Back to search results
reSolve: Measurement - Parcel in the Post

Teacher guide reSolve: Measurement - Parcel in the Post

TLF ID M025310

This lesson challenges students to find the most cost-efficient way to package a variety of items to send in the post. Students are provided with a matrix of parcel postage charges and a variety of different possible parcels. They categorise the parcels, measure their dimensions and weights and then calculate the postage cost of each item for different postage methods to determine the most efficient way to send each item. The lesson is outlined in detail including curriculum links, vocabulary, materials needed, sample answers, discussion points and student resources. This sequence is part of the reSolve: Maths by Inquiry program.

View resource


Educational details

Educational value
  • This resource is very valuable for the year 4 mathematics content description about using scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths, masses and capacities. Students measure and record dimensions and masses for a variety of parcels, compare them to Australia Posts tables of threshold values and calculate their total postage costs.
  • This resource is also valuable for the year 4 mathematics content description about comparing objects using familiar metric units of volume. Students measure the dimensions of their parcels using centimetres and use these dimensions to calculate the 'cubic weight' of a parcel to determine the postage costs.
  • This resource also offers multiple opportunities to link to the Numeracy General capability, as it engages students in estimating, measuring and comparing the length, volume and mass of their parcels using metric units and scaled instruments.
  • This resource is also of pedagogical value as it supports teachers in building an inquiry-focused learning environment with authentic application of mathematical skills and understandings. The unit aims to develop content knowledge as well as assisting students to understand the process of inquiry.
Year level

4

Topics Measuring instruments Units of measurement Square metres Kilograms Volume (Dimensions) Mass
Learning area
  • Mathematics

Other details

Contributors
  • Contributor
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au/
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: Australian Government Department of Education and Training
  • Organization: Australian Government Department of Education and Training
  • Publisher
  • Name: Australian Academy of Science
  • Organization: Australian Academy of Science
  • Description: Publisher
  • URL: https://www.science.org.au/
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Unknown
Learning Resource Type
  • Online
Rights
  • © Australian Government Department of Education and Training 2017. Unless otherwise indicated, this material may be used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.