Measurements

In second grade, measurements get more advanced and students are introduced to more ways to measure. They’ll build on what they learned up to this point and continue to learn about both standard and non-standard units of measurement. At this point, they should also understand the need for a standard unit of measure so that no matter who measures it, the measurement will have the same meaning.

They’ll practice measuring length using rulers and possibly tape measures, and measure to the nearest inch, foot, and yard. They’ll also be introduced to the metric system (if they haven’t been already) and start to measure to the nearest centimeter or meter. They’ll learn about concepts of length like perimeter and distance. Students will compare two or more things and decide whether they are shorter or longer.

While exploring the measurements of weight in second grade, students will learn to sort, classify, describe, and measure the weight of various objects. They’ll learn second grade math vocabulary like lighter, heavier, less than, and more than. Again, they’ll use both standard and non-standard units of measurement. They will use both the US Customary and the Metric System here too, measuring to the nearest ounce, pound, gram, or kilogram.

Capacity is a difficult concept, but it’s important for students to begin to gain an understanding of it in second grade math. Students will need to sort, classify, describe, and measure the capacity of different objects. They’ll use vocabulary like empty, full, less than, and more than. Once again, they’ll measure using both standard and non-standard units and use both US Customary and Metric units. These include cup, pint, quart, gallon, liters, and milliliters.