New
New
Year 1

Measure length using a ruler

I can use a ruler to measure length.

New
New
Year 1

Measure length using a ruler

I can use a ruler to measure length.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Using a ruler means that you all get the same measurement for the same object.
  2. When using a ruler always measure starting from zero cm.
  3. Each number on the ruler represents one cm.
  4. cm is the short form of centimetres.
  5. The number on the ruler where the object ends tells you the length of the object.

Keywords

  • Ruler - A tool for measuring length.

  • Centimetre - A measure of length (about the width of a fingernail).

  • Cm - A shorter way of writing centimetre.

  • Zero - A number that shows that there is no amount.

Common misconception

Children may align the end of their object with the end of the ruler, rather than zero.

Use a sticker or coloured pen to highlight the zero on the ruler so that children's attention is drawn to the zero when they are measuring length using a ruler.

At this stage, it is best if children use rulers where the only scale is in centimetres to avoid confusion with other units such as inches.
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).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the missing from the ruler?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 0
1
6
Q2.
What is the height of the jug? Write the number. centimetres
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 13, thirteen
Q3.
Centimetre cubes are used to measure two robots. True or false? Robot A is 1 centimetre taller than Robot B.
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: True
False
Q4.
Who has measured accurately?
An image in a quiz
a
Correct answer: b
Q5.
Which car is 15 centimetres in length?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q6.
Which item is in the wrong place?
An image in a quiz
pen
Correct answer: felt tip
eraser

6 Questions

Q1.
Complete the sentence. Rulers always start at ___ cm.
10
1
Correct answer: 0
Q2.
What is a shorter way of writing centimetres?
c
Correct answer: cm
m
mm
Q3.
How long is the pen?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 9 cm
9 mm
8 cm
Q4.
Complete the sentence. The tower of bricks is cm tall.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 9, nine
Q5.
Look at the picture. Jun thinks the highlighter is 13 cm long. What mistake has he made?
An image in a quiz
The ruler is the upside down.
Correct answer: The highlighter does not start at 0 cm.
He looked at the wrong end of the highlighter, the measurement is 3 cm.
Q6.
Which of these objects has been measured accurately?
The carrot is 15 cm long.
Correct answer: The spoon is 14 cm long.
The leaf is 15 cm long.
The pen is 13 cm long.