Weeks:

Length,
Capacit
y and
mass

Learning Intentions

Australian Curriculum Links

Reception

Reception

They compare objects using mass, length and capacity.

Term 3 Maths
Planning- Nicolson
Reception

Use direct and

indirect
comparisons to
decide which is
longer, heavier
or holds more,
and explain
reasoning in
everyday
language (ACMM
G006)

Measure and
compare the
lengths and
capacities of
pairs of objects
using uniform
informal units
(ACMMG019)

GENERAL CAPABITLITIES

Cross-Curriculum Priority

Learn the vocabulary associated with number, space,

measurement and mathematical concepts and processes.
Literacy
Use literacy to understand and interpret word problems
and instructions that contain the particular language
features of mathematics.
Provides the opportunity to apply mathematical
Numeracy
understanding and skills in context, both in other learning
areas and in real world contexts.
Investigate, create and communicate mathematical ideas
and concepts using fast, automated, interactive and
multimodal technologies. They employ their ICT capability
ICT
to perform calculations, draw graphs, collect, manage,
analyse and interpret data; share and exchange
information and ideas and investigate and model concepts
and relationships.
Generate and evaluate knowledge, clarify concepts and
ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve
Critical &
problems. Critical and creative thinking are integral to
Creative
activities that require students to think broadly and deeply
Thinking
using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason,
logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation.
Analysing data and statistics; seeking intentional and
Ethical
accidental distortions; finding inappropriate comparisons
Understand and misleading scales when exploring the importance of
ing
fair comparison; and interrogating financial claims and
sources.
Personal & Providing opportunities for initiative taking, decision
Social
making, communicating their processes and findings, and
Capability
working independently and collaboratively.
Intercultur Understanding, fluency, reasoning and problem solving are
al
not culture or language specific, but that mathematical
Understand reasoning and understanding can find different expression
ing
in different cultures and languages.

Students will explore connections between

representations of number and pattern and
how they relate to aspects of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander cultures. They will
investigate time, place, relationships and
measurement concepts in Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander contexts. Students will
deepen their understanding of the lives of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
through the application and evaluation of
statistical data.
In this learning area, students develop
mathematical understanding in fields such as
number, patterns, measurement, symmetry
and statistics by drawing on knowledge of and
examples from the Asia region. These could
include calculation, money, art, architecture,
design and travel. Investigations involving
data collection, representation and analysis
can be used to examine issues pertinent to
the Asia region.
In this learning area, students can observe,
record and organise data collected from
primary sources over time and analyse data
relating to issues of sustainability from
secondary sources. They can apply spatial
reasoning, measurement, estimation,
calculation and comparison to gauge local
ecosystem health and can cost proposed
actions for sustainability.

Numeracy Continuum Covered this Term

Estimate and calculate: solve everyday addition and share stories
Understand and use numbers in context: connect and order number names, numerals and groups of objects
using numbers up to two digits
Interpret maps and diagrams: follow directions to demonstrate understanding of common position words and
movements
Interpret proportional reasoning: recognise that a whole object can be divided into equal parts
Interpret chance events: recognise that some events might or might not happen

Achievement Standard By the end of the Foundation year

Students make connections between number names, numerals and quantities up to 10.
They compare objects using mass, length and capacity.
Students connect events and the days of the week.
They explain the order and duration of events.
They use appropriate language to describe location.
Students count to and from 20 and order small collections.
They group objects based on common characteristics and sort shapes and objects.
Students answer simple questions to collect information.

Learning Intentions
Weeks 4-8:
Length, Capacity and
mass

Teaching and Learning

Experiences

Resources

Lesson 1:

Comparing and ordering size

Warm up (VLB)
Vocab

Investigations
Water play
Sand play

Reception

They compare objects

using mass, length and
capacity.

Learning
Statements
Length, Capacity and
mass
Reception

They compare objects

using mass, length and
capacity.

Large, larger, largest, small, smaller, smallest, medium, bigger, big

biggest, size.
Materials- Blocks
Today you will learn to compare sizes of objects.
Hold up two blocks how do we compare these blocks?
Introduce concepts of size small, medium and large. Ask students to
compare the blocks using vocab.
In partners ask students to sort and compare a collection of blocks
in size and record.
Then students can make a tower with the blocks and record and
compare their findings with another group.
Reflection
Make a circle and ask students to share with a student next to them.
Provide an example of someones work.
Lesson 2
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Vocab
Large, larger, largest, small, smaller, smallest, medium, bigger, big
biggest, size.
Materials: Goldilocks and the three bears book, Three bears
template
Read the book Goldilocks and the three bears using vocab discuss
the different sizes of bears, porridge, chairs and beds.
Students make their bears and label them in size small, medium and
large.

Provocations:
Picture Books
Books that reinforce
length and capacity
and allow students to
participate in counting.
Goldilocks and the
three bears
Who Sank the boat
Questions to as the
children in
Investigations
Can it hold any
more?
How much does it
hold?
How long is it?
How can we
measure it?

Lesson 3
Comparing length
Warm up
What is length? How do we compare length?
Ask a couple of students to stand up to compare length, who is
shorter? Who is taller? How do you know? Provide an example of a
student on a step, who is taller now? Or on tippy toes.
Introduce VocabAs long as, as short as, as tall as, longer than, shorter than, taller
than.
Line the boys and girl students up in separate lines ask the students
to try and order the line from tallest to shortest.
Materials- string
Then give the students a piece of string and tell them to find two
things that are longer and two things that are shorter and record
them in their books.
We can measure with string
Reflection

Make a circle and ask students to share with a student next to them.
Provide an example of someones work.

Lesson 4
Comparison of lengthsmall, short, medium, long, tall
Introduce VocabDirect and in- direct comparisons- (Things they can measure side by
side) As long as, as short as, as tall as, longer than, shorter than,
taller than.
Materials:
Maths book- long and short template. Craft materials
Students use the collage area to stick in long and short materials on
their template under the correct headings. Encourage students to
label what materials they have used.
Begin to discuss, outside indirect comparisons of length, for
example plane, truck, mountain. How do you know which is longer
or shorter, taller or smaller?
Back pocket question
What could we use to measure each collage material- perhaps unifix
cubes, counters, buttons.
Lesson 5:
Warm up: Shaping Ourselves: Tell the children that we are going to
play a game about sizes. Ask students to make themselves as long as they
can. Repeat with other descriptive words such as, short, wide, narrow
etc.

Materials: playdough

Investigation: Worms: Gather students in a circle with their art mats.

Give each student a ball of play dough and ask them to make a worm.
Invite students to describe their worm. Ask students to make a short
worm, a long worm, a wide worm etc. Ask students to draw their favourite
worm with a descriptive word for its length.
Back

pocket questions:
How can we measure your worm?
Why is that your favourite worm?
How else could you describe your worm?

Lesson 6:

Warm up: How Far?: Find out what students know about length. Ask
students to estimate how far it is to the door. How many footsteps?
Hands? Metres? Try a variety of informal and formal units of measurement
and starting/ending points.

Materials: counters
Investigation: Measure It!: Select an object, such as the tissue box, to
measure. Use smaller objects to place along the length of the box. Invite
students to estimate how many counters will be needed. Record
estimations and answer in math journal. Repeat with a different unit of
measurement. Allow students to repeat with different objects.
Back

pocket questions:
What else could we use to measure it?
Could we use a number line?
What was the best things you used to measure your objects with?

Lesson 7:

Warm up: People measuring: Ask a child to lay in the middle of a

circle, pose the question- how could we measure this person?

Materials: macaroni, glue, paper

Investigation: Macaroni Measurement: sit students around the white

board and on the white board trace around your hand and with macaroni
and blue tack begin to place some macaroni around the line. Invite
students to guess how many pieces will be needed. Ask students to trace
around their hand, guess how many macaroni will be need (write guess in
the middle of their hand) and glue macaroni around hand (this can be a
good art piece)
Alternatives to macaroni- dot stickers, beads, stamps, bits of coloured
paper
Back

pocket questions:
How many macaroni long is your thumb?
Your pencil?
Your height?
Did you guess right? How many more/less macaroni did you need?

Lesson 8: Common Assessment

Warm up: Longer or shorter: Ask each children to collect two objects
from around the room. Go around the circle and ask the children to identify
the object that is longer and the one that is shorter.

Investigation: Comparing Objects: Gather a variety of items from

around the classroom. Ask students which object is the tallest? Longest?
Shortest? Invite a student to compare two objects. Discuss the different
terminology used to compare the length of objects. Allow students to
choose a variety of objects to compare and trace/record the length in their
books.
Back pocket questions:
How do you know that object was the tallest?
How do you know which one was the shortest?

What did you use to measure?

Could we use a ruler?

Lesson 9:

Warm up: Wider or narrower: ask each children to collect two objects
from around the room. Go around the circle and ask the children to identify
the object that is wider and the one that is narrower.

Investigation: Can you Measure?: Present a problem to students

about finding out which is the longer of two objects that cannot be moved
(e.g. the desk and the door). Ask students how can we find out which
object is longer when we cannot place them side by side? Discuss with
students the idea of using smaller objects of the same size to measure it
e.g. hand span, footsteps, string etc. Invite students to measure and
record the length of other large objects.
Back

pocket questions:
How do you know that object was the longest?
How do you know which one was the shortest?
What did you use to measure?
Could we use a ruler?

Lesson 10:

Warm up: Shaping Ourselves: Tell the children that we are going to
play a game about sizes. Ask students to make themselves as long as they
can. Repeat with other descriptive words such as, short, wide, narrow etc.

Investigation: In pairs children draw their partners outline in chalk.

Students choose a measuring tool to informally measure the outline of
their body. Take photos of the students outlines for their maths journals.
Students compare each partners outlines after they have both measured.

Back pocket questions:

Why did you choose (unit of measurement) to measure your

outline?
Could we use a ruler?
Who had the biggest measurement? Why is that?

Lesson 11:
Warm up: Boundaries: Discuss with the children the boundaries of the
school. How do we know they are boundaries? Is there anything that
physically stops us? What would you use as boundaries?

Investigation: Scavenger Hunt: Provide students with a variety of

measuring tools and objects. Present students with a checklist they must
complete during the lesson. Students must: Find something shorter than
their thumb, longer than their shoe, compare the length of two objects,
measure an object in informal units, measure a unit in formal units (year
one), find two objects with the same length etc.
Back

pocket questions:
Students compare their findings
Why are your findings different?
What did you use to measure your objects?

Lesson 12:
Warm up: Provide each student with a ruler and discuss what numbers
you find on it. And what the cm means.
OR
Watch the following clips: Explains about cm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuBLuIW1U70
Measure it up song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH4zBwFgyMQ
(uses feet and inches buy its a cute warm up song)

Investigation: Students use the ruler to measure objects around the

room and record in their books.
Back pocket questions:

What was your biggest thing you measured? How do you know this?
What was the smallest thing you measured? How do you know this?
Is there anything in the classroom that is bigger than the ruler? How
you measure those things?

Comparing Capacity
Lesson1
(VLB)
Vocabfull, most, least, holds more-, holds less, empty.
Materials
Plastic cups, sand, different size containers.
Comparing Capacity
We have learnt to compare the lengths of objects. Today you will
learn another way to compare.
Display various containers- compare the containers, Shake each box
one at a time. Ask students Which box is empty? How do you know?
Which box holds more which box holds less?
Go outside to the sandpit, ask a student fill up a plastic cup, ask
another to fill up a larger container, which container holds more?
Students will then independently find containers to fill up sand and
then to record their findings in their books, which container holds
the most or least sand.
Reflection circle
Students share their findings with the person next to them. The
teacher shows a students book to the class. Confirming students
knowledge.
Lesson 2.
Comparing Capacity
Vocabfull, most, least, holds more-, holds less, empty.
Use the task card

Carolyn loves to eat jelly, and wants to find the container that holds
the most. Which container holds the most? Which container should
she use? And why?
Students draw some containers to hold jelly and label which holds
the least, the most and which one Carolyn would like to use.
Reflection circle
Students share their findings with the person next to them. The
teacher shows a students book to the class. Confirming students
knowledge.
Lesson 3
Warm up
Vocabfull, most, least, holds more-, holds less, empty.
How many water beads (Or possible circular objects) can fit into the
container?
Introduce students to estimating, students estimate how many
water beads they think will fit in each container, test it out.
Students independently do the task, firstly estimate how many
water beads will fit then put the water beads into the container and
count how many fit.
Record their findings
Reflection circle- Question students
Students share their findings with the person next to them. The
teacher shows a students book to the class. Confirming students
knowledge.

Comparing Mass
Lesson 1
Warm up VLB
Students will use a balance scale to compare objects by mass
VocabAbout the same, balance , mass, heavier (than), lighter (than)
Materials
Balance scale classroom objects, balls
You have compared the length of objects now we will compare which
object is heavier or lighter.
Hold a classroom toy in each hand, describe each toy by its mass
hold the lighter one up and the heavier one lower. If I was a scale
and these toys were of equal weight what would my arms look like?
Ask a student to move your arms in the right place.
Use a balance scale to find out the difference in mass, ask the
students to predict and then test out which one is lighter and which
is heavier. Ask the students what the arms of the scales do for each.
Students in pairs find two items and discuss which they think will be
heavier and lighter and then use the scales to check. Record in their
books.
Reflection circle
Students share their findings with the person next to them. The
teacher shows a students book to the class. Confirming students
knowledge.
Lesson 2
Students will use a balance scale to compare objects by mass
VocabAbout the same, balance , mass, heavier (than), lighter (than)

Materials
Bottles, different materials
Students fill the same size bottles up with different materials and
predict whether the bottle will be the same weight or heavier or
lighter.
Students weigh the bottles and order them from lightest to heaviest
and record in their books.

Reflection circle
Students share their findings with the person next to them. The
teacher shows a students book to the class. Confirming students
knowledge.
Lesson 3
Students will use a balance scale to compare objects by mass
VocabAbout the same, balance , mass, heavier (than), lighter (than)
Materials
Snap lock bags, rice, scales
Create a discussion by asking students to predict what objects
around the room would be the same or lighter and heavier use the
scales to check.
Give students a snap lock bag of rice and get them to predict what

objects around the room may be heavier or lighter, check with the
scales and find an object that is lighter and heavier than the bag of
rice.
Record your findings
Reflection circle
Students share their findings with the person next to them. The
teacher shows a students book to the class. Confirming students
knowledge.

Lesson 4
Comparing mass
Who sank the boat
Read Who sank the boat,
Discuss with students why did the mouse make the boat sink when
it was so small?
Model to the students how they may like to make their own boat
design and then create their design with aluminium foil and sticky
tape.
Materials: alfoil, sticky tape, coins
Get students to predict then test out their boats and see how many
coins? Their boats can hold.
Record their findings
Reflection circle
Students share their findings with the person next to them. The
teacher shows a students book to the class. Confirming students
knowledge.

Length, capacity and mass task cards:

Lesson 1:
Investigation: In partners ask students to sort and compare a collection of blocks in size and record.
Then students can make a tower with the blocks and record and compare their findings with another group.
Learning Intention: To compare objects and size.

Lesson 2:
Investigation: Students make Goldilocks and the three bears and label them in size small, medium and large.
Learning Intention: To compare objects and size

Lesson 3:
Investigation: Students are given a piece of string and must find two things that are longer and two things that are shorter
and record them in their books.
Learning intention: To compare objects using length.

Lesson 4:
Investigation: Create a chain out of construction paper, students head outside to measure and compare their chains and
record their comparisons in their books.
Learning Intention: To compare objects using length.

Lesson 5:
Investigation: Today we were given a ball of play dough and asked to make a worm. It could be a short worm, a long worm, a
wide worm etc. Then we drew our favourite worm with a descriptive word for its length.
Learning Intention: To compare objects using length.

Lesson 6:
Investigation: Select an object, such as the tissue box, to measure. Use smaller objects to place along the length of the box.
Estimate how many counters will be needed. Record estimations and answer in math journal. Repeat with a different unit of
measurement.
Learning Intention: Students order objects based on lengths using informal units.

Lesson 7:
Investigation: Trace around your hand and begin to place some macaroni around the line. How many pieces will be needed?
Learning Intention: Students order objects based on lengths using informal units.

Lesson 8:
Investigation: Gather a variety of items from around the classroom. Which object is the tallest? Longest? Shortest? Discuss
the different terminology used to compare the length of objects. Choose a variety of objects to compare and trace/record the
length in their books.
Learning Intention: Students order objects based on lengths using informal units.

Lesson 9:
Investigation: How can we find out which is the longer of two objects that cannot be moved (e.g. the desk and the door). How
can we find out which object is longer when we cannot place them side by side? Can we use smaller objects of the same size
to measure it e.g. hand span, footsteps, string etc. Measure and record the length of other large objects.
Learning Intention: Students order objects based on lengths using informal units.

Lesson 10:
Investigation: In pairs the children drew their partners outline in chalk. Students chose a measuring tool to informally
measure the outline of their body. Students compared each partners outlines after they have both measured.

Learning Intention: Students order objects based on lengths using informal units.

Lesson 11:
Investigation: Today we went on a scavenger hunt. We had to find something shorter than their thumb, longer than their
shoe, compare the length of two objects, measure an object in informal units, measure a unit in formal units (year one), find
two objects with the same length etc.
Learning Intention: Students order objects based on lengths using informal units.

Lesson 12:
Investigation: Use a ruler to measure objects around the room and record in their books.
Learning Intention: They compare objects using formal units of length.

Lesson1:
Investigation: Students find containers to fill up will sand and then compare which container holds the most or least sand
record their findings in their books.
Learning Intention: Comparing capacity

Lesson 2:
Investigation: Carolyn loves to eat jelly, and wants to find the container that holds the most. Which container holds the most?
Which container should she use? And why? Students draw some containers to hold jelly and label which holds the least, the
most and which one Carolyn would like to use.
Learning Intention: Comparing capacity

Lesson 3:
Investigation: How many cubes can fit into the container? Firstly estimate how many cubes will fit then put the cubes into the
container and count them and compare. Were you close to what you estimated?

Learning Intention: Comparing capacity and developing estimation skills.

Lesson 1:
Investigation: Students in pairs find two items and discuss and predict which they think will be heavier and lighter. Students
will then use the scales to check. Record in their books.
Learning Intention: Comparing mass and predicting the answer.

Lesson 2:
Investigation: Students fill the same size bottles up with different materials and predict whether the bottle will be the same
weight or heavier or lighter. Students weigh the bottles and order them from lightest to heaviest and record in their books.
Learning Intention: Students predict, sort and compare objects using mass.

Lesson 3:
Investigation: Students have a snap lock bag of rice and get them to predict what objects around the room may be heavier or
lighter, check with the scales and find an object that is lighter and heavier than the bag of rice.
Learning Intention: Students predict and compare objects using mass.

Lesson 4:
Investigation: Students design a boat and then create their design with aluminium foil and sticky tape. Students predict then
test out their boats and see how many coins their boats can hold.
Learning Intention: Students predict and compare using mass