What measuring words does Year 1 use?

long, short, tall, heavy, light, full, empty, half full, longer, shorter, heavier, lighter.

How do I teach my child to use a ruler?

Show that you start at 0, not at the edge. Measure toys and ask "how many centimetres long?".

What is the difference between mass and capacity?

Mass is how heavy something is. Capacity is how much liquid a container can hold.

Do Year 1 children use units like cm and kg?

They start with cubes and cups, then meet cm, kg and litres as standard units.

Year 1 length, mass and capacity lesson to download as PDF

This Year 1 length, mass and capacity lesson is written for pupils aged 5-6 and follows the National Curriculum. In short, it shows you how to compare and measure lengths, weights and capacities using non-standard and standard units. Before you start, it helps to revise multiplication and division: groups, doubling and sharing and fractions: halves and quarters, because this lesson builds on them.

Table of Contents

Year 1 length, mass and capacity lesson: what you will learn

Hello, I am Otto! How long is your pencil? How heavy is your bag? How much water is in a bottle? Today we learn how to measure and compare lengths, masses and capacities. These words sound big, but the ideas are easy.

Starter activity

Find 3 things in your room, for example a pencil, a book and a shoe. Which is the longest? Which is the shortest? Now hold two things, one in each hand. Which feels heavier? Which feels lighter? Use words, not numbers.

Length: long, short, tall

Definition: length

Length tells us how long something is. We can say that a thing is long or short. For height we say tall or short. For distance across we say wide or narrow.

Look at the three bars. Bar C is the longest. Bar B is the shortest.

Rule: comparing lengths

To compare two lengths, start both things at the same line. Then look at which one reaches further. Use the words longer than, shorter than, taller than and the same as. For three or more, use longest and shortest.

Example 1

Bar A is 7 cubes long. Bar B is 4 cubes long. Which is longer? How much longer?

7 is more than 4, so Bar A is longer. 7 − 4 = 3. Bar A is 3 cubes longer.

Measuring length

Definition: unit

A unit is a fixed size we use to measure. At first we can use cubes, hand spans or paper clips. Later we use a ruler. On a ruler the small units are centimetres (cm). 100 centimetres make 1 metre (m).

Method: measuring with a ruler

Put the zero of the ruler at one end of the object.
Keep the object straight along the ruler.
Read the number at the other end of the object.
Write the number and the unit, for example 7 cm.

Example 2

How long is the yellow bar on the ruler?

The bar starts at 0 and ends at 7. The yellow bar is 7 cm long.

Mass: heavy and light

Definition: mass

Mass tells us how heavy something is. We say a thing is heavy or light. We compare with heavier than, lighter than and the same as. We use balance scales to compare. The heavier side goes down.

The book side is lower, so the book is heavier than the pen. The pen is lighter.

Key fact: balance scales

The heavier side goes down.
The lighter side goes up.
If both sides stay level, the two things are the same mass.

Example 3

An apple weighs the same as 5 cubes. A pear weighs the same as 8 cubes. Which is heavier?

8 cubes is more than 5 cubes, so the pear is heavier.

Grams and kilograms

Heavy things are measured in kilograms (kg). Light things are measured in grams (g). A bag of sugar weighs 1 kilogram. A paper clip weighs about 1 gram.

Capacity: full and empty

Definition: capacity

Capacity tells us how much a container can hold. A container can be full, half full, nearly full or empty. We measure liquids in litres (l) and millilitres (ml).

The first container is empty, the second is half full and the third is full.

Rule: comparing capacity

A container that holds more has a bigger capacity. We can pour water from one container to another to compare. The words are holds more, holds less and holds the same.

Example 4

A cup holds 3 spoons of water. A mug holds 5 spoons of water. Which holds more?

5 is more than 3. The mug holds more. It holds 2 spoons more.

Using what we know

Example 5: a measuring story

Sam's train track is 12 cm long. Ella's track is 9 cm long. How much longer is Sam's?

12 − 9 = 3. Sam's track is 3 cm longer.

Example 6: add lengths

A red ribbon is 6 cm long. A blue ribbon is 5 cm long. What is the length if they are put end to end?

6 + 5 = 11 cm.

Watch out

Start measuring from zero, not from 1.
Compare things fairly: use the same unit for both.
A tall thing is not always heavy, and a big thing is not always heavy. A big balloon is very light!
Always write the unit: cm, m, kg, g or litres.

Did you know?

Long ago, people measured with parts of the body: a hand, a foot or a stride. The word foot comes from that. But feet are different sizes, so people agreed on fixed units like the metre, which is the same everywhere in the world.

Otto's tip

Say a measuring word and a unit together: "7 centimetres", "2 kilograms", "a full litre". And line things up before you compare them. A fair test gives a fair answer!

How to use this Year 1 length, mass and capacity lesson

First, read the key points so that you know where the Year 1 length, mass and capacity lesson is going. Then work through each definition and worked example, and cover the solution before you read it. After that, practise with the length, mass and capacity worksheet and check every question with the worksheet answers. When you feel ready, test yourself with the multiple choice questions or the quick quiz. Finally, sit the length, mass and capacity test and mark it with the test answers.

Also, the starters are a good warm-up, so you can keep the key facts fresh. Moreover, all the pages of this chapter work together, so you can move between them at any time. For example, many pupils read the lesson on Monday, practise on Wednesday and test themselves on Friday. In short, this Year 1 length, mass and capacity lesson gives you everything you need for the chapter.

To sum up, regular practice works better than one long session. For instance, ten minutes a day is often enough. Besides, mistakes are useful, because they show what to revise next. Then, once a method feels easy, try a harder question. As a result, you build confidence step by step.

Length, mass and capacity – Year 1 maths lesson to download as PDF