Build Cube Trains to Measure Length
🚂 Let's snap some math! Cube trains snap together perfectly, which makes them the absolute best tool for measuring length without a ruler.
Do this: Read the concept below, then try the quiz or activity.
Concept
Linking cubes (or Legos) are perfect for measuring because they easily follow the golden rules: they line up end-to-end, and they snap together so they don't leave any gaps!
🎯 How to Measure with a Cube Train: 1. Snap them up: Start snapping blocks together into a long train. 2. Line them up: Place the start of the train exactly at the edge of the object. 3. Break it off: Let the train stretch all the way to the other end of the object. Break off any extra cubes sticking past the end. 4. Count your blocks!
Example: To measure your shoe: 1. Make a super long train. 2. Put the train next to your heel. 3. The train goes past your toe. Break off the extra ones! 4. The remaining train is exactly the length of your shoe. Count the blocks!
Try it
Let's measure with our imaginations!
Instructions: Answer the measuring challenges.
Problem 1: You measure a crayon. It is exactly 4 cubes long. You measure a marker. It is exactly 6 cubes long. Which item is longer? _____________
Problem 2: You are measuring a book. Your cube train goes past the top of the book by 2 cubes. What should you do? A) Keep counting all the cubes! B) Break off the 2 extra cubes!
Problem 3: You measure your math workbook. It is 10 cubes tall. You want to measure your tiny eraser. Will it take MORE than 10 cubes or FEWER than 10 cubes? * _________________