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Year 3

Measure length and height from zero using whole m or cm

I can measure length and height from zero using whole metres and centimetres.

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Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 3

Measure length and height from zero using whole m or cm

I can measure length and height from zero using whole metres and centimetres.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When measuring, it is more efficient to start at zero.
  2. The length of the object is the difference between the numbers on the ruler at the start and the end of the object.
  3. Measures can be given in metres or centimetres.
  4. Estimating helps us to decide if it is better to measure in centimetres or metres.

Common misconception

The length or height of an object is the numerical value at the end of the ruler (if not at zero).

If an object is not measured from zero, its length is the difference between the numerical value at the start and end of the object.

Keywords

  • Metre (m) - A metre is a standardised unit of measurement. We can abbreviate metre to m.

  • Centimetre (cm) - A centimetre is a standardised unit of measurement. We can abbreviate centimetre to cm.

  • Difference - The difference is the result of subtracting one number from another.

Where possible, do the suggested activities practically so pupils gain experience of using measuring equipment and build points of reference relating to height and length.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these would you use centimetres to measure the height or length of?
Length of a whale
Height of a tree
Correct answer: Length of your foot
Height of a house
Q2.
What measurement is equal to 100 cm?
Correct Answer: 1 m, 1 metre, 1 meter, 1m
Q3.
I have a piece of ribbon that is 90 cm long. Is this ribbon shorter or longer than one metre?
Correct Answer: shorter
Q4.
How many 10 cm lengths will we get if we cut a 70 cm piece of ribbon up into 10 cm lengths?
Correct Answer: 7, seven, Seven
Q5.
A whole length of string has been cut into 4 equal pieces and each of those pieces is 10 cm. What length is the whole piece of string?
Correct Answer: 40 cm, fourty cm, Forty cm, forty cm
Q6.
Starting with the shortest, sort the five pieces of ribbon in order of length.
1 - 10 cm
2 - 40 cm
3 - 50 cm
4 - 70 cm
5 - 90 cm

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The result of subtracting one number from another is known as
a metre.
Correct answer: the difference.
a centimetre.
Q2.
Which unit would you use to measure the height of a giraffe?
mm
cm
Correct answer: m
kg
Q3.
Match the calculation to the difference.
Correct Answer:12 cm - 5 cm =,7 cm

7 cm

Correct Answer:20 cm - 8 cm = ,12 cm

12 cm

Correct Answer:14 cm - 8 cm = ,6 cm

6 cm

Correct Answer:15 cm - 6 cm = ,9 cm

9 cm

Correct Answer:17 cm - 6 cm =,11 cm

11 cm

Q4.
What is the length of this feather?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 6 cm, Six cm, 6 centimetres, Six centimetres
Q5.
What is the length of the pencil?
An image in a quiz
3 cm
Correct answer: 6 cm
9 cm
Q6.
Jacob has broken his ruler and he can't see the zero. How can he measure the length of the leaf?
An image in a quiz
He can't.
Place the leaf at the end of the ruler and read the measurement as usual.
Correct answer: He can use it but he needs to find the difference.