- Definition
Non-standard units are everyday items like paper clips or your hand that you can use to measure things instead of a ruler or measuring tape.
Measuring a pencil by lining up paper clips next to it shows the pencil is '7 paper clips long'.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Non-standard units are like using your own footsteps to measure how far it is from the couch to the door.
Ask your child: How many crayons long is this book?
Common mix-up: Kids may think you can leave gaps between the objects. The key is to line them up end-to-end with no spaces, just like on a ruler.
Examples
- Seeing how many of your own hand spans it takes to measure the width of a table.
- Using building blocks to see how tall your teddy bear is.
non-standard units is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
