Lesson Plan #1: Identification for Measurement.

1. Performance Objectives:
 When given a ruler with inches and centimeter measurements and prompted, students
will identify the inch side by laying the ruler on the table with the inch side on top.
 When given a familiar rectangle object and asked to identify the end of the object to
begin measuring, students will place their finger on the top left corner of the object.
 When asked to place the “0” inch mark of the ruler on the end of the object, students will
place the top left edge of the ruler onto the previously identified end of the object.
2. Instructional Strategies
A. Pre-instructional Activities – Essential questions for the students. 15 Minutes
Once all the students show that they are ready to listen, begin a discussion about
measurement. “I want to know what you remember about using a ruler and measuring
items. I will give you a few minutes to think about what you already know. Once you
remember something, please quietly raise your hand.” Allow time for the students to pull
up past lessons they may have encountered. While they wait, write their names on the
board in order to keep tracks of points earned. As the students share information, give
them a point and write down on another part of the board their ideas or facts. Continue to
give points and create a list of words, etc. regarding measurement. Once the discussion is
completed, stated which student earned the most points during the lesson. Give the
student who shared the most information a very small token such as a sticker.

If needing guidance, use the following questions to start conversations.

i. What is a ruler?
ii. What do we use it for?
iii. When do we use measurement?
iv. What kind of tools can we use?
v. What have we used in our classroom to measure?
vi. When would we use measurement in our future careers?
vii. What type of jobs?
viii. What type of tools?
ix. What unit of measurement have we used so far?
Review vocabulary words that have been written down to ensure all students are familiar
with them. Key vocabulary words that should be discussed: Inch, ruler, measure, record,
end, and object. Define or have students define each word.
B. Pre-Assessment 10 Minutes
Give the students the worksheet (Attachment A) and have them identify parts of the ruler
by matching the words. Be sure to grade this pre-assessment and write feedback on their
papers to encourage motivation of learning.
C. Content Presentation 20 Minutes
Students will be given a ruler to use as a manipulative. Using presentation software such
as Power Point, create a presentation that contains a ruler on slide #1, then the following
slides will show each part individually to be able to show the students one part at a time.
 (See Power Point presentation attached as Attachment G. Once the ruler has been
projected, identify the parts of a ruler one at a time. When you state the part name, point
to the part of the ruler on the board, then write it as a label. Then ask the students to
identify the same part on their rulers and raise it up once they have found it. When each
student has raised their ruler showing the correct part, verbally praise them. You may start
the point system again if this was motivating to all students. After all parts of the ruler
have been identified, erase them off the board and have students come to the board and
identify a part to the class. If a student is able to identify a part of a ruler, be sure to
verbally praise them or have the whole class applaud for encouragement. This should be
an active participation activity.
Students will use their math composition books to write in the vocabulary words and
definitions. The instructor will write the words on the white board with room to write or
draw the definitions. If the students are unable to or have challenges in writing their
vocabulary words, the instructor will have printed out vocabulary words to have students
tape into their books along with the definitions. (Inch, ruler, measure, record, end and
object). Once the students have transferred the vocabulary words into their notebooks, the
instructor will define them. Inch – unit of measure, Ruler – a tool for measurement,
Measure – to determine the size of an object, End – the farthest point of an object,
Object – an item. Have the students write the definitions under each word. On the next
page – have the students represent their vocabulary words by drawing a picture across
from the definition. i.e.
Inch – unit of measure [------]
D. Learner Presentation - 20 Minutes Have the students sit on the floor or around one table.
Have one student gather all the rulers together and place them upside down on the
table/floor in a pile. Tell them that you are going to call out a characteristic and the
person who fits that characteristic will quickly pick up a ruler from the pile and hold it up
with the inch side on top toward the ceiling. Call out one characteristic (examples:
someone who is wearing a blue shirt, red shoes, a headband, etc). Once the student
recognizes their characteristic, they will choose a ruler, identify the inch side and hold it
up for review. Have the other students determine if it is correct or incorrect. If it is
correct, that student will sit back down and keep the ruler. If they are incorrect, the
students will fix it but then replace the ruler upside down back into the pile. You will
continue to do this until all the rulers are gone. The students will count their rulers and
the winner will be given a point or a small tangible prize i.e. sticker.
20 Minutes The next activity will be to identify the “end” of an object. You will need
five rectangular objects from around the classroom (Notebook, book, pencil box,
crayon/colored pencil box, and tissue box are some good examples). Pick up an item and
have the students identify the item. Once a student identifies the object, they get to take it
back to their desk/table. Once each student has an object, have them raise their left hand
up high. Have them place their left hand onto the top left corner of their object.
Demonstrate this task by placing your hand on the top left corner of an object at the front
of the room. You should walk around and have them demonstrate this task to ensure their
left hand is placed correctly. Now have the students raise their right hands high (keeping
 their left hand on the object). Have them point to the sky with their pointer finger. Then
have them take that pointer finger and place it to the right of their left hand. Demonstrate
this so that this is understood and accurately followed. Again, walk around to ensure that
this step has been followed correctly. Once they all have their fingers properly placed
have them slowly “slide” their finger to the right until they “fall off” the end of the object.
Be sure to make this a fun step. Have the students make falling noises etc. in order to
make it motivating to continue. It is important have the students do this several times in
order to emphasize the vocabulary word “end”. Giving points to the students for the most
creative sound or most dramatic “fall” will motivate them to continue to practice this skill.
Once they have mastered this skill with the one object, have them exchange objects with a
peer and conduct the steps again. Have the students walk each other through the steps.
20 Minutes Make enough copies of Attachment B to have five rulers per student. You
may laminate them to use later as well. Prior to the lesson, the instructor will draw a
house on the white board or large paper including the four walls, floor, pitched roof, two
windows and a door. Have the walls measure 24 inches tall, the floor 24 inches long, and
the roof will be 24 inches per side. The door will be 12 inches tall and 12 inches wide.
The windows should be six-inch squares. Use the example below. Use the six-inch ruler
and place large dots every six inches on each line starting with the left far most edge. For
the roof, place a large dot at the top point and each six-inch increment.

Once the students are ready, hand out 5 six-inch paper rulers to each student. It is
acceptable if the rulers are not all in the same direction. Have the students take turns and
one at a time, the student needs to identify the “0” end of the ruler and tape it to the black
dot starting on the left side of each line (except the roof, the students will start at the top).
They will take turns rotating around the group of students until all the lines are filled.
Each student will need to place the “0” end of the ruler at each black dot. The instructor
will correct each student immediately if necessary to have the “0” end of the ruler on the
dot.

E. Follow-through activities will be set up for the day following the lesson plans. Students
will be given 12 one-inch squares and a piece of construction paper. The students will be
asked to line up the one-inch squares in a straight line. One they have completed this
step; the students will be asked to label to parts of a ruler. They will start with the 0 at
the far-left top corner. They will then add 1-12 using each line at an inch mark.
Students will also be able to participate in an art activity that will involve locating the “0”
on the ruler and measuring out strips of colored construction paper to create a
thanksgiving turkey. The feathers will be different lengths (2 of each size), 4 inches, 6
inches, 8 inches, 10 inches and 12 inches. Once these colored strips have been measured
and cut, the students will bend each piece in half and glue them to the back of the turkey
body (see attachment C). They will start with the shortest pieces on top and the longest
pieces on the bottom. This activity will give the students practice on identifying the “0”
end of the ruler to ensure mastery has taken place.