Compare lengths and heights, measure with cubes, then read a ruler in centimetres. Blackbird’s reasoning question catches the most common ruler mistake: starting at 1 instead of 0.

The sheet comes in three differentiated tiers (Supported ●, Core ●●, Extending ●●●), all practising the same skill. You can hand out all three in one lesson and the whole class works on the same objective.

What’s included (5 A4 pages, PDF):

• Teacher’s note: overview, curriculum link and suggested uses
• ● Supported: circle the longer, shorter or taller one, then count how many cubes long a stick is
• ●● Core: measure four objects with cubes, use longest, shortest and longer to compare them, then measure two trees in cubes
• ●●● Extending: measure sticks with a pictured ruler in centimetres, find the longest, shortest and the difference, a doubling challenge, and Blackbird’s reasoning question: ‘This stick is 7 cm long.’ Is Blackbird right?
• Answers page with the matching National Curriculum objectives

Note for teachers: each ruler is printed beside its stick, so pupils read the length on the page. This keeps the answers correct even if your printer scales the page. Pupils shouldn’t measure the printed sticks with a real ruler.

Curriculum link: Year 1 Measurement: ‘compare, describe and solve practical problems for: lengths and heights’ and ‘measure and begin to record the following: lengths and heights’. Also suits Year 2 warm-ups.

Great for independent practice, small groups, intervention, homework, assessment and early finishers. Works well alongside real linking cubes and rulers.

Print-ready A4, black-and-white friendly, no preparation needed. Woodland animal line art (wood mouse, nuthatch and blackbird) that children can colour in.