Grade 3 Math: Measurement unit
Students measure length with units and rulers, find the distance around shapes, compare how much containers hold and how heavy things are, read analog clocks, and measure area by covering shapes with squares. They finish with a measurement fair where they measure, find a perimeter, cover a shape and show a time.
What's included
- Unit overviewBig ideas, expectations by code, learning goals and success criteria
- Day-by-day calendar15 days planned, including catch-up and review days
- 12 three-part lessonsMinds On, Action and Consolidation, with timings, questions to ask and common mistakes
- Lesson slidesA ready-to-project deck for every lesson: goals, worked examples, discussion questions and exit tickets, with your lesson steps in the speaker notes
- Student worksheets with answer keys83 questions in all, every numeric answer checked by software
- Diagnostic and quick checksA Day 1 diagnostic and 3 quick checks to adjust your teaching
- Performance task and rubric“The measurement fair”, with a rubric across all four achievement chart categories
- Unit test and answer key18 marks, sorted by achievement chart category
- AccommodationsSupports for students with IEPs, English language learners, and extensions
Look inside
These are real pages from the unit.
Day-by-day calendar
| Day | Lesson or assessment | Expectations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic and unit launch | |
| 2 | Lesson 1: Measuring length with units | E2.1, E2.5 |
| 3 | Lesson 2: Centimetres and the ruler | E2.1, E2.2 |
| 4 | Lesson 3: Millimetres, metres and kilometres | E2.2 |
| 5 | Lesson 4: Perimeter of shapes with straight sides | E2.1 |
| 6 | Lesson 5: Curved shapes and building shapes | E2.1 |
| 7 | Lesson 6: Capacity with cups and scoops | E2.3, E2.5 |
| 8 | Lesson 7: Mass with a pan balance | E2.4, E2.5 |
| 9 | Lesson 8: Telling time on analog clocks | E2.6 |
| 10 | Lesson 9: Minutes and seconds | E2.6 |
| 11 | Lesson 10: Comparing area | E2.7 |
| 12 | Lesson 11: Measuring area with units | E2.8 |
| 13 | Lesson 12: Square centimetres and square metres | E2.9 |
| 14 | Performance task | E2.1, E2.2, E2.6, E2.8, E2.9 |
| 15 | Unit test (read aloud) | E2.1 to E2.9 |
Lesson 1: Measuring length with units
Learning goal: We are learning to measure how long things are using cubes and clips.
Success criteria:
- I can line up units with no gaps.
- I can count how many units long.
- I can see that a bigger unit needs fewer.
Minds On (8 min)
- Hold up a pencil. Ask: "How can we tell how long it is?"
- Line them up at one end to check.
Action (22 min)
- Model laying cubes end to end along a pencil with no gaps or overlaps.
- Partners measure the same pencil with cubes, then with clips, and record both counts.
- Talk about why the clip count is smaller.
- Complete the worksheet.
Consolidation (10 min)
- Compare counts from different pairs.
- Exit: "Why did clips give a smaller number than cubes?"
How long?
Count the units. Write the number.
- How many cubes long is the pencil?
- How many clips long is the same pencil?
- Which picture used the bigger unit? Circle it.
- Which row has a gap? Circle it.
- Which strip is the longest? Circle it.
Answer keys with worked steps are in the Teacher Guide.
Performance task: The measurement fair
Visit four stations at the measurement fair.
| Category | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and Understanding | Level 1: needs a lot of help. | Level 2: measures some things with help. | Level 3: measures with the right unit and tool and explains the steps. | Level 4: measures accurately, compares, and explains why with clear words. |
| Thinking | Level 1: needs a lot of help. | Level 2: measures some things with help. | Level 3: measures with the right unit and tool and explains the steps. | Level 4: measures accurately, compares, and explains why with clear words. |
| Communication | Level 1: needs a lot of help. | Level 2: measures some things with help. | Level 3: measures with the right unit and tool and explains the steps. | Level 4: measures accurately, compares, and explains why with clear words. |
| Application | Level 1: needs a lot of help. | Level 2: measures some things with help. | Level 3: measures with the right unit and tool and explains the steps. | Level 4: measures accurately, compares, and explains why with clear words. |
Lessons in this unit
- Measuring length with unitsLearning to measure how long things are using cubes and clips.E2.1, E2.5
- Centimetres and the rulerLearning to measure length in centimetres with a ruler.E2.1, E2.2
- Millimetres, metres and kilometresWe are learning how mm, cm, m and km are linked and which one to use.E2.2
- Perimeter of shapes with straight sidesLearning to find the distance around a shape by adding its sides.E2.1
- Curved shapes and building shapesLearning to measure around curved shapes and to build a shape with a set perimeter.E2.1
- Capacity with cups and scoopsLearning to measure how much a container holds using a small cup.E2.3, E2.5
- Mass with a pan balanceLearning to compare and measure how heavy things are using a pan balance.E2.4, E2.5
- Telling time on analog clocksLearning to read o'clock, half past and quarter times on a clock.E2.6
- Minutes and secondsLearning to read time to five minutes and know about seconds.E2.6
- Comparing areaLearning to compare how much space shapes cover.E2.7
- Measuring area with unitsLearning to measure area by covering with units and to avoid gaps and overlaps.E2.8
- Square centimetres and square metresLearning to measure area with square centimetres and square metres.E2.9
Ontario curriculum expectations covered
- E2.1
- Pick suitable length units to estimate, measure and compare the distance around shapes (straight or curved), and build shapes with a set perimeter.
- E2.2
- Explain how mm, cm, m and km are related, and use familiar objects as benchmarks to estimate length.
- E2.3
- Find how much containers hold with small cups or scoops, and tell how heaping, low scoops and gaps change the count.
- E2.4
- Compare, estimate and measure mass with a pan balance and non-standard units.
- E2.5
- Measure the same thing with units of different sizes and show the size stays the same while the count changes.
- E2.6
- Tell time in hours, minutes and seconds using analog and digital clocks and timers.
- E2.7
- Compare areas by matching, covering, or cutting and rearranging, and show different shapes can cover the same space.
- E2.8
- Measure area with non-standard units and explain how gaps and overlaps change the answer.
- E2.9
- Use square centimetres and square metres to estimate, measure and compare areas, including curved shapes.
Questions about this unit
How long is this unit?
15 school days: 12 lessons plus a diagnostic, a catch-up day, a two-day performance task, a review day and the unit test.
Which expectations does it cover?
E2.1, E2.2, E2.3, E2.4, E2.5, E2.6, E2.7, E2.8, E2.9 from Mathematics (2020), Strand E, overall expectation E2 (Measurement).
What format are the files?
Each unit comes as a Teacher Guide and Student Pages, both as editable Word files and print-ready PDFs, plus a PowerPoint deck of lesson slides. The Word files open in Google Docs and the slides open in Google Slides, so you can change anything.
Can I share it with my colleagues?
A single licence is for one teacher's classes. For a grade team, the team licence covers up to 5 teachers at one school for $49.99.
What if it isn't right for my class?
Email help@unitplans.ca within 7 days of buying for a full refund.