Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Compare and order objects by length.
• Compare and order objects by mass using a balance scale.
• Compare and order the capacity of containers.
• Use words like 'longer than' and 'heavier than'.
• Estimate the length, mass, or capacity of an object.

Lesson summary

Measurement is all around us! In South Africa, we use measurement every day without even realizing it. When you buy sweets at the spaza shop, you're dealing with mass (how much the sweets weigh). When you're figuring out if a new toy will fit in your toy box, you're thinking about length. And when you share juice with your friends, you're thinking about capacity (how much the juice bottle holds). Understanding measurement helps us make sense of the world and solve practical problems. This week, we will explore length, mass and capacity and learn how to compare and describe objects using these measurements. We’ll focus on non-standard units of measurement.

Lesson notes

Length: Length tells us how long something is. We can measure the length of objects using things like our hands, feet, or even blocks. Remember, we are using NON-STANDARD UNITS this week, not rulers.

Example 1: Imagine we want to measure the length of a classroom table. We can use our hand spans. A hand span is the distance from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your little finger when your hand is stretched out. If the table is 8 hand spans long, it means it takes 8 of your hand spans to cover the length of the table.

Example 2: We can also use blocks to measure the length of a book. If the book is 5 blocks long, it means it takes 5 blocks laid end to end to cover the length of the book.

Important: When measuring length, make sure you are placing your measuring units (hand spans, blocks) end to end without any gaps or overlaps. This ensures an accurate measurement.

Mass: Mass tells us how heavy something is. We can compare the mass of two objects using a balance scale. A balance scale helps us see which object is heavier or lighter. We'll use non-standard units like counters or stones to measure mass.

Example 1: Let’s say we want to compare the mass of an apple and an orange. We can put the apple on one side of the balance scale and the orange on the other side. If the apple side goes down, it means the apple is heavier than the orange.

Example 2: If we want to measure how heavy an apple is, we can put the apple on one side of the balance scale and start adding counters to the other side until the scale is balanced. If it takes 10 counters to balance the apple, we can say the apple has a mass of approximately 10 counters.

Important: Make sure the balance scale is balanced before you put the objects on it. This ensures you're getting a fair comparison of mass.

Capacity: Capacity tells us how much something can hold. We usually measure capacity of liquids, like water or juice. We can compare the capacity of containers by pouring liquid from one container to another.

Example 1: Let's say we have a cup and a glass. We can fill the cup with water and then pour the water into the glass. If the cup fills the glass completely, the cup and the glass have the same capacity. If the cup overflows when poured into the glass, the cup has a larger capacity. If the cup doesn’t fill the glass completely, the glass has a larger capacity.

Example 2: We can also use a smaller container, like a spoon, to measure the capacity of a larger container, like a jug. We fill the spoon with water and pour it into the jug. We keep doing this until the jug is full. If it takes 20 spoons of water to fill the jug, we can say the jug has a capacity of 20 spoons.

Important: When pouring, be careful not to spill any liquid. Spilling liquid will make your measurement inaccurate.

Comparative Language: When we talk about length, mass, and capacity, we use special words to compare things. These words help us describe the differences between objects.

Length: Longer than, shorter than, the same length as.

Mass: Heavier than, lighter than, the same mass as.

Capacity: More than, less than, the same as. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Use counters to measure the length of your pencil. How many counters long is your pencil?

Solution: Place the pencil on a flat surface. Lay counters end-to-end along the length of the pencil, making sure there are no gaps or overlaps. Count the number of counters it takes to cover the entire length of the pencil. Let’s say it takes 8 counters.

Therefore, the pencil is 8 counters long.

Question 2: Use a balance scale and counters to compare the mass of a crayon and a glue stick. Which is heavier? Approximately how many counters heavier is it?

Solution: Place the crayon on one side of the balance scale and the glue stick on the other side. Observe which side goes down. If the crayon side goes down, the crayon is heavier. Now, add counters to the glue stick side until the scale is balanced. Count the number of counters you added. Let’s say you added 3 counters.

Therefore, the crayon is heavier than the glue stick by approximately 3 counters.

Question 3: Use a cup and a small bowl. Fill the cup with water and pour it into the bowl. Does the water fill the bowl completely? Does it overflow? What does this tell you about the capacity of the cup and the bowl?

Solution: Pour the water carefully from the cup into the bowl. If the water fills the bowl completely without overflowing, the cup and the bowl have the same capacity (or very close to it). If the water overflows, the cup has a larger capacity than the bowl. If the water doesn't fill the bowl completely, the bowl has a larger capacity than the cup.

Question 4: You have a book and a lunchbox. Estimate which is longer. Then, measure both using hand spans. Was your estimate correct?

Solution: First, make your estimate. For example, you might think the lunchbox is longer. Now, measure the length of the book and the lunchbox using hand spans.