Today I will determine the difference in length of two objects using subtraction.
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: Students will continue to compare the lengths of objects. Remind students 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 and write the longest measurement on the end. 3. Starting on the longest measurement, count back to the shortest measurement. 4. Record how much longer or shorter the 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 backpack and a schoolbook. Tell students you want to figure out if the backpack is long enough to fit the schoolbook.
Review with students smaller objects are usually measured in inches or centimeters and because the backpack would be too many centimeters you are going to measure it in inches.
Use a ruler and measure the backpack. Record the length of the backpack.
Use a ruler and measure the schoolbook. Record the length of the schoolbook.
Line them up next to each other and discuss how you can see the backpack is longer than the book, or the book is shorter than the backpack. The backpack is a bit longer (this is the difference).
Model this by drawing a number line from the length of the book to the length of the backpack. Count back on the number line from the backpack to the book to find the difference. Record the difference in length.
/ *MP1: Make sense of the problem and persevere in solving it! *MP8: Find a strategy to help solve the problem.
2. Erin wants to know how much taller her dog is than Janet’s dog. She knows her dog is 34 inches tall and Janet’s dog is 22 inches tall. She wants to find the difference between the two heights.
Model this by drawing a number line from 22 to 34.
Mark Erin’s dog’s height on the number line at 22 and Janet’s dog’s height on the number line at 34.
Count back from 34 to 22 to determine the difference in the two heights. Record that Erin’s dog is 12 inches taller than Janet’s dog or that Janet’s dog is 12 inches shorter than Erin’s dog.
1. Ask student partners to determine who has the longer foot.
Have students measure both partners’ feet in centimeters.
Draw a number line starting with the length of the shortest foot and ending with the length of the longest foot. Count back from the longest length to the shortest length to determine the difference.
Record:
’s foot is longer by
centimeters.
’s foot is shorter by
centimeters.
2. Tell the students you want to determine how much longer the bed is than the boy who will be sleeping in it. The bed is 75 inches long. The boy’s length is 60 inches long.
Draw a number line starting with the length of the boy and ending with the length of the bed. Count back from the longest length to the shortest length to find the difference.