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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Capacity vs. Volume - Poster
A poster explaining the difference between capacity and volume.
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Area and Perimeter Haunted House Project
Design your own haunted house and practice finding the perimeter and area of rectangular figures with an exciting Halloween Math Activity!
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Finding Volume – Teaching Slides for 5th Grade
Teach your students how to find the volume of a rectangular prism by counting unit cubes and using a formula with this set of teaching slides designed for 5th-grade students.
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Area of a Parallelogram – Task Cards
Practice calculating the area of a parallelogram with this set of 24 task cards designed for 6th-grade students.
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Area of a Triangle Matching Activity for 6th Grade
Calculate the area of triangle figures and match them with their corresponding areas with this match-up activity.
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Area of a Triangle – Task Cards for 6th Grade
Sixth graders use multiplication and division skills to determine the area of a triangle with this set of 24 task cards.
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Area of a Triangle – Worksheet
Practice applying math formulas with this area of a triangle worksheet.
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Triangle War - Area of a Triangle Math Game
Practice finding and comparing the area of a triangle with a game of WAR!
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Volume of Rectangular Prisms Mini-Book
Learn and practice how to find the volume of a rectangular prism with this mini-book.
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Measurement Conversions - Length – Worksheet
Use ratio reasoning to practice converting length measurements with this worksheet.
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Converting Units of Length - Math Mazes
Strengthen measurement conversion skills while converting units of length with this set of math mazes.
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Area Worksheets
Practice finding the area of different shapes with this set of 4 worksheets.
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Finding Volume (Differentiated Worksheets)
Teach finding the volume of rectangular prisms and cubes with this set of differentiated worksheets.
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Same Perimeter, Different Area Word Problems – Worksheet
Practice solving multi-step word problems involving objects that have the same perimeter but different areas.
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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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Nearest Inch, 1/4 Inch, 1/2 Inch Sorting Activity
Practice measuring to the nearest ¼ inch, ½ inch, and inch with this set of 20 sorting cards.
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I Have, Who Has? - Time to the Minute
Practice telling time to the nearest minute with this set of “I Have, Who Has” game cards.
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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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Perimeter and Area Digital Puzzles
Give students practice finding the area and perimeter of squares and rectangles with these digital area and perimeter puzzles.
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Find the Perimeter of Rectangles Worksheet
Use these perimeter worksheets for 3rd grade and 4th grade students to give your students practice finding the perimeter of rectangles.
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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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Which Is Longer? – Mini Book
Compare the length and height of various common objects with this 8-page mini-book.
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Appropriate Units of Measurement – Worksheet
A worksheet that allows students to choose appropriate units of measurement.
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How Much Does It Measure? Interactive PowerPoint
An interactive quiz to reinforce a range of measurement concepts.
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Field Day Dilemma – Whole Class Game
Test your students’ knowledge of measurement and graphing with this fun whole-class activity.
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Which Is Longer? – Interactive PowerPoint
An interactive PowerPoint quiz that asks students to compare the length and height of various everyday objects.
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Let's Get Measuring with Paper Clips
A set of templates to use when measuring with informal units.
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Connecting Volume and Capacity in the Metric System - Posters
A set of posters connecting volume and capacity in the metric system.
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Clock Labels – 'Past' and 'To'
A template to display around your classroom clock that highlights 'past' and 'to' terminology.
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Capacity Vocabulary Poster
A poster that explains the concept of capacity and lists associated vocabulary.
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Volume Vocabulary Poster
A poster that explains the concept of volume and lists associated vocabulary.
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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.
- Measurement Worksheets
- Measurement Games
- Measurement Posters
- Measurement Templates
- Measurement Projects
- 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