Maths Year 1/2 Autumn Measures

Day 1 Teaching
Use decimetre strips or rods as uniform unit to measure a child’s height. Show Y2 that each rod is a standard unit (dm).
Further Teaching with Y1
Model using cubes as a uniform unit. Use cubes to measure the height of a chair. Record height of different objects in cubes.
Group Activities
Y1 -- Estimate and measure objects using cubes or rulers.
Y2 -- Measure heights/ objects using decimetre strips or rods.

Day 2 Teaching
Estimate and measure length using a uniform unit (beads). Use a 20-bead string to measure a child’s hand span. Compare and order different hand spans.
Further Teaching with Y2
Show that a decimetre is 10cm. Measure your foot using cm.
Group Activities
Y1 -- Measure lengths using a bead string.
Y2 -- Measure hand spans and shoe sizes in centimetres, using decimetre strips.

Day 3 Teaching
Show a metre stick. Use metre sticks to estimate and measure the length or width of the hall.
Further Teaching with Y2
Demonstrate how to measure objects with a ruler. Use 30cm rulers to measure in centimetres and metres. Show that a ruler is 3dm
Group Activities
Use the in-depth problem-solving investigation for this unit – Make a stick – as today’s group activity.
Or use the activity below.
Y1 -- Suggest and find objects more and less than 1m.
Use the in-depth problem-solving investigation for this unit – Fanned Fingers – as today’s group activity.
Or use the activity below.
Y2 -- Estimate then measure objects and distances in centimetres.

• 1cm cubes
• Decimetre strips (see resources)
• Items to measure (including a straight-sided tray)
• Rulers (30cm), 20-bead string and sticky notes
• An outline drawing of the teacher’s foot
• Modelling clay, string and 100-bead strings
• A5 sheets of paper
• ‘Shoe lengths’ sheet (see resources)
• Metre sticks and hoops
• ‘Measuring classroom objects’ sheet (see resources)
• Additional activity sheets (see resources)
• Record of children’s heights from Day 1
• Toy cars, cardboard/plank and books for ramp

Day 1
Numbers before and after

Day 2
How many?

Day 3
Which unit?

Day 1
Y1: Estimate the length of snakes and measure them in cubes
Y2: Measure items or lines in decimetres.

Day 2
Y1: Estimate and measure items, in beads.
Y2: Measure classroom objects, in centimetres.

Day 3
Y1: Sort items into more or less than 1m.
Y2: Create a spiral.

Y1 and Y2

• Draw a fairly wiggly line of about 4 decimetres in length. Lay a piece of damp string along it. Straighten the string.
  Y1 How many cubes long is it?
  Y2 How many centimetres long is it?

Y1

• Find a book which is…
  (a) 9 cubes long
  (b) more than 16 cubes long
  (c) between 10 and 12 cubes long

Y2

• Estimate how long each of these creatures is in centimetres, nose to tip of tail.
  (a) a mouse
  (b) a worm
  (c) a gold fish in a bowl
  Use an online resource to check.

Y1 In-depth Investigation: Make a Stick
Children find a collection of items which in total measure exactly 1m in length.

Y2 In-depth Investigation: Fanned Fingers
Children work together to first estimate and then find an accurate measurement of the distance around their hand with the fingers ‘fanned out’ or splayed wide.

Y1: Tall Towers
Comparing two numbers up to 10 and compare heights

Y2: Teddy Long Legs
Comparing lengths using uniform non-standard measures and using comparative vocabulary (taller, longer, shorter)