Measurement Teaching Resources
Is your maths class ready to dive into length measurement, measuring objects and more measurement practice? Say hello to printable units of measurement worksheets, games and digital activities created by teachers for teachers!
This collection of teaching resources was created by our expert maths teachers to help students meet Australian Curriculum standards. Each printable and digital download has undergone a rigorous review by the teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they’re student-ready — so you can cut down on lesson planning time!
New to teaching this part of the maths curriculum? Our teacher team knows what it’s like to suddenly teach a brand-new year level, so we’ve put together a quick guide to teaching measurement!
What Are the 4 steps of Teaching and Learning Measurement?
Students have to learn a long list of measurement concepts during their time in primary school, including:
- length
- liquid volume
- elapsed time
- mass (weight)
- area
- volume of three-dimensional figures
The good news for teachers: Most measurement concepts have very real-world applications for students. That means there's a whole world of ways to get students excited about reading a ruler or tape measure or weighing heavy objects on a scale.
But before you can get there, let's start with the basic steps to work through when you're teaching students how to measure ... well ... anything!
- Direct Comparison — One of the earliest steps of learning measurement is learning the attributes that are being measured. For example, students need to learn what length is if they're ever going to measure it. That's where direct comparison (and step 2, indirect comparison), come in. If you put 2 objects side by side, students can directly compare which is longer and which is shorter and start to understand how to measure an object.
- Indirect Comparison — What happens when you can't directly compare two objects? You can add a third as a reference point for indirect comparison, thereby increasing student understanding of the attribute being measured.
- Measuring With Non-Standard Units or Informal Units — Just as students need to understand the attribute of measuring, they also need to understand the concept of the units we use to measure such as metres or litres. Using non-standard units is the first step to teaching the concept of units, offering students the chance to work with different objects, counting how many of these 'units' it takes to make up another. This is the fundamental base of measurement.
- Measuring With Standard Units — In the final step of teaching measurement, students move on to using the formal units of measurement and learn to use measurement instruments.
Why Is Teaching Measurement Important?
There are concrete uses for learning measurement that will surely spring to mind — from using a tape measure to measure a space in a home to weighing ingredients when baking to determining the capacity of a juice glass before pouring in the liquid. These are all means for quantifying our environment.
But the benefits of teaching students about measuring lines with a ruler or figuring out mass measurements from largest to smallest go well beyond the obvious. Learning to measure helps students develop spatial and number skills.
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Same Perimeter, Different Area Word Problems – Worksheet
Practise solving multi-step word problems involving objects that have the same perimeter but different areas.
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Selecting Units of Capacity — Interactive Game
Estimate the units needed to measure capacity with an Interactive Measurement Game!
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How Much Does it Measure? Estimating Units Interactive (Mixed Units)
Estimate units of mass, volume, temperature, length, and more with an engaging, interactive measurement game.
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Which Holds More? – Mini Book
A mini book that allows students to compare the capacity of various containers.
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Wonderings – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a magazine article from the Foundation magazine (Bonus Issue).
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Weighing Scales Templates – Fish Scales
An assortment of weighing scales templates to give students practice at reading scales to measure mass.
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Weighing Scales Templates
A variety of weighing scales templates for students to practise reading scales to measure grams and kilograms.
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Jack and the Beanstalk - Informal Measurement Worksheet
A simple worksheet using informal units measurement.
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Capacity Maths Investigation — Filling the Fish Tank Activity
A mathematics investigation involving capacity, embedded in a real-world context.
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Volume Investigation - Creating the Land of Cubes
A mathematics investigation involving volume, embedded in a real-world context.
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Informal Units Rulers
Use printable informal measuring rulers to introduce your little learners to the world of measurement.
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Marvin Measurement's Treasure Box - Whole Class Game
A whole class game that consolidates your students' knowledge of measurement concepts - in a fun way!
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Time Banner
A 3-page banner to use on your 'Time' display board.
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Measuring the Area of a Desktop Worksheet
A worksheet to use when exploring the concept of measuring area with informal units.
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Informal Measurement - Task Cards
A set of task cards to use when learning about informal measurement.
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Bear Square 3D Cube - Template
3D cube templates with bear illustrations.
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Perimeter of 2D Shapes Poster
Use this perimeter anchor chart to teach students how to find the perimeter of shapes such as squares, rectangles, triangles, hexagons and parallelograms.
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Capacity Maths Investigation - Bath Time at the Farm!
A mathematics investigation involving capacity, embedded in a real-world context.
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Using Units of Measurement Worksheets - Year 4
16 measurement worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Using Units of Measurement Worksheets - Year 5
6 using units of measurement worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Using Units of Measurement Worksheets - Year 6
10 using units of measurement worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Using Units of Measurement Worksheets - Year 1
4 measurement worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Time Zone Locations Around the World Display
A classroom display showing the different time zones around the world and locations which belong within each time zone.
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Measuring Area with Informal Units
A worksheet to use when exploring the concept of measuring area with informal units.
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Capacity Worksheet
A worksheet to use when exploring the concept of capacity.
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Area Investigation - Big, Loud Feet!
A mathematics investigation involving area, embedded in a real-world context.
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Area of 2D Shapes Posters
Area of 2D Shapes - so many rules and formulas to remember!
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Interactive Clock for Teaching Time (Analogue and Digital)
Teach time with an interactive digital clock designed to add a hands-on element to this important primary school lesson!
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Time Teaching Resource Pack
A collection of resources exploring time concepts.
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Applications of Time Unit Plan - Year 5 and Year 6
This Mathematics unit addresses the concepts of 12- and 24-hour time, timetables and timelines.
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Assessment - Measuring Length with Informal Units
A 30 minute assessment in which students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of length.
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Measuring Mass with Informal Units Unit Plan
This Mathematics unit addresses the concept of measuring, comparing and ordering mass using informal units.
- Measurement Worksheets
- Measurement Games
- Measurement Posters
- Measurement Templates
- Measurement Teaching Presentations
- Measurement Projects
- Measurement for Preschool/Kindergarten
- Measurement for Foundation Year
- Measurement for Year 1
- Measurement for Year 2
- Measurement for Year 3
- Measurement for Year 4
- Measurement for Year 5
- Measurement for Year 6
- Measurement for Year 7