Inches, Feet, Yards, and Miles

Lesson 1: Inch, Foot, Yard

When we observe things, there are several things we can measure:

• Length- the distance between two points.

• Volume- the amount of space something occupies.

• Time- how long it takes for something to happen.

• Mass - the amount of matter in an object.

• Temperature- the amount of heat energy in an object.

A long time ago....

In the past, people used body parts (feet, arm length etc) to determine the length of something

Imagine if in your class, if someone asked for an "arm length" of string, who would get more?

Is this a fair way to measure?

How we measure now

Meet the Customary Units of Measurement. In the U.S.A, we measure distance with inch (in), foot (ft), yard (yd), and mile (mi). This lesson will focus on inches, feet, and yards.

Please study the chart before going to the next slide

The Inch

• If you have used a ruler before, you know that we use it to measure how long something is in inches

• Inches are the smallest unit of measurement in the American system

• A good rule is if an item is shorter than you're arm, it should probably be measured in inches

Fill in the Blank

How many inches are on a ruler?

The Foot

• We now know a ruler has 12 inches

• 12 inches equals 1 foot

• A foot is a great way to measure larger items such as our height, furniture, and much more

Multiple Choice

If 12 inches equals 1 foot, how many feet are in 24 inches?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

The Yard

• A yard is made up of 3 feet, or 36 inches

• Instead of a ruler, you would use a yardstick

• Although its less common, you could use a yardstick to measure a car, your room, or even a building!

Multiple Select

With everything you've learned, how many different ways can you write 3 feet? Click all that apply:

• 36 inches

• 3 feet

• 1 yard

• 2 feet

• 2 yards

Did you get everything?

Study the chart one last time. Its quiz time! Click on Lesson 1 quiz to test you