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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 60 minutes

Units of measurement

Working scientifically

CCSS NGSS.SEP 5England: KS2 Y3–Y4 Working scientifically

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Units of measurement.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Choosing a measuring tool

Leads to: Reading scales and thermometers; Converting units

Materials: Simple equipment for a fair test, Results table template, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Choosing a measuring tool). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which tool would you use to measure how much water a plant is given? (a measuring jug or cylinder / a ruler or tape measure / a stopwatch or timer / a thermometer) → a measuring jug or cylinderPrompt: Is it a length, a temperature, a mass, a time or an amount of liquid?
  2. What could you measure with a ruler or tape measure? (how long a toy car takes to roll down a ramp / the width of a leaf / how much milk is in a glass / how long it takes to run 50 metres) → the width of a leafPrompt: What does this tool measure: length, temperature, mass, time or volume?
  3. Which is the best tool to find out how long it takes a snail to cross a table? (a rain gauge / a ruler / a thermometer / a stopwatch) → a stopwatchPrompt: "How long it takes" is about time.

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a simple experiment with one thing changed and ask what makes it a fair test.
  • Share the objective: Units of measurement. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: What do degrees Celsius (°C) measure?
  • Step 1: Degrees Celsius (°C) measure temperature.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: temperature
  • Answer: temperature
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. What do degrees Celsius (°C) measure? (temperature / time / mass / volume) → temperaturePrompt: Think of something you would measure in this unit.
  2. Which unit is best for the length of an ant? (litres (L) / kilometres (km) / millimetres (mm) / metres (m)) → millimetres (mm)Prompt: An ant is tiny.

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which unit is best for a spoonful of medicine? (degrees Celsius (°C) / kilometres (km) / millilitres (mL) / litres (L)) → millilitres (mL)Prompt: It is a very small amount of liquid.
  2. A bottle of water holds 500 ___. (litres (L) / millilitres (mL) / metres (m) / kilograms (kg)) → millilitres (mL)Prompt: 500 litres would fill a small paddling pool.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Choosing a measuring tool.
  • Use concrete materials: simple equipment for a fair test.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Reading scales and thermometers; Converting units.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-2.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Units of measurement

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which unit is best for the length of an ant?

    • A. millimetres (mm)
    • B. metres (m)
    • C. litres (L)
    • D. kilometres (km)

  2. Question 2

    What do metres (m) measure?

    • A. length
    • B. mass
    • C. volume
    • D. time

  3. Question 3

    A bottle of water holds 500 ___.

    • A. millilitres (mL)
    • B. kilograms (kg)
    • C. metres (m)
    • D. litres (L)

  4. Question 4

    Which unit is best for the distance between two towns?

    • A. millimetres (mm)
    • B. grams (g)
    • C. centimetres (cm)
    • D. kilometres (km)

  5. Question 5

    What do litres (L) measure?

    • A. length
    • B. time
    • C. temperature
    • D. volume

  6. Question 6

    The temperature on a warm summer day is 25. Which unit is it?

    • A. degrees Celsius (°C)
    • B. centimetres (cm)
    • C. litres (L)
    • D. grams (g)

  7. Question 7

    What do kilograms (kg) measure?

    • A. time
    • B. temperature
    • C. volume
    • D. mass

  8. Question 8

    A runner's time for a race is written as 14.2. Which unit makes sense?

    • A. hours (h)
    • B. seconds (s)
    • C. kilograms (kg)
    • D. metres (m)

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Answer key: Units of measurement

  1. 1. A. millimetres (mm)

  2. 2. A. length

  3. 3. A. millilitres (mL)

  4. 4. D. kilometres (km)

  5. 5. D. volume

  6. 6. A. degrees Celsius (°C)

  7. 7. D. mass

  8. 8. B. seconds (s)