Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade R

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

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Performance objectives

• Compare objects to see which is long or short.
• Compare objects to see which is heavy or light.
• Use words like 'longer', 'shorter', 'heavier', and 'lighter'.
• Put objects in order from shortest to longest.
• Put objects in order from lightest to heaviest.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces Grade R learners to the foundational concepts of measurement, specifically focusing on length (long/short) and mass (heavy/light). These are not abstract ideas but are deeply embedded in the daily lives of South African children. Understanding these concepts helps learners make sense of their world, from comparing the length of a friend's beaded bracelet to their own, to feeling the difference in mass between a small bag of amasi and a large bag of mielie meal. This pre-numeracy skill is crucial for developing spatial awareness, problem-solving abilities, and the vocabulary needed for more formal measurement in later grades.

Lesson notes

Concept 1: Length (How long or short something is)

Explanation: Length is a measurement that tells us the distance from one end of an object to the other. For Grade R, we don't use rulers or numbers. Instead, we use our eyes and hands to directly compare objects. The most important rule when comparing the length of two objects is that they must start at the same point. We call this a 'baseline'. Imagine two runners starting a race; they must both start on the same line to see who runs further. It's the same with measuring length.

Vocabulary: Long/Short: Words we use to describe the length of one object.

Longer/Shorter: Words we use to compare two objects.

Longest/Shortest: Words we use when comparing three or more objects.