Measuring Length and Height
Measuring Length and Height is the Year 1 skill of comparing the length of objects and the height of people using everyday language such as longer, shorter and taller, before measuring in non-standard units and finally using a ruler in whole centimetres.
Method
- Start with direct comparison of two real objects placed side by side and pushed level at one end (two pencils, two ribbons), using the words longer than and shorter than, before any counting is involved.
- Extend to three or more objects at once, teaching the words longest and shortest for the two extremes, and ordering the objects in a line from shortest to longest.
- Apply the same idea to height by standing children back to back, or by building towers on the same flat surface, so every comparison stays fair.
- Fix the key misconception directly: always line objects up at the same starting end (or stand people on the same flat floor) before comparing, since a misaligned start makes even a careful comparison wrong.
- Introduce non-standard units by measuring an object as 'how many cubes long' or 'how many paperclips long', laying identical units end to end with no gaps and no overlaps, then counting the units.
- Show why non-standard units can be unreliable: measure the same table in adult hand spans and then in a child's hand spans, so the two counts differ and the need for a fixed-size unit becomes obvious.
- Introduce a ruler gently, as a strip marked with equally spaced centimetres, and let the child measure short real objects to the nearest whole centimetre.
- Practise using comparison words together with a measured number, e.g. 'the red ribbon is 9 cm long and the blue ribbon is 6 cm long, so the red ribbon is longer'.
Worked example
Nadia measures her toy car using red cubes and finds it is 7 cubes long. She measures her toy train using the same cubes and finds it is 11 cubes long. Which toy is longer, and by how many cubes?
- Write down both measurements using the same-sized cubes: toy car = 7 cubes, toy train = 11 cubes.
- Since both were measured with the same unit, compare the two numbers directly: 11 is greater than 7.
- So the toy train is longer than the toy car.
- To find by how many cubes, work out the difference: 11 - 7 = 4.
- The toy train is longer than the toy car by 4 cubes.
Practice questions
Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.
Q1Look at two towers of cubes. The blue tower has 5 cubes. The green tower has 9 cubes. Which tower is taller?Show answer
Answer: The green tower (9 cubes is taller than 5 cubes)
Q2Circle the word that means the opposite of 'longer': A) taller B) shorter C) biggerShow answer
Answer: B) shorter
Q3A ruler shows a crayon reaching the 6 cm mark. How long is the crayon?Show answer
Answer: 6 cm
Q4Put these three ribbons in order from shortest to longest: a ribbon that is 4 hand spans, a ribbon that is 9 hand spans, a ribbon that is 6 hand spans.Show answer
Answer: 4 hand spans, 6 hand spans, 9 hand spans
Q5Leo's pencil is 8 paperclips long. Mia's pencil is 5 paperclips long. How many paperclips longer is Leo's pencil?Show answer
Answer: 3 paperclips longer (8 - 5 = 3)
Q6Two children stand on the same flat floor to compare their height. Is this a fair comparison? Explain your answer.Show answer
Answer: Yes, it is fair, because they are both standing on the same flat surface, so their height can be compared properly
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a KS1 Maths exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
A worm is measured using paperclips and is found to be 6 paperclips long. A second worm is measured with the same paperclips and is 10 paperclips long. How many paperclips longer is the second worm?
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Three pencils are lined up at the same end. Pencil A is 12 cm long. Pencil B is 7 cm long. Pencil C is 9 cm long. Write the pencils in order, starting with the shortest.
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Priya says her toy dinosaur is taller than her toy giraffe, because the dinosaur is standing on a table and the giraffe is standing on the floor. Explain why Priya cannot be sure her comparison is fair, and describe what she should do to compare them properly.
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the measuring length and height worksheet pack - 9 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.
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