Today I will determine the difference in length of two objects using addition.
Vocabulary Difference in length: how much longer or how much shorter one object is than the other
Standard (Customary) Units of Measurement: inch = thumb knuckle length foot = 12 inches yard = 3 feet (36 inches) Metric Units of Measurement: one centimeter = width of pinky 25 centimeters = one ruler one meter = four rulers (100 cm)
Teacher Resources Considerations: Now that students have experience in measuring objects, they will begin to compare the lengths of objects. This can be introduced with nonstandard units of measurement – such as paperclips – before using rulers. Encourage students to see there are two ways of comparing objects. One object can be longer than another and one object can be shorter than another. Make sure students have access to rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and tape measures for this unit.
Steps:
1. Measure the two objects using the appropriate tool. 2. Draw a number line starting with the shortest measurement to the longest measurement. 3. Starting on the shortest measurement, add on to the longest measurement. 4. Record how much longer or shorter an object is.
Application of MPs: MP5: What tool can you use to help you solve the problem? MP6: What do you need to do to ensure your answers are correct when measuring? MP7: What concepts or rules help you determine how to measure each length?
/ *MP1: Make sense of the problem and persevere in solving it! *MP8: Find a strategy to help solve the problem. Directions: Solve the problems. 1. Hold up a folder and a piece of paper. Tell students you want to figure
out if the folder is long enough to fit the piece of paper.
Review with students smaller objects are usually measured in inches or centimeters, and that because the paper would be too many centimeters long, you are going to measure it in inches.
Use a ruler and measure the piece of paper. Record the length of the paper.
Use a ruler and measure the folder. Record the length of the folder.
Line them up next to each other and discuss how you can see the folder is longer than the paper or the paper is shorter than the folder. They both are 11 inches long, but the folder is a bit longer (this is the difference).
Model this by drawing a number line from 0 to 13. Mark the length of the piece of paper and the length of the folder on the number line. Show students that you added on additional length to get to the folder’s length. Therefore, the folder is longer than the piece of paper, or the paper is shorter than the folder.
/ *MP1: Make sense of the problem and persevere in solving it! *MP8: Find a strategy to help solve the problem. Directions: Solve the problems.
2. Dylan wants to know how much shorter he is than the basketball hoop. He knows the basketball hoop is 10 feet tall and he measures 7 feet tall. He wants to find the difference between the two heights.
Model this by drawing a number line from 0 to 10.
Mark Dylan’s height on the number line at 7 and the hoop’s height on the number line at 10.
10
← height of the basketball hoop
9 8 7
← Dylan’s height
6 5 4 3 2 1
Add on from 7 to determine the difference in the two heights. Record that the basketball hoop is 3 feet taller than Dylan or Dylan is 3 feet shorter than the basketball hoop.
1. Ask student partners to determine who has the longer pencil.
Have students measure both partners’ pencils in centimeters.
Draw a number line starting with the length of the shortest pencil. Add on the centimeters until you reach the length of the longest pencil.
Record:
’s pencil is longer by
centimeters.
’s pencil is shorter by
centimeters.
2. Tell the students you want to determine how much longer the garage space is than the car. The garage is 20 feet long. The car’s length is 13 feet.
Draw a number line starting with the length of the car and ending with the length of the garage. Add on the feet until you reach the length of the garage.
Record: The garage is longer by The car is shorter by
1. Measure the length of your hand from your wrist to the top of your middle finger. Measure the length of your feet. Which one is shorter? How much shorter is it?
2. My desk is 36 inches long. The whiteboard is 98 inches long. Which one is longer? How much longer is it?
Recap today’s lesson with one or more of the following MP questions: MP5: What tool did you use to help solve the problem? MP6: What did you need to do to ensure your answers were correct
when measuring?
MP7: What concepts or rules helped you determine how to measure