Measuring with Cornhusks!!

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Grade: 2
Strand: Measurement
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Big Idea: Measuring using non-standard measurements!
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Expectations:!
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- estimate, measure, and record the distance around objects, using non-standard units!
- estimate and measure length, height, and distance, using non-standard units!

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Materials: !
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- Three Sisters story!

- corn husks!
- measuring booklet!
- pencil!
- white boards/markers!

Lesson Goal: !
To have students estimate and measure a variety of objects in the classroom using
cornhusks as means of a non-standard measurement. Students will measure height,
length, and perimeter.!

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Key words:!
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corn husks!
perimeter!
height!
length!
estimation!
measurement!

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Success Criteria:!
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- I can estimate how many corn husks it will take to measure the height of an object.
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(how tall an object is)!

I can estimate how many corn husks it will take to measure the perimeter of an
object (around the object)!
I can measure a variety of objects using corn husks (non standard units)

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Getting Started:
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Literacy/Cultural Connection: Open the lesson by reading the legend of the Three
Sisters. Bring attention to the corn and take some time to have students share their
thoughts about the story or their own experience with corn.

Show students a whole corn and explain what a corn husk is and how it was pulled off
the corn. Demonstrate this to the class.

Put up a visual and demonstrate what height, length and perimeter is after asking for
student volunteers to show or tell what they think height and perimeter is.
Height= how tall an object is
Length= how long an object is
Perimeter= measure all the way around an object

Explain to students that they will be measuring using cornhusks today. In pairs of two,
give them a pile of corn husks and have them estimate then measure each other using
the cornhusks. Do not tell them how, see what strategy they use. Ask them to put
the amount of corn husks it took to measure them beside their name on the
whiteboard. The following questions are for them to figure out before, during and
after measuring their partner.

a) How many corn husks do you think it will take to measure the height of your
partner? (How tall your partner is)

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b) How can you measure the height of your partner with the corn husks?
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c) How many corn husks did it take to measure your partner?
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d) Who is taller, you or your partner? How do you know?
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e) Who is the tallest in the class?
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f) What do you notice about the data from the measurements? Is anyone the same
height? How can we check to see if this is true?

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Ask students to share their experience with the class and ensure that each student
understands a way to measure objects using the corn husks.

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Working on it:

Using the booklet provided, students will work in pairs to measure a variety of objects
in the classroom. They will write down their prediction (estimate) and their answer
for each section.

An explanation on estimation may be needed at this point depending on what

vocabulary and tasks have already been used in the classroom.

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Reflect and Connect:
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Upon completion, ask students if there are any other ways they could have measured.
Have a ruler out to see if a student makes the connection. If not, introduce the ruler
and see who can relate it to the measuring they just did.

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Ask students to show and share the object they chose to measure on their own.
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