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Read scales in metres and centimetres

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can read scales in metres and centimetres.

Key learning points

  1. Rulers are marked in centimetres
  2. Counting in ones helps you to measure in centimetres
  3. Counting in tens helps you to measure in metres

Keywords

  • Ruler - A tool for measuring length.

  • Metre stick - A tool for measuring length which is one metre long.

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.

Teacher tip

The examples within this lesson refer only to full metre lengths and children are not expected to work with mixed units at this point. They do not need to be aware of the conversion between metres and centimetres, but should know that a metre is bigger than a centimetre.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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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Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Metres and centimetres are __________ units of measure.

Correct answer: standard
non-standard

Q2.
Which of these lengths could be about one metre?

The width of a paper clip
Correct answer: The average height of a five-year-old child
The length of a leaf

Q3.
A metre is a __________ measure of length than a centimetre.

shorter
Correct answer: longer

Q4.
True or false. It is sensible to measure the width of a book in centimetres.

Correct answer: True
False

Q5.
Which lengths would you measure in centimetres?

Correct answer: The length of a toy car
The height of a door
Correct answer: The length of a pencil
Correct answer: The height of a toy astronaut
The length of a skipping rope

Q6.
Choose the correct unit of measure. My bedroom is about 3 __________ long.

Correct answer: metres
centimetres

6 Questions

Q1.
When you use a ruler to measure length, you should always start at __________.

An image in a quiz
one centimetre
Correct answer: zero
the end of the ruler

Q2.
True or false. Alex has measured the length of the eraser correctly. He says it is 6 cm long.

An image in a quiz
True
Correct answer: False

Q3.
This pen is cm long.

An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 12

Q4.
When we measure length in metres, we use __________.

a ruler
Correct answer: a metre stick
bricks

Q5.
The crocodile is metres long.

An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 6, six

Q6.
The van is __________.

An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 2 metres tall
2 centimetres tall
2 metres long
2 centimetres long

To help you plan your 2 maths lesson on: Read scales in metres and centimetres, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...