Students generate and represent length measurement data in halves and fourths of an inch on line plots. They learn about and estimate relative units of measure, including weight, liquid volume, and time, and use the four operations to solve problems involving measurement.
Unit Narrative
In this unit, students measure length, weight, liquid volume, and time. They begin with a study of length measurement, building on their recent work with fractions.
In grade 2, students measured lengths using informal and formal units to the nearest whole number. They also plotted such length data on line plots. Here, students explore length measurements in halves and fourths of an inch. They use a ruler to collect measurements and then display the data on line plots, learning about mixed numbers and revisiting equivalent fractions along the way.
Kiran says that the worm is inches long.
Jada says that the worm is inches long.
Use the ruler to explain how both of their measurements are correct.
Next, students learn about standard units for measuring weight (kilograms and grams) and liquid volume (liters). To build a sense of the weight of 1 gram or 1 kilogram, students hold common objects such as paper clips and bottles of water.
To gain familiarity with liters, students measure the volume of a container by filling it with water by the liter and estimate the volume of everyday containers such as pots, tubs, and buckets. They then use the scale on measurement tools to measure and represent the volume of liquids.
From there, students move on to measure time. In grade 2, they told and wrote time to the nearest 5 minutes. Now, they tell time to the minute, using the relationship between the hour hand and the minute hand to make sense of times such as 3:57 p.m.
In the final section of the unit, students make sense of and solve problems related to all three measurements. The work here allows students to continue to develop their fluency with addition and subtraction within 1,000 and understanding of properties of operations. It also prompts them to use the relationship between multiplication and division to solve problems.
