2.MD.A.3 - About the Math, Learning Targets, and Increasing Rigor

Full Standard

Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.

Measurement Topic

This standard is reported on the report card in these quarters as follows:

About the Math

Skills and concepts below are learning goals for this standard.

• Estimate the length of a given object in inches and feet.
• Estimate the length of a given object in centimeters and meters.

Always have students estimate a measurement prior to actually measuring the objects. Estimation helps students focus on the attribute being measured. When students estimate, they are curious to see how close their estimate is to the actual measurement. Use language that describes the estimate such as about, a little less than, a little more than. Estimating length helps students develop benchmarks for how long something is. They can get a mental picture of how long a foot is. Essential vocabulary for this standard includes: length, estimate, actual, inch, foot, centimeter, meter, and unit. Visit the online dictionary Links to an external site. for vocabulary support.

Progression of Standard within Grade 2

This progression informs how to develop the standard within the grade level. This progression is provided by HCPSS Elementary Mathematics.

Progression of this Standard Across Grades

This progression is informed by the Achieve the Core Coherence Map Links to an external site.. Information is not the complete standard.

 Tasks 

These tasks can be used with small group or whole group instruction.

• Distribute 12 square inch tiles to each student. Discuss how each square tile is one inch wide. Have them lay the 12 tiles in a line side by side. Pose the question how many square tiles long is your rectangle? Discuss how when you have 12 one inch squares in a line that is the length of a foot. Group students in triads. Have them place 36 square tiles in a line. Pose the question how many square tiles long is your rectangle? Ask how many inches is their line of square tiles now? Ask how many feet their line of square tiles is now? discuss with students how 36 inches is a yard. Have students look around the room to identify objects that are about an inch, foot, and a yard. Discuss objects students identified. A similar activity can be done using centimeter cubes.  They could build show a centimeter and you could build a class model with 100 centimeters to build a meter. 
• What in this room is longer than 1 foot but less than 2 feet?
• Can you make a list of animals that would be best measured in feet? Can you make a list of animals that would be best measured in centimeters?
• Based on what you know about units of length, what is a reasonable length in feet for a car? Explain your reasoning.

SLIDE-BASED TASKS 

  These links are HCPSS created instructional tasks. These tasks are provided in Google slides.  These tasks should be used for inspiration and resources, but instruction should start with students having the opportunity to engage with the math first (often involving physical and/or visual models) followed by discussion and explicit instruction to ensure student understanding.

Additional Tasks 

  These links provide instructional ideas connected to this standard. 

• Footprints Links to an external site. (Georgia Department of Education pages 17-24) 
• Estimating Length Download Estimating Length
  (HCPSS lesson seed)
• Body Measurements Download Body Measurements
  (HCPSS lesson seed)
• Estimating M&Ms Download Estimating M&Ms
  (Utah Core Academy Lesson)
• How Big Is a Foot Download How Big Is a Foot
  (Utah Core Academy Lesson)

Tasks From Print Resources

  These publications have been provided for each school. They are typically stored in team closets or the media center. Check with your team leader if you cannot find them. 

Print Resources

Book Thumbnail	Book Title	Grade	Pages
	Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics	K-3	24 (About One Unit, Activity 8.17) 247 (Guess the Unit, Activity 8.20) 246 (Familiar References, Activity 8.18) 247 (Personal Benchmarks, Activity 8.19)
	Hands-On Standards	1-2	106-107 9Standard Units) 108-109 (Inches and Feet) 110-111 (Choosing a Unit - length)
	Groundworks: Reasoning About Measurement	2	8-15 (Whose Pencil?) 64-71 (Make Two Feet) 97-103 (How Tall?)
	Brain-Compatible Activities for Mathematics	2-3	82-85 (Measuring Tools, pages 82-85 89-91 (Me and My Shadow, pages 89-91
	Math In Practice Teaching Second-Grade Math	2	Module 10

Centers

  These print resources can be used during independent or center time. These resources could also be used as lesson seeds.

• Estimating and Measuring Download Estimating and Measuring
  (HCPSS-adapted resource)
• Using Meters to Estimate Download Using Meters to Estimate
  (HCPSS-adapted resource)

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE/HOMEWORK/ASSESSMENT

  These resource sheets can be used for independent practice or homework. They are intended to reinforce procedures and concepts. They should not be used as a source of direct instruction or whole-group practice.

• Estimate Lengths a Links to an external site.
• Estimate Lengths b Links to an external site.

• Estimate Using Feet Links to an external site.
• Estimate Using Feet and Inches Links to an external site.

Full Standard

Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.

Measurement Topic

The standard is reported on the report card through these measurement topics. Expand the measurement topic for a description of what students who meet expectation are able to do.

2nd Grade Students Learning 2nd Grade Standards by Measurement Topic

1st Grade Students Learning 2nd Grade Standards by Measurement Topic

2MD3 Anecdotal Data Collection Tool Links to an external site.

Visit the SBIR (Standards Based Instruction and Reporting) page in Course Essentials for more information and clarification. 

Rubric (for thinking and reasoning evidence)

Use this rubric for observation and constructed responses (tasks that require explanation, justification, and/or representation).

Rubric for Tasks (pdf) Links to an external site.

Exemplars for this standard (if available)

These samples are examples of what it might look like for a student who MEETS EXPECTATIONS, is MAKING PROGRESS, and/or is MAKING LIMITED/NO PROGRESS.