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.
- Plus Plan
Measuring Area Using Informal Units Interactive Activity
Use this set of ten interactive slides to help your students practise measuring the area of regular and irregular shapes using informal (square) units.
- Plus Plan
Area of a Parallelogram Worksheet
Practise finding the area of a parallelogram with this maths worksheet designed for year 7 students.
- Plus Plan
Area of a Triangle - Maths Game
Practice finding and comparing the area of a triangle with a game of WAR!
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? – Time to the Minute
Practise telling time to the nearest minute with this set of 'I Have, Who Has' game cards.
- Plus Plan
Mixed Perimeter Word Problems Worksheet
Use this perimeter word problems worksheet to give your students practice calculating the perimeter of shapes.
- Plus Plan
Perimeter with Missing Sides – Word Problems Worksheet
Practise solving real-life perimeter word problems with an unknown side with this worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Measuring My Body – Length Worksheet
Explore linear measurement with an engaging collaborative activity where students measure different body parts and compare them.
- Free Plan
Elapsed Time – Worksheet
Practise elapsed time with analog and digital clocks.
- Plus Plan
Measuring and Converting Time – Teaching Presentation
Learn how to measure and convert time with this 14-slide teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Capacity Maths Investigation — Filling the Fish Tank Activity
A mathematics investigation involving capacity, embedded in a real-world context.
- Plus Plan
12- and 24-Hour Clock Template
A template for an interactive 12- and 24-hour clock.
- Plus Plan
Measuring, Comparing and Ordering Capacity Worksheet
A worksheet that explores the concept of capacity using informal units of measurement.
- Plus Plan
Mass Investigation - How Heavy Are the Objects in Your Classroom?
Explore the mass of objects in the classroom with this mass mathematics investigation embedded in a real-world context.
- Plus Plan
Bear Square 3D Cube - Template
Introduce 3D cube templates with these bear illustrations.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Blank Digital and Analogue Clock Worksheet
Support time-telling skills with this analogue and digital clock worksheet template.
- Plus Plan
Today Is…Calendar Worksheet Set
Support calendar maths routines and daily number sense development with this printable worksheet set that helps students explore dates, weather, time and number concepts.
- Free Plan
Student Calendar Template
Help Year 2 students identify dates, track events and build confidence using calendars.
- Plus Plan
Visual Daily Timetable
Create a daily timetable that helps students follow classroom routines, build independence and stay engaged throughout the day.
- Plus Plan
Class Party Planner — Estimating Time Project
Teach estimating time with a real-world class party planning project.
- Plus Plan
Estimation Activity - Estimating Space Worksheet Set
Use estimation activities like this estimating space worksheet set to give your students practice estimating, converting measurements and problem solving.
- Plus Plan
Volume Poster
Display our volume poster in your classroom to give students an easy reference for the volume formula and related vocabulary.
- Plus Plan
Word Problems for Volume Task Cards
Present these word problems for volume task cards to your students to give them practice solving volume problems with real-world context!
- Plus Plan
Composite Volume Problems — ‘Prism Party’ Interactive Activity
Challenge your students with this composite volume problems interactive activity that provides nine levels of volume-finding fun!
- Plus Plan
Interactive Volume Activities
Give students our engaging interactive volume activities to present them with a variety of volume problems in eight different challenges.
- Plus Plan
Volume of Composite Shapes Worksheet
Reinforce essential concepts of volume with our volume of composite shapes worksheet full of real-world scenarios.
- Plus Plan
Metric Converting Measurements Chart Set
Use this metric converting measurements chart set as personal student handouts or classroom posters for easy reference!
- Plus Plan
Estimating Units of Measure Worksheet Pack
Practise identifying and estimating appropriate units of measurement with a printable pack of Measurement Worksheets for upper years.
- Plus Plan
Comparing and Ordering Length Task Cards - Year 2
Practise comparing and ordering the lengths of objects with a set of printable informal measurement task cards.
- Plus Plan
How Much Does It Measure? Interactive Measurement Game
Estimate the height, length, capacity, temperature and more with an engaging ‘How Much Does It Measure?’ Interactive Measurement Game.
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? – Measuring With a Centimetre Ruler
Practise measuring objects using a centimetre ruler while playing this whole-class game.
- Free Plan
Measurement Maze Worksheets - Kindergarten/Foundation
Teach your students to compare tall and short objects with a printable set of Kindergarten Maths Maze Worksheets.
- Measurement Worksheets
- Measurement Games
- Measurement Posters
- Measurement Projects
- Measurement Templates
- Measurement Teaching Presentations
- 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