understanding that the measurement of an object depends on the size of the unit used, laying the groundwork for understanding standard measurement systems, number lines, and fractions in later grades.
  • Develop the ability to reason about and solve compare story problems involving bigger or smaller unknowns using appropriate strategies.

Vocabulary and Models

Unit Vocabulary

endpoint

length

To see all the vocabulary for Unit 3, view our 1st Grade Vocabulary Glossary.

Materials

  • String (1 per student) — pre-cut to 5 inches
  • Blank Paper (1 per student) — for tracing shoes
  • Plastic cup (1 per pair)
  • Paper clips (20 per pair of students) — 2 inch size
  • Optional: Tape (5-6 per class to provide variety and space for students to work) — tapes of various lengths on the floor or a wall to represent the heights of storybook characters for students to measure and compare
  • Linking cubes (10 per student)
  • Painter's tape — extra rolls for groups to create straight lines that match the crooked paths
  • Sticky notes (1 pad per group of students)
  • Chart Paper (1 piece for class chart)
  • Markers (for students who choose to mark the string) — 3 different colors per group who requests to use them
  • Classroom objects of various lengths (1 bag/bin per group of 4 students) — Suggested items could include: scissors, erasers, pencils, pens, markers, index cards, crayons, paper clips, etc.
  • Longer, Shorter, Same Sort (1 per student)
  • Class chart from Lesson 1, Anchor Task 2
  • Scoop, Stack, Sort Game Board A (1 per pair of students)
  • Scoop, Stack, Sort Recording Sheet A (1 per student)
  • Sentence strips (6 per class labeled A-F, pre-cut/taped) — Suggested lengths: A 20”, B 16”, C 32”, D 28”, E 40”, F 14”
  • Printed Shoe Outlines (1 per student) — if using alternate activity

To see all the materials needed for this course, view our 1st Grade Course Material Overview.

Unit Practice

Fluency Activities

Access a full library of standards-aligned activities to engage students in practicing and strengthening their procedural skills and fluency.

Lesson Map

Topic A: Comparison in Measurement

Topic B: Iterating Length Units

Topic C: Amazing Animals: Measurement Story Problems

Common Core Standards

Key

Major Cluster

Supporting Cluster

Additional Cluster

Core Standards

Measurement and Data

  • 1.MD.A.1 — Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object.
  • 1.MD.A.2 — Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps. Limit to contexts where the object being measured is spanned by a whole number of length units with no gaps or overlaps.

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

  • 1.OA.A.1 — Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

Foundational Standards

Measurement and Data

  • K.MD.A.1
  • K.MD.A.2

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

  • K.OA.A.2

Future Standards

Measurement and Data

  • 2.MD.A.1
  • 2.MD.A.2
  • 2.MD.A.4

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

  • 2.OA.A.1

Standards for Mathematical Practice

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 — Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 — Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP3 — Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 — Model with mathematics.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5 — Use appropriate tools strategically.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP6 — Attend to precision.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7 — Look for and make use of structure.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP8 — Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Read Next

Measurement
Lesson 1
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