Length and height - Measure length - Planning

In the Year 2 curriculum focused on measurement, the first week of the Summer term introduces the concept of measuring length and height using non-standard units. This foundational step involves a variety of resources including differentiated worksheets, teaching slides, and physical items like cubes and sticks to facilitate hands-on learning. Pupils are encouraged to use items such as cubes, hands, and straws to measure objects, emphasizing the importance of aligning these non-standard units precisely with the objects' ends to ensure accurate measurements. The lesson's key vocabulary includes terms like 'measure' and 'non-standard unit', with additional support available through vocabulary cards and definitions.

The lesson plan includes a series of activities designed to develop measurement skills. Initially, children work in small groups to measure items with cubes, ensuring they are in a straight line and touching. They then record the number of cubes used, fostering an understanding of relative lengths. A practical activity guides them in using cubes to measure various objects, completing sentences to articulate their findings. The lesson also addresses reasoning and problem-solving by comparing the lengths of different items measured in cubes and discussing the most appropriate units of measure for different objects. The plenary session reinforces what has been learned, with children reflecting on the skills they've used and the importance of measuring in a straight line. Worksheets cater to different levels of understanding, from working towards expected levels to achieving greater depth, with activities ranging from counting non-standard units to estimating measurements and tackling reasoning questions.