Lesson Plan: Introduction to Measurement (Length)

Teacher Information

• Subject: Mathematics
• Year Level: Years 1-2
• Duration: 25 minutes
• Class Size: 21 students
• Curriculum Area: Measurement
• Level: Level 1 of the New Zealand Curriculum
• Objective: Students will understand and begin to measure length using non-standard units.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify objects to be used as non-standard units of measurement.
2. Use non-standard units to measure various objects around the classroom.
3. Record measurements simply and discuss size comparisons between different items.

Resources

• Collection of objects for measuring (pencils, small blocks, footprints, paper clips)
• Worksheets for recording measurements (prepared in advance)
• Measuring tape (for demonstration purposes)
• Storybook (such as "How Big is a Foot?" by Rolf Myller)

Lesson Structure

Introduction [5 minutes]

1. Welcome and Settling: Greet the students and briefly discuss the day's topic: Measurement with non-standard units.
2. Engagement Story: Read a brief story or a section from “How Big is a Foot?” to provide a contextual understanding of measurement.

Main Activity [15 minutes]

1. Demonstration:
   • Show how to measure the length of a table using a non-standard unit (e.g., paper clips).
   • Demonstrate how to lay the units down end to end without gaps or overlaps.
2. Student Activity:
   • Divide the class into small groups and provide each group with different objects to use as measurements.
   • Let students measure various objects around the classroom using their assigned non-standard units.
   • Students should measure at least three different objects, recording their findings on the worksheet.

Conclusion [5 minutes]

1. Group Sharing:
   • Have each group share one interesting find from their measurements. Discuss any differences that arose from using different units.
2. Reflection:
   • Discuss why different measurements might have been obtained with different objects and the importance of having standard units (leading into future lessons).

Assessment

• Informal observation of group activities to assess understanding and participation.
• Review completed worksheets to ensure students were able to measure and record correctly.

Differentiation

• Support: Work closely with students who struggle, guiding them in placing and counting the units.
• Extension: Challenge advanced students to estimate lengths before measuring and compare their estimations to their actual measurements.

Relevant Links

• NZ Maths - Measurement Activities (Link not currently available but typically accessible for resources related to the New Zealand Curriculum)
• Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) - New Zealand Curriculum Online for more on the curriculum standards.

Notes

Ensure all activities are interactive and allow for hands-on learning. The emphasis for this age group should be on understanding and fun, rather than precision, which suits their developmental stage.

This lesson plan is aligned with the educational curriculum standards of New Zealand, particularly at level 1, focusing on practical application and understanding of basic mathematical concepts like measurement.