AC9MFM01_E1
Use appropriate language to describe length, mass, capacity and duration. Connect words such as tall, short, wide, long, high, heavy, light, full, empty, quick and slow with the correct measurement attribute.
About This Foundation Maths Topic
Measurement in Foundation begins with familiar objects, everyday events and direct comparisons. Children develop measurement understanding by handling objects, observing differences and explaining what they notice.
Students compare objects according to attributes such as length, mass and capacity. They also compare the duration of familiar events and activities.
At this level, students do not need formal measuring units. Instead, they learn to compare objects directly and use appropriate mathematical language such as longer, shorter, heavier, lighter, holds more and takes longer.
These teaching ideas and printable resources support the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 content descriptor AC9MFM01 and its associated elaborations.
Australian Curriculum Alignment
AC9MFM01
Identify and compare attributes of objects and events, including length, capacity, mass and duration, using direct comparisons and communicating reasoning.
AC9MFM01_E2
Directly compare pairs of objects to decide which is longer or shorter. Align objects carefully and explain how the comparison was made.
AC9MFM01_E3
Start two events at the same time and compare their duration. Describe which event takes longer or finishes sooner and explain the reason.
AC9MFM01_E4
Compare the mass, length or capacity of familiar objects through practical investigations and explain the comparison using appropriate measurement language.
Learning Intentions
Students will learn to:
- identify the measurable attributes of familiar objects;
- recognise length, mass, capacity and duration as different attributes;
- compare the lengths of two objects directly;
- compare the masses of two objects by lifting or balancing them;
- compare the capacities of two containers;
- compare the duration of two familiar events;
- align objects correctly when comparing their lengths;
- use appropriate measurement vocabulary;
- explain how a comparison was made;
- understand that the same object can have several measurable attributes.
Student Success Criteria
I can identify the length of an object.
I can identify the mass of an object.
I can describe the capacity of a container.
I can compare how long two activities take.
I can decide which object is longer or shorter.
I can decide which object is heavier or lighter.
I can decide which container holds more or less.
I can line up objects correctly before comparing them.
I can use measurement words correctly.
I can explain how I know.
Key Measurement Vocabulary
measure
compare
attribute
length
mass
capacity
duration
long
short
longer
shorter
tall
wide
narrow
heavy
light
heavier
lighter
full
empty
more
less
faster
slower
longer time
shorter time
Teacher Guide
Recommended Materials
- pencils, crayons, spoons and craft sticks;
- books, ribbons, strings and paper strips;
- classroom objects of different lengths;
- containers of different shapes and sizes;
- cups, jugs, buckets and bottles;
- water, sand, rice or counters for capacity activities;
- objects with clearly different masses;
- balance scales where available;
- toy animals, blocks and classroom equipment;
- picture cards showing familiar events;
- timers, sand timers or classroom clocks;
- sorting hoops, trays or baskets.
Suggested Teaching Sequence
- Introduce measurement as a way of describing and comparing objects and events.
- Explore one attribute at a time, beginning with length.
- Model how to align the ends of two objects before comparing their lengths.
- Introduce mass by allowing students to hold one object in each hand and describe which feels heavier.
- Use containers and safe filling materials to explore capacity.
- Compare the duration of familiar classroom activities that begin at the same time.
- Teach and display relevant comparison words.
- Ask students to justify each comparison using observations or demonstrations.
- Include objects where visual appearance may be misleading so that students learn to test their predictions.
- Review all four attributes using mixed sorting and comparison activities.
Teacher Questions
- What attribute are we comparing?
- Are we comparing length, mass, capacity or duration?
- Which object is longer?
- Which object is shorter?
- Have you lined up the ends correctly?
- Which object feels heavier?
- Which object feels lighter?
- Which container holds more?
- Which container holds less?
- Which activity takes longer?
- Which activity finishes first?
- How did you make your comparison?
- Can you demonstrate how you know?
- Did the result match your prediction?
- Could we compare the objects in another way?
Common Misconceptions
Comparing objects without aligning their starting points
Place the objects beside one another and line up their bases or ends before comparing their lengths.
Believing that a taller container always holds more
Test the containers by filling one and pouring its contents into the other. Explain that height is only one feature of a container.
Believing that a larger object is always heavier
Compare objects made from different materials. Encourage students to lift or balance the objects before deciding.
Confusing mass with size
Use a large, light object and a smaller, heavier object to show that size and mass are different attributes.
Comparing duration when events start at different times
Begin both events at the same time or use a timer so that the comparison is fair.
Using general words instead of measurement vocabulary
Model complete statements such as “The ribbon is longer than the pencil” rather than accepting only “This one is bigger.”
Foundation Measurement Activities
Activity 1: Measurement Word Hunt
Display measurement words such as long, short, tall, heavy, light, full and empty.
Students search the classroom for an object that matches each word and explain their choice.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E1
Activity 2: Longer or Shorter?
Give students pairs of classroom objects such as a pencil and a crayon or a spoon and a craft stick.
Students align the ends of the objects and describe which is longer and which is shorter.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E2
Activity 3: Order by Length
Provide three to five ribbons, paper strips or strings of different lengths.
Students place them in order from shortest to longest and explain how they checked the order.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E2
Activity 4: Who Is Taller?
Ask two students to stand back-to-back on the same level surface.
The class identifies who is taller and explains why lining up the students' feet is important.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E2
Activity 5: Heavier or Lighter?
Give students two safe classroom objects. Ask them to hold one object in each hand and predict which is heavier.
Students describe the result using the words heavier and lighter. A balance scale may be used to check.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E4
Activity 6: Mass Prediction Challenge
Display a large, light object and a smaller, heavier object.
Students predict which is heavier, test the objects and discuss why size does not always tell us an object's mass.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E4
Activity 7: Which Container Holds More?
Show two containers of different shapes and ask students to predict which holds more.
Fill one container with water, sand, rice or counters and transfer the contents to the second container to test the prediction.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E4
Activity 8: Full, Half Full and Empty
Prepare containers showing different amounts of safe filling material.
Students sort or label the containers as full, nearly full, half full, nearly empty or empty.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E1
Activity 9: Which Activity Takes Longer?
Begin two familiar activities at the same time, such as completing a small puzzle and stacking five blocks.
Students observe which activity finishes first and explain which activity takes longer.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E3
Activity 10: Classroom Duration Challenge
Compare familiar activities such as writing a name, packing a bag, washing hands or putting on a hat.
Students predict which activity will take longer, test the activities and discuss the result.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01_E3
Activity 11: Measurement Sorting Stations
Create four classroom stations labelled length, mass, capacity and duration.
Students sort objects, pictures or activity cards according to the measurement attribute being explored.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01
Activity 12: Explain Your Comparison
Present two objects or two familiar events and ask students to make a direct comparison.
Students complete a sentence explaining what they compared, what they discovered and how they know.
Curriculum connection: AC9MFM01
Differentiation
Support
- compare only two objects at a time;
- begin with objects that have clearly different attributes;
- allow students to handle and move the objects;
- model how to align objects before comparing length;
- use picture cards with measurement words;
- provide oral sentence starters;
- repeat comparisons using familiar classroom objects;
- focus on one measurement attribute during each lesson.
Extension
- order three or more objects by length or mass;
- ask students to make and test predictions;
- include objects where appearance may be misleading;
- compare the same objects using different attributes;
- ask students to design a fair comparison;
- introduce informal units such as blocks or paper clips;
- ask students to record findings using drawings and labels;
- encourage students to justify disagreements using evidence.
Mathematical Sentence Starters
The _____ is longer than the _____.
The _____ is shorter than the _____.
The _____ is taller than the _____.
The _____ is wider than the _____.
The _____ is heavier than the _____.
The _____ is lighter than the _____.
The _____ holds more than the _____.
The _____ holds less than the _____.
The _____ takes longer than the _____.
The _____ finishes sooner than the _____.
I compared the objects by _____.
I lined up the objects because _____.
My prediction was _____.
I know this because _____.
Assessment Ideas
Observe whether the student can:
- identify the attribute being compared;
- use appropriate measurement vocabulary;
- align two objects before comparing their lengths;
- identify which object is longer or shorter;
- identify which object is heavier or lighter;
- identify which container holds more or less;
- compare the duration of two familiar events;
- make and test a reasonable prediction;
- explain how a direct comparison was completed;
- communicate reasoning using a complete sentence.
Quick Exit Ticket
- Choose two classroom objects.
- Compare one attribute of the objects.
- State which object has more or less of that attribute.
- Explain how you know.
Printable Teacher and Student Resources
Use the buttons below to open the available AC9MFM01 Foundation Measurement teaching materials, activities and printable worksheets in a new browser tab.
foundation-length-mass-capacity-duration-worksheets-ac9mfm01
foundation-measurement-activities-ac9mfm01
foundation-measurement-worksheets-ac9mfm01
foundation-measurement-vocabulary-worksheets-ac9mfm01-e1
foundation-measurement-words-length-mass-capacity-duration-ac9mfm01-e1
foundation-compare-length-longer-shorter-worksheets-ac9mfm01-e2
foundation-longer-shorter-measurement-activities-ac9mfm01-e2
foundation-compare-duration-longer-shorter-time-ac9mfm01-e3
foundation-duration-measurement-activities-ac9mfm01-e3
foundation-compare-mass-and-length-worksheets-ac9mfm01-e4
foundation-heavier-lighter-longer-shorter-activities-ac9mfm01-e4
Resources open in a new tab. Browser PDF settings may affect whether a file opens in the browser or downloads.
Home Learning Ideas
Families can explore measurement using familiar objects and daily routines. No formal measuring equipment is required.
Children can compare shoes, pencils, books, toys, containers, fruit, bags and household activities.
Ask questions such as:
- Which object is longer?
- Which object is shorter?
- Which object feels heavier?
- Which object feels lighter?
- Which container holds more?
- Which container holds less?
- Which activity takes longer?
- How did you make your comparison?
- Did the result match your prediction?
- How can you prove your answer?