Tower Power Slides TOWER POWER
Measuring & Comparing Height
Who is Taller?
Student
Teacher
TALLER
SHORTER
Mini Math Movie
Let's learn the 4 Rules of Measuring!
Embedded media
Wait for the Cow Hats!
The Important Rules
1
Same Size
Units must be exactly the same size!
2
No Gaps
Touching end-to-end. No gaps, no overlaps!
3
Straight Line
Measurement units must stay in a line.
4
Start to End
Start at the very edge, not the middle!
Cow Hat Challenge
Get your whiteboards ready!
CHIPS
Blue Cow
CONE
Red Cow
TOP HAT
Yellow Cow
Which is the tallest?
Tower Power!
1
BUILD a tower with blocks.
2
MEASURE it using paperclips.
3
WRITE the number on your sheet.
4
COMPARE with a partner!
Comparison Talk
"My tower is _______ paperclips tall."
"It is taller / shorter than your tower!"
Taller
Shorter
Tower Power Worksheet TOWER POWER!
Measuring Height with Paperclips
Name:
Date:
1 Draw Your Tower
2 How many paperclips?
paperclips tall
3 Comparison Talk
Circle the word that is true:
TALLER
or
SHORTER
"My tower is _________________ than your tower."
Tower Power Sentence Strips Comparison Sentence Strips
Cut these out for students to use during the activity!
My tower is paperclips tall.
It is taller / shorter than yours.
My tower is paperclips tall.
It is taller / shorter than yours.
My tower is paperclips tall.
It is taller / shorter than yours.
My tower is paperclips tall.
It is taller / shorter than yours.
Tower Power Teacher Guide Teacher Guide
TOWER POWER: MEASURING HEIGHT
Grade 1 • Math
Time: 45-50 Min
Objective
Students will measure height using paperclips (non-standard units) and compare results using comparative language: taller, shorter, tallest .
Materials
• Building Blocks (various sizes)
• Paperclips (large preferred)
• Sentence Strips / Worksheet
• Individual Whiteboards
Lesson Flow
Warm-Up (5 min)
Invite a student to stand back-to-back with you. Ask the class: "Who is taller ?" Point to the taller person. Then ask: "Who is shorter ?" Write both words clearly on the board/whiteboard.
Video: Mini Math Movies (10 min)
Key Pausing Points:
2:00-3:10: Pause after each "Rule." Have students demonstrate the rule (e.g., "Show me what 'no gaps' looks like with these two blocks").
3:28: Pause when the cows appear. Have students predict on whiteboards: Blue, Red, or Yellow?
4:15: Count the salamanders aloud with the narrator for the top hat.
5:07: Ask: "4 is bigger than 2. Does that mean it is taller or shorter?"
Tower Power Activity (20 min)
1. Students build a tower with blocks. (Challenge: "Build a tower that is at least 3 blocks high").
2. Students lay their tower flat and measure with paperclips.
3. Check for Gaps! Walk around to ensure students follow Rule #2 and Rule #4.
4. Partner Up: Partners compare their towers using the sentence frame.
Closure (10 min)
Select 2-3 pairs to come to the front. Have them hold their towers and read their sentence strips.
Check for Understanding: "If Sam's tower is 8 paperclips and Maya's is 5, whose tower is the tallest?"
Common Misconceptions
• Diagonal Measurement: Remind students of Rule #3 (Straight Line).
• Starting in Middle: Watch for students who don't align the first paperclip with the base of the tower.
• Counting Errors: Encourage touching each paperclip as they count.