Using a Meter Stick as a Number Line Part 2

Here is a post where I explain how I teach placing fractions and decimals on a meter stick number line.

For awhile, I had the meter sticks out and several sets of clothespins for students to practice ordering fractions and finding equivalent decimals. Then I realized what other math concepts I could teach with this model.

I know I am not the only fourth grade teacher who has students who struggle with rounding.  I wrote this post about rounding whole numbers with a 100s chart and it is one of my more popular posts. 

Later in the year, we started rounding decimals to the nearest hundredth, tenth, and whole number.  Because we had already used the meter stick as a number line for decimals, I used it again as a model for rounding. The whole meter is one.  Decimeters are tenths, centimeters are hundredths, and millimeters are thousandths.

Now that I have a class set of portable number lines for decimals, I also use them for adding and subtracting.  I still teach adding and subtracting the traditional way, but I have an additional model.

You can purchase 12 meter sticks by clicking the affiliate link below.

 

Can you think of other uses for meter sticks beyond measuring?