Length and height - Subtracting lengths - Worksheet

In this engaging lesson, children will delve into the world of measurement, learning to subtract one length from another and solve practical problems involving lengths and heights. The National Curriculum objective is to compare, describe, and solve problems for length and height, as well as to measure and begin recording these dimensions. To support this learning, resources such as worksheets and teaching slides are provided to facilitate both classroom instruction and independent practice. The key vocabulary for this lesson includes terms such as length, height, measure, subtract, takeaway, altogether, cm (centimetres), longer, shorter, and taller.

Through a series of activities, pupils will measure the length of a pencil before and after it is sharpened, using cubes and visual guides to aid their understanding. They will calculate the height difference between two balloons and determine the length difference between various objects, such as a caterpillar and a ladybird. These exercises are designed to help students confidently complete simple subtraction calculations. As they progress, the support is gradually reduced, encouraging them to rely on their own skills to measure and compare lengths. The tasks are differentiated by outcome, with levels ranging from 'Working Towards' to 'Greater Depth', ensuring that all children are challenged appropriately. The lesson also includes reasoning and problem-solving components, where students draw objects to represent calculations and solve multi-step problems, further developing their mathematical fluency and precision.