Measurement Teaching Resources
Is your math class ready to dive into length measurement, measuring objects, and more measurement practice? Say hello to printable measurement worksheets, games, and digital activities created by teachers for elementary teachers!
This collection of teaching resources was created by our expert math teachers to help students meet Common Core and state-level 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 math curriculum? Our teacher team knows what it’s like to suddenly teach a brand-new grade level, so we’ve put together a quick guide to teaching measurement!
What Are the 4 steps of Teaching and Learning Measurement?
Elementary students have to learn a long list of measurement concepts during their stint in elementary 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 inches or pounds. 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 — Finally, 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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Reading a Calendar – Worksheet
Practice locating information on a calendar with a 2nd Grade Calendar Worksheet.
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It's About Time! Telling Time Unit Introduction Slides
Introduce your students to the concepts and history of time and for investigate the relationship between units of time with an interactive teaching slide deck.
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Days of the Week Poster
Display the days of the week with a bright and cheery Days of the Week poster for your classroom.
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Telling Time to the Minute Bingo
A set of 32 bingo cards using analog clocks to practice telling time to the minute.
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Telling Time Bingo - Time to the Quarter Hours
Practice telling time to the quarter hour with a printable Telling Time Bingo Game.
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Elapsed Time on a Number Line Worksheets
Practice finding elapsed time using an open number line with a pair of differentiated elapsed time 3rd grade worksheets.
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When Does It Happen? – Sorting Activity
Identify activities that happen in the morning, afternoon, and at night with a Time of Day Sorting activity for Kindergarten students.
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Measuring Area Using Informal Units Worksheets
Use this set of area worksheets to help your students practice measuring the area of regular and irregular shapes using informal (square) units.
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Perimeter Escape Room – The Mysterious Missing Cupcakes
Have your supersleuth students solve this perimeter escape room to find out who stole the missing cupcakes!
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Perimeter of Composite Shapes Task Cards
Have your students find the perimeter of composite shapes with this set of task cards perfect for math centers.
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Perimeter of Composite Shapes Maze
Use this perimeter maze when teaching your students how to calculate the perimeter of composite shapes.
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Perimeter Practice Problems With Visuals – Worksheet
Download these perimeter practice problems to use when exploring measurement concepts in your math lessons.
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Finding the Perimeter Interactive Activity
Get students finding the perimeter of shapes with this self-checking digital resource, perfect for lesson introductions and wrap-ups.
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Area of a Parallelogram – Differentiated Math Mazes
Determine the area of different parallelograms with a set of differentiated math mazes.
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Volume Match-Up!
Find rectangular prisms with the same volume while completing this match-up activity.
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Customary Units of Measurement – Poster Pack
Use this set of customary conversion posters when learning about units of length, weight, and capacity.
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Metric Units of Measurement – Poster Pack
Use this set of metric conversion posters when learning about units of length, weight, and capacity.
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Measuring to the Nearest 1/2 and 1/4 Inch Task Cards
Measure items to the nearest ½ and ¼ inch with this set of 20 task cards.
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End of Year Project- Design a Summer Camp
Plan, design, and organize a Summer Camp Program with a fun end of year art and STEM project for elementary students.
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Counting Coins - Interactive Activities
Practice creating amounts up to a $1.00 with a variety of coins.
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Time to the Minute – Kaboom Game
Practice reading analog clocks and telling time to the nearest minute with this engaging card game.
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Measuring Length with Clover Worksheet
Measure familiar objects using our lucky clover in this St Patrick’s Day math activity!
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Interactive Perimeter Puzzle
Play this perimeter game with your class so they can practice calculating the perimeter of a variety of 2D shapes.
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Telling Time Practice Sheets
Practice reading analog clocks with this set of differentiated worksheets.
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Elapsed Time With Clocks – Worksheet
A worksheet for students to practice calculating elapsed time.
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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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Three Little Pigs Area Worksheet
A worksheet to practice finding area using square units.
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Introduction to Area Instructional Slide Deck
Introduce the concept of measuring the area of regular shapes with this 22-slide instructional slide deck.
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Customary Conversion Dominoes
A domino activity to practice customary conversions
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Capacity Math Investigation - Filling the Fish Tank
A mathematics investigation involving capacity, embedded in a real-world context.
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12-Hour Clock Template
A template for an interactive clock that displays hours, minutes, and wording.
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Perimeter Worksheet
Use these perimeter worksheets in your math lessons when teaching your students how to apply various formulae to calculate the perimeter of shapes.
- Measurement Worksheets
- Measurement Games
- Measurement Posters
- Measurement Projects
- Measurement Templates
- Measurement for Pre-K
- Measurement for Kindergarten
- Measurement for 1st Grade
- Measurement for 2nd Grade
- Measurement for 3rd Grade
- Measurement for 4th Grade
- Measurement for 5th Grade
- Measurement for 6th Grade