Lesson 6

Measure with Paper Clips

Warm-up: Estimation Exploration: Length of the Desk (10 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of an Estimation Exploration is to practice the skill of estimating a reasonable answer based on experience and known information. 

Launch

  • Groups of 2
  • Display the image.
  • “What is an estimate that’s too high?” “Too low?” “About right?”
  • 1 minute: quiet think time

Activity

  • “Discuss your thinking with your partner.”
  • 1 minute: partner discussion
  • Record responses.

Student Facing

How long is the desk?
Desk with cubes.
Record an estimate that is:
too low about right too high
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Student Response

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Activity Synthesis

  • “How do you know that 15 is an estimate that is too low?” (If we add two more towers of 5, it still won't reach the end of the desk.)

Activity 1: Measure with Paper Clips (10 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to measure length by physically lining up length units that do not connect. Students discuss how measuring with paper clips is the same and different as measuring with connecting cube towers.

MLR8 Discussion Supports. Display sentence frames to support whole-class discussion comparing measuring with connecting cubes and paper clips: “_____ and _____ are the same/alike because . . .”, “_____ and _____ are different because . . . .”
Advances: Speaking, Conversing

Required Materials

Materials to Gather

Materials to Copy

  • Measure with Paper Clips

Required Preparation

  • Each group of 2 needs about 30 1-inch paper clips.

Launch

  • Groups of 2
  • Give each student a copy of the blackline master and a handful of 1-inch paper clips.

Activity

  • “We have been measuring length with connecting cubes. Now we are going to use a different object to measure. Measure the length of this rectangle using paper clips. When each partner has measured, compare your thinking with your partner.”
  • 4 minutes: partner work time
  • Monitor for a student who measures without gaps or overlaps.

Student Response

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Advancing Student Thinking

If both partners agree on a measurement other than 9 paper clips, have them compare their thinking with another group and consider asking:
  • “Why do you think your number of paper clips is different?”
  • “What is different about the way you used the paper clips to measure?”

Activity Synthesis

  • Invite previously identified students to share.
  • “How is measuring with paper clips the same and different as measuring with connecting cubes?” (Paper clips don’t connect. You need to be careful about laying paper clips down, they move easily. You still start at one endpoint and end at the other endpoint.)

Activity 2: Measure Our Workbook (10 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to analyze representations of length measurements. Students determine that two of the measurements are inaccurate because there are gaps between length units or some length units overlap. Students identify that in order to measure accurately, they need to lay the length units directly next to each other, touching, but not overlapping (MP6).

Launch

  • Groups of 2

Activity

  • Read the task statement.
  • 5 minutes: partner work time
  • Monitor for students who disagree with Andre’s and Clare’s measurement and can explain why they are inaccurate.

Student Facing

Circle whether you agree or disagree with each student.

Explain why you agree or disagree.

  1. Workbook. From top to bottom on the right. 5 paper clips lined up, same size, space between some paper clips.

    Andre says that his student workbook is 5 paper clips long.

    Agree

    Disagree

    I _______________ because _________________________________

  2. Workbook. From top to bottom on the right. 7 paper clips line up, same size, no space between paper clips.

    Tyler says the workbook is 7 paper clips long.

    Agree

    Disagree

    I _______________ because _________________________________

  3. Workbook. From top to bottom on the right. 8 paper clips, not all lined up, same size.

    Clare says the workbook is 8 paper clips long.

    Agree

    Disagree

    I _______________ because _________________________________

Student Response

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Activity Synthesis

  • “What advice would you give Andre and Clare the next time they measure?” (Place each paper clip end to end. Make sure they do not overlap and that there are no gaps between them.)

Activity 3: Measure Strips of Tape (20 minutes)

Narrative

The purpose of this activity is for students to measure the length of tape strips using paper clips as the length unit. Students apply what they have learned in the previous two activities to measure accurately.

Set up tape strips of the designated lengths around the classroom, labeled with letters (A-F). Assign each group a tape to start with and then have them rotate to a new tape, as time allows.

Representation: Internalize Comprehension. Synthesis: Invite students to identify which details were most important in accurately measuring the strips of tape. Display the sentence frame, “The next time I measure an object, I will pay attention to . . . ”
Supports accessibility for: Memory, Attention

Required Materials

Required Preparation

  • Put strips of tape of the designated lengths on the floor. Label each strip. There should be one strip of tape per group.
    • Tape A: 18 inches
    • Tape B: 16 inches
    • Tape C: 12 inches
    • Tape D: 20 inches
    • Tape E: 22 inches
    • Tape F: 25 inches

Launch

  • Groups of 2–4
  • Give each group paper clips.

Activity

  • “There are strips of tape around the classroom. Work with your partner to measure the length of each strip using paper clips. Complete each statement with the number of paper clips that make it true.”
  • 10 minutes: partner work
  • Monitor for groups who measure Tape C without gaps or overlaps.

Student Facing

Use paper clips to measure each strip of tape.

  1. The length of Tape A is _________ paper clips.
  2. The length of Tape B is _________ paper clips.
  3. The length of Tape C is _________ paper clips.
  4. The length of Tape D is _________ paper clips.
  5. The length of Tape E is _________ paper clips.
  6. The length of Tape F is _________ paper clips.

Student Response

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Advancing Student Thinking

If students find measurements other than the precise measurement for each tape, consider asking:
  • “Can you show me how you used the paper clips to measure this tape strip?”
  • “How did you use the advice we gave Andre and Clare when you were measuring?”

Activity Synthesis

  • Invite previously identified students to share.
  • “How do you know that you measured Tape C precisely?” (The paper clips had no gaps and no overlaps, the paper clips started at the beginning of the tape and went to the end of the tape.)
  • “Both groups made sure there were no gaps or overlaps with their paper clips. Both groups said Tape C is 12 paper clips long.”

Lesson Synthesis

Lesson Synthesis

Display Tape C.

“Today we measured length with paper clips. We just heard two groups explain how they used their paper clips to measure Tape C. Priya also measured Tape C and says it is 10 paper clips long. Do you think Priya can be correct? Why or why not?” (No. We measured Tape C and we all got a length of 12 paper clips. The line can’t be 12 paper clips long for us and 10 for her.)

Cool-down: Unit 6, Section B Checkpoint (0 minutes)

Cool-Down

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