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Family Involvement Activities FA93

Dear Family,Your child is learning about customarymeasurements. We are working with linear units,capacity, and weight. Your child is learning how tomeasure and how to change measurements fromone unit to another. Here are some examples of whatis being taught.

Measure the line segment to the nearest �18� inch.

The length of the line segment is closer to 3�38� in. than

to 3�48�, so it is 3�

38� in. long to the nearest �

18� inch.

Below are the customary units of measure that wewill be using to change units such as feet to inches,pints to quarts, and ounces to pounds.

As you work with your child on the practiceexercises and the other pages in this packet, askthese questions when appropriate:• Can you estimate how long that would be?• To change from inches to feet, will you multiply

or divide?• How do you know that those measurements are

equivalent?Talking about math with your child is one of thebest ways to build confidence.

Sincerely,

Name

Date

HARCOURT MATHGRADE 4Chapter 24

WHAT WE ARE LEARNING

Customary Measurement

VOCABULARYHere are the vocabulary

words we use in class:

Linear units Linear units

are the units used to

measure length, width,

height, or distance. The

customary linear units are

inch (in.), foot (ft), yard (yd),

and mile (mi).

Capacity The capacity of

a container is the amount it

can hold when filled. The

customary units for

measuring capacity are

teaspoon (tsp), tablespoon

(tbsp), cup (c), pint (pt),

quart (qt), and gallon (gal).

Weight The weight of an

object is how heavy it is.

The customary units for

measuring weight are ounce

(oz), pound (lb), and ton (T).

Customary Units for Customary Units forCustomary Linear Units Measuring Liquids Measuring Weight

1 foot (ft) � 12 inches (in.)

1 yard (yd) � 3 feet

1 mile (mi) � 5,280 feet

1 mile � 1,760 yards

1 cup (c) � 8 ounces (oz)

1 pint (pt) � 2 cups

1 quart (qt) � 2 pints

1 gallon (gal) � 4 quarts

1 pound (lb) � 16 oz

1 ton (T) � 2,000 lb

1 2 3 4 5 6inches

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FA94 Family Involvement Activities

Have fun with your child measuring objects in your home.

Encourage him or her to measure to the nearest �14� inch,

or �18� inch when appropriate.

Use an inch ruler.

1. How long is a teaspoon? _________

2. How wide is a dish towel? _________

3. How high is a toaster? _________

Use a measuring cup.

4. How many cups will fill a pot? _________

5. How many cups will fill a vase? _________

6. How many cups will fill a pitcher? _________

Use a bathroom scale.

7. How many pounds does a bag of groceries weigh? _________

8. How many pounds does a dictionary weigh? _________

9. How many pounds does a pair of sneakers weigh? _________

HOME ACTIVITY

1 2 3 4 5 6inches

Measurement Fun

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Family Involvement Activities FA95

Name _________________________

Customary Measurement

Choose the most reasonable unit of measure.Write in., ft, yd, or mi.

1. The length of a pair 2. The height of a school 3. The distance from of scissors is about desk is about 1 _____. New York to Boston is 6 _____. about 260 _____.

Circle the greater measurement.4. 5 in. or 5 ft 5. 2 yd or 2 mi 6. 1 yd or 2 ft

7. Measure to the nearest �14� inch. 8. Measure to the nearest �

18� inch.

Order the measurements from least to greatest.9. 1�

14� in., 2�

18� in., 1�

78� in. 10. �

12� in., �

58� in., �

34� in., �

38� in.

Complete.

11. 4 ft � in. 12. 3 yd � ft 13. 2 mi � yd

Choose the unit of capacity. Write c, qt, or gal.14. You usually drink 15. A large aquarium 16. A pitcher of

about 1 of milk holds about 7 lemonade holdsat a time. of water. about 1 .

Change the unit.

17. 2 lb = oz 18. 4 T = lb 19. 5 lb = oz

Write multiply or divide to tell how to change the unit.20. yards to feet 21. quarts to pints 22. ounces to pounds

Answers:1.in.; 2.yd; 3.mi; 4.5 ft; 5.2 mi;6.1 yd; 7.2�34

�; 8.3�18

�; 9.1�14

�in., 1�78

�in., 2�18

�in.; 10. �38

�in., �12

�in., �58

�in., �34

�in.; 11. 48 in.;

12.9 ft;13.3,520 yd; 14.c; 15.gal; 16.qt; 17.32; 18.8,000 lb; 19. 80;20. multiply;21.multiply; 22.divide

PRACTICE/HOMEWORK

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FA96 Family Involvement Activities

Play this game with a family member.Each player should keep a separate score card.

Here’s how to play. Take turns tossing a penny onto the fish pond. If the pennylands on a fish, find its equivalent measure on another fish. Record your “catches”on your scorecard. Then put an X on each of those two fish. You’ve caught them!

Keep playing until all the fish in the pond have been caught. If the coin misses afish or lands on a fish with an X, the fish has gotten away and the next player takesa turn. The player with the greater number of fish wins.

MATH GAME

7 c3�

12� pt

7 ft

84 in.

3 ft

1 yd 4 gal

74 in. 15,840 ft

4 mi

1�48� in.

6 ft 2 in.9,000 lb

2 T

1�12� in.

32 pt

4,000 lb

3 mi 7,040 yd

4�12� T

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