Grade 1: Unit MD.A.1-2, Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units

Lesson Seed: How Do They Compare (Lesson seeds are ideas for the domain/cluster/standard that can be used to build a lesson. Lesson Seeds are not meant to be all-inclusive, nor are they substitutes for instruction.)

Domain: 1.MD Measurement and Data
Cluster: 1.MD.A Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units.
Standard(s): 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.
Purpose/Big Idea: Students participate in a Scavenger Hunt in which they use snap cubes or paperclips as length units of measure to measure and record the length of various items in the room. They will compare their measurements to those of their classmates and explain why their measurement is accurate.
Materials:
·  Sets of Snap cubes or paperclips for each student
·  Resource Sheet 1: Scavenger Hunt Results
Activity:
·  Explain to the students that they will be going on a Scavenger Hunt around the room to measure and record the lengths of different items they find.
·  Distribute a set of snap cubes or paperclips to each student. Make sure all students have the same type of item to use as the measurement unit.
·  Distribute Resource Sheet 1: Scavenger Hunt Results to each student.
·  Explain that they will use the set of snap cubes or paperclips to measure items around the room and then record the name and length of that item on the Scavenger Hunt Results sheet.
·  Allow time for students to measure and record the lengths of 12 items.
·  Gather students together at the meeting area.
·  Have students take turns sharing the length of an item they measured. Ask the rest of the students to see if their measurement results agree with those of the student sharing. If not, have students measure the item in front of the group to verify the correct measurement.
·  Discuss possible reasons for the measurements to be different (gaps or overlaps).
Guiding Questions:
·  How do you know that your measurement is accurate?
·  What do you have to make sure of doing when you measure?
·  What was the longest item you measured? The shortest?
·  Did any two items have the same length?
·  How did the snap cubes (paperclips) help you measure different items?

Resource Sheet 1 Scavenger Hunt Results Name:

Item #1 Name:
Item #1 Length:
______/ Item #2 Name:
Item #2 Length:
______/ Item #3 Name:
Item #3 Length:
______/ Item #4 Name:
Item #4 Length:
______
Item #5 Name:
Item #5 Length:
______/ Item #6 Name:
Item #6 Length:
______/ Item #7 Name:
Item #7 Length:
______/ Item #8 Name:
Item #8 Length:
______
Item #9 Name:
Item #9 Length:
______/ Item #10 Name:
Item #10 Length:
______/ Item #11 Name:
Item #11 Length:
______/ Item #12 Name:
Item #12 Length:
______

July 18, 2013 Page 3 of 3