Lesson Idea: Measurement & Estimation

Working recently with Year 4 students on length and estimation, we undertook a fantastic hands-on activity using plasticine and the Seesaw app on iPad.

The activity went like this:

1. Students were asked to roll two pieces of plasticine into two long ‘snakes’ less than 30cm long.


2. Next, students were asked to estimate the length of each snake (without measuring) and write their estimation on a post-it note.


3. Then, students used a ruler to measure accurately the length of their snakes


4. Students took a photo with the iPad Camera app of their snakes, post-it note and ruler.


5. Finally, students used Seesaw to label the measured length of each snake in cm, then converted the length from cm to mm and m, adding labels for those converted measurements as well.  

6. If time was available, students recorded their voice saying:
   'My estimation was ____ cm more/less than the actual measurement.