Measuring Long Distances over Uneven Terrain

5 min

Teacher Prep
Setup
Students in groups of 3–4. Brainstorm measuring longer distances. 2–3 minutes of quiet work time followed by small-group discussion.

Narrative

Students have experienced measuring short distances with a ruler or a measuring tape. In this activity, students start to think about how they can measure longer distances over uneven terrain. This activity is intended to set the stage for the upcoming activities, not to completely resolve the question. Students have an opportunity to think about the limitations of methods that may work for short distances but not for long distances. They also consider real-world situations that involve the measurement of long distances.

Launch

Arrange students in groups of 3–4. They will stay in these groups throughout this four-lesson section. Ask students how they have measured the length of objects in school (with a ruler, yardstick, or measuring tape). Where else in real life do people measure distances, especially longer ones? Brainstorm some situations together (distance driven in a car, length of a garden fence, length of a hiking trail, etc.). Give students 2–3 minutes of quiet work time, followed by small-group discussion.

Engagement: Develop Effort and Persistence. Invite students to generate a list of shared expectations for group work. Record responses on a display and keep visible during the activity.
Supports accessibility for: Social-Emotional Functioning, Attention

Student Task

How do people measure distances in different situations? What tools do they use? Come up with at least three different methods and situations where those methods are used.

Sample Response

Sample responses:

  • Use a yardstick, a measuring tape, or ruler repeatedly, if necessary
  • When driving, use the odometer to measure distance between departure and destination location
  • Count steps and estimate how long one step is, for example, to measure the distance across the room
  • Estimate an inch using a finger and iterate across the width of the table to measure table width
  • Count the number of ceiling tiles or the number of windows across the room, estimate the width of tiles or windows and multiply the number of objects times the width of the object
  • Use a GPS
  • Use “rate times time,” if they knows their speed and how long it takes to get somewhere
Activity Synthesis (Teacher Notes)
Invite students to share some ideas of how to measure with their group.
Standards
Building On
  • 2.MD.1·Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
  • 2.MD.A.1·Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
Building Toward
  • 7.RP.A·Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.
  • 7.RP.A·Analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

10 min

20 min