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National Curriculum Resource Tool

Materials to support teachers and schools in embedding the National Curriculum

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Year 2 - Measurement

New Curriculum

  • choose and use appropriate standard units to estimate and measure length/height in any direction (m/cm); mass (kg/g); temperature (°C); capacity (litres/ml) to the nearest appropriate unit, using rulers, scales, thermometers and measuring vessels
  • compare and order lengths, mass, volume/capacity and record the results using >, < and =
  • recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p); combine amounts to make a particular value
  • find different combinations of coins that equal the same amounts of money
  • solve simple problems in a practical context involving addition and subtraction of money of the same unit, including giving change
  • compare and sequence intervals of time
  • tell and write the time to five minutes, including quarter past/to the hour and draw the hands on a clock face to show these times
  • know the number of minutes in an hour and the number of hours in a day.

Non-Statutory Guidance

Pupils use standard units of measurement with increasing accuracy, using their knowledge of the number system. They use the appropriate language and record using standard abbreviations.

Comparing measures includes simple multiples such as ‘half as high’; ‘twice as wide’.

They become fluent in telling the time on analogue clocks and recording it.

Pupils become fluent in counting and recognising coins. They read and say amounts of money confidently and use the symbols £ and p accurately, recording pounds and pence separately.

Links and Resources

Teachers should use every relevant subject to develop pupils’ mathematical fluency. Confidence in numeracy and other mathematical skills is a precondition of success across the national curriculum.
Teachers should develop pupils’ numeracy and mathematical reasoning in all subjects so that they understand and appreciate the importance of mathematics.

– National Curriculum in England Framework Document, September 2013, p10

Connections within Mathematics

Making connections to other topics within this year group

Number and place value

Pupils should be taught to:

  • count in steps of 2, 3, and 5 from 0, and in tens from any number, forward and backward
  • recognise the place value of each digit in a two-digit number (tens, ones)
  • identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations, including the number line
  • compare and order numbers from 0 up to 100; use <, > and = signs
  • read and write numbers to at least 100 in numerals and in words
  • use place value and number facts to solve problems.

Making connections to this topic in adjacent year groups

Year 1

  • compare, describe and solve practical problems for:
    • lengths and heights (e.g. long/short, longer/shorter, tall/short, double/half)
    • mass or weight (e.g. heavy/light, heavier than, lighter than)
    • capacity/volume (full/empty, more than, less than, quarter)
    • time (quicker, slower, earlier, later)
  • measure and begin to record the following:
    • lengths and heights
    • mass/weight
    • capacity and volume
    • time (hours, minutes, seconds)
  • recognise and know the value of different denominations of coins and notes
  • sequence events in chronological order using language such as: before and after, next, first, today, yesterday, tomorrow, morning, afternoon and evening
  • recognise and use language relating to dates, including days of the week, weeks, months and years
  • tell the time to the hour and half past the hour and draw the hands on a clock face to show these times.

Non-statutory guidance

The pairs of terms: mass and weight, volume and capacity, are used interchangeably at this stage.

Pupils move from using and comparing different types of quantities and measures using non-standard units, including discrete (e.g. counting) and continuous (e.g. liquid) measurement, to using manageable common standard units.

In order to become familiar with standard measures, pupils begin to use measuring tools such as a ruler, weighing scales and containers.

Pupils use the language of time, including telling the time throughout the day, first using o’clock and then half past.

Year 3

  • measure, compare, add and subtract: lengths (m/cm/mm); mass (kg/g); volume/capacity (l/ml)
  • measure the perimeter of simple 2-D shapes
  • add and subtract amounts of money to give change, using both £ and p in practical contexts
  • tell and write the time from an analogue clock, including using Roman numerals from I to XII, and 12-hour and 24-hour clocks
  • estimate and read time with increasing accuracy to the nearest minute; record and compare time in terms of seconds, minutes, hours and o’clock; use vocabulary such as a.m./p.m., morning, afternoon, noon and midnight
  • know the number of seconds in a minute and the number of days in each month, year and leap year
  • compare durations of events, for example to calculate the time taken by particular events or tasks.

Non statutory guidance

Pupils continue to measure using the appropriate tools and units, progressing to using a wider range of measures, including comparing and using mixed units (e.g. 1 kg and 200g) and simple equivalents of mixed units (e.g. 5m = 500cm).

The comparison of measures should also include simple scaling by integers (e.g. a given quantity or measure is twice as long or five times as high) and this should connect to multiplication.

Pupils continue to become fluent in recognising the value of coins, by adding and subtracting amounts, including mixed units, and giving change using manageable amounts. They record £ and p separately. The decimal recording of money is introduced formally in year 4.

Pupils use both analogue and digital 12-hour clocks and record their times. In this way they become fluent in and prepared for using digital 24-hour clocks in year 4.

Cross-curricular and real life connections

Learners will encounter measurement in various ways in everyday life. Time, money, temperature, weighing ingredients are just some of them.

Time is a sequence of events that relates to our daily life. Clocks/watches and calendars are tools that measure time.

We use money to buy the things we need. Using money involves using different mathematics skills like counting, adding, and subtracting amounts of money.

Measurement skills are extensively used in every kitchen, every recipe. In school, opportunities arise in other subjects such as science – measuring plant growth and monitoring and recording temperatures, or P.E. – measuring long jumps, counting skips, timing races etc.

Take cross-curricular opportunities to deepen children’s understanding of units of measurement. For example, ask them to:

  • find out what measures their parents use in their jobs or in the home;
  • take measurements of jumps or throws in PE lessons;
  • use measures in art, design and technology lessons, discussing degrees of accuracy.
  • Money Problems? This Nrich article explains the skills that children need to understand ‘Money’ When first introduced to money in the classroom, many children find it difficult to distinguish between the value of a pile of coins and the number of coins in the pile. These children may go on to find the concepts of equivalent amounts of money and giving change difficult to grasp.
  • Mooney, C., Briggs, M., Fletcher, M., Hansen, & McCullouch, J. (2012). Primary mathematics Teaching Theory and Practice: 6th ed. London: Sage. Chapter 10, Measures.
  • The Maths4Life booklet, Measurement, is an overall guide to some of the complexities in teaching and learning measurements, including possible misconceptions. This booklet, created for teachers of adult learners contains a great deal of helpful background information and ideas that primary teachers will be able to use or adapt. It also includes some suggestions for classroom activities.
  • Hansen, A. (2011). Children’s Errors in Mathematics: Understanding Common Misconceptions in Primary Schools. Exeter: Learning Matters.
    Clock
  • Charlotte's Clock is a different route to teaching our children to tell the time. Learning to tell the time isn’t easy. For many children, and for a variety of reasons, it’s especially difficult
Programme of study statements Activities
A B C D
choose and use appropriate standard units to estimate and measure length/height in any direction (m/cm); mass (kg/g); temperature (°C); capacity (litres/ml) to the nearest appropriate unit, using rulers, scales, thermometers and measuring vessels      
compare and order lengths, mass, volume/capacity and record the results using >, < and =      
recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p); combine amounts to make a particular value      
find different combinations of coins that equal the same amounts of money      
solve simple problems in a practical context involving addition and subtraction of money of the same unit, including giving change      
compare and sequence intervals of time      
tell and write the time to five minutes, including quarter past/to the hour and draw the hands on a clock face to show these times      
know the number of minutes in an hour and the number of hours in a day      

Activity Set A

  • Sally and Josh measured the hall using their feet but they couldn't agree how many feet long the hall was. Why do you think that happened? What else could they use to measure the hall? Will that be better? Why?

    Other questions to use as starting points;

    • What could you use to find out how much water this container holds?
    • Would it be better to use multilink cubes or peas to balance the weight of this shoe? Why?
    • Would you measure the length of a book in centimetres or metres? Why?
    • What units would you use to measure the width of the classroom?
    • How about the weight of your teacher?
    • Look at a mug. Which of these amounts would you choose to say how much water the mug holds? 1 metre, 1 litre, 1 centimetre, ¼ kilogram, ¼ litre

    Possible contexts include:

    • Estimating measures, e.g. give children a 1kg weight to hold. Then give them a range of everyday items and ask them to say whether they weigh more, less or about the same as 1kg.
    • Estimate and then check how far you can jump from this line.
    • Units used to measure everyday objects, e.g. look at food labels and find a big packet of food that weighs less than a small packet of food.
    • Comparing objects using appropriate measurements, e.g. working with two or more objects to find the shortest, longest, heaviest, smallest capacity, etc. and explain how this was done and what units of measurement were used.
  • Ruler

    (NB The following three resources were produced for the Primary National Strategy, which was formally discontinued in 2011. However, the resources have the potential to complement teaching in line with the new 2014 mathematics curriculum)

    This Interactive Teaching Programme displays an on-screen ruler you can use to measure lines and the sides of shapes. There is a choice of rulers and five screens to use to demonstrate measuring length. You can draw your own lines and shapes or select those that are available on the ITP. The ITP can be used to demonstrate how to use measure using different rulers. The ITP can be used to compare lengths and the perimeters of shapes and to support children's understanding of scale. You can develop their ability to estimate length against a given scale and use the ruler to check the accuracy and demonstrate what to the nearest half and whole unit means.

  • Measuring scales

    This ITP allows you to add different masses to or from a scale pan. You can add masses of 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 units. The pointer or hand shows the total mass. This can be hidden to promote children’s prediction skills. The maximum value of the circular scale can be changed together with the size of the interval. A digital readout can also be hidden or displayed. A red marker can be used to keep a track of previous values and to set target quantitiesp

  • Measuring cylinder

    This ITP allows you to control two taps that pour a liquid in and out of a measuring cylinder. You can set the scale on the cylinder to a maximum of 50, 100, 200, 500 or 1000 units and the scale interval to 1, 2, 5 or 10 units. You can simply turn the taps on and off and ask questions that involve prediction, addition and subtraction.

Activity Set B

Both of these activities require the children to order various quantities from smallest to largest. A good activity to assess estimation skills and knowledge of units of measurement.

Five pictures

Activity Set C

  • Fair Exchange

    In your bank, you have three types of coins. The number of spots shows how much they are worth. Match your coin values to those shown.

    Spots
  • Coin matching computer activity.

    This activity from Nationwide Bank Education has three levels of difficulty, requiring children to share coins equally.

    Piggy banks
  • Christmas Shopping

    Vera is shopping at a market with these coins in her purse. Which things could she give exactly the right amount for?

Coins

Change White Elephant is an activity about giving change.

Activity Set D

Clock

  • Tell The Time ITP

    (NB This resource was produced for the Primary National Strategy, which was formally discontinued in 2011. However, the resource has the potential to complement teaching in line with the new 2014 mathematics curriculum)

    This ITP can be used to show analogue time, digital time or synchronised analogue and digital clocks. The program allows you to add or subtract a selected time interval.

  • Counting stick

    Use a counting stick to practise counting in 5-minute, quarter-hour or half-hour intervals.

    1 pm 2 pm 3 pm
    Measuring stick
    1/2 past

    Since counting sticks usually have 10 intervals, you may wish to make a stick with 12 divisions.

  • What Is the Time? 

Lots of clocks

    • Routine activities
      • Provide plenty of opportunities to tell the time during the routine of the day. Put children in charge of letting everyone know when it is 10 minutes before assembly/lunch/break.Check that children can tell you how many minutes are in an hour and how many hours in a day. Have a detailed timetable for children to refer to, with times displayed as analogue clock faces as well as written times.
      • Matching times to everyday events, e.g. match some pictures of daily events to some given clock faces showing their typical times.
      • Comparing times, e.g. sort some given times into a sequence from earliest to latest and draw hands onto corresponding clock faces.
      • Problems involving the duration of time, e.g. School starts at 9 o'clock; show this time on your clock. Now show what time it would be if you were half an hour late.
      • I went out for a walk at half past 3 and walked for quarter of an hour. Show me on these two clock faces what time I started and what time I would then have finished.

Examples of what children should be able to do, in relation to each (boxed) Programme of Study statement

choose and use appropriate standard units to estimate and measure length/height in any direction (m/cm); mass (kg/g); temperature (°C); capacity (litres/ml) to the nearest appropriate unit, using rulers, scales, thermometers and measuring vessels

Various types of measuring tools

  • Suggest sensible units you might use to measure: the height of your table; how much water is in a cup; the weight of my reading book; how long it takes me to wash my hands.
  • Choose a piece of equipment to help you measure: the weight of your shoe; how long the classroom is; how long this lesson lasts; how much water a cup holds.
  • How long is this line? Now draw a line 2 cm longer than this one.

    How much water is in this measuring jug?

    Measuring jug
  • Find an object in the classroom that you think is about 10 cm long.

    About how heavy do you think your pencil case is?

  • If I programme my floor turtle to go forward three metres is there enough room in the classroom? How could you measure to find out?
compare and order lengths, mass, volume/capacity and record the results using >, < and =
  • Megan and Jack are growing beans. Megan’s plant is 25 cm tall. Jack’s is 38 cm tall. Whose plant is the taller? By how much? Can you compare them using > or < ?
recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p); combine amounts to make a particular value
find different combinations of coins that equal the same amounts of money
  • Holly has these coins. 
    Coins

    Harry has the same amount of money but has six coins. What are they? Is there only one possible answer?

solve simple problems in a practical context involving addition and subtraction of money of the same unit, including giving change
  • Jess has saved 62p. She spends 15p. How much money does she have left? She pays with a 50p piece. How much change does she get?
compare and sequence intervals of time
tell and write the time to five minutes, including quarter past/to the hour and draw the hands on a clock face to show these times.

Clock

  • What time does this clock show?
  • Draw a clock showing the time five minutes later.
  • Show your school day on clock faces: when do you leave home, have breaks, go back home, etc.?

 

  • Teachers TV: Primary Maths – Measures. Lesson Ideas on measures - children have to estimate the volume of puddles, make muffins and concoct magic potions!
  • Bank of England. Part 1: What is money and how does it work? A useful support for teachers in helping children understand the importance and real life application of money.
  • Piaget - conservation. This video shows young children having a conversation with their teacher about the amount of water in a container, the number of coins in a row and sharing biscuits equally. It clearly shows that young children judge an amount simply from what they see. Conservation, in terms of quantity, is an understanding that needs to be developed through practical experiences in the EYFS. Some children take longer than others to achieve this understanding. It is worth asking your colleagues to bear this in mind when they work on number, length, weight and capacity in KS1.