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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Months of the Year - Ordering Worksheet
Practice ordering months of the year with a pack of printable months of the year worksheets for kindergarten.
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Telling the Time Clock Template
Teach how to tell the time to the nearest five-minute increment with a hands-on printable clock template.
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Elapsed Time Anchor Chart - Printable
Show students how to calculate elapsed time on an open number line with a printable elapsed time anchor chart.
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Area (Measuring Regular and Irregular Shapes) Interactive Activity
Assign this colorful area interactive activity in your next math class to help students practice measuring the area of regular and irregular shapes!
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Perimeter Task Cards
Use these perimeter tasks to give your students practice with this fundamental measurement skill.
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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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Converting Units of Mass – Worksheet
Practice converting metric units of mass, including those with decimal representations, with this worksheet.
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Area Worksheets
Practice finding the area of different shapes with this set of 4 worksheets.
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Volume of Rectangular Prisms – Digital and Printable Worksheet
Practice finding the volume of rectangular prisms with a “This or That” worksheet.
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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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Perimeter Word Problems Worksheet
Get students solving real-life perimeter word problems with a printable worksheet for 3rd and 4th grade.
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How Long Is It? Measuring to the Nearest Quarter Inch Worksheet
Practice measuring to the nearest ¼ inch with this 8-question worksheet.
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Telling Time Board Game
Practice representing time on analog clocks, digital clocks, and word form with this board game.
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Time to the Minute and Elapsed Time – Teaching Presentation
Practice telling time to the nearest minute and calculating elapsed time with this 18-slide teaching presentation.
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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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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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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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Capacity Vocabulary Poster
A poster that explains the concept of capacity and lists associated vocabulary.
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Perimeter and Area Poster
A poster that explains and compares the concepts of perimeter and area.
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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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Volume and Capacity Worksheets
A set of 6 worksheets aimed at improving students' basic understanding of volume and capacity.
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Volume of Three-Dimensional Objects Worksheets
Use this set of 3 volume worksheets when students need to practice solving using the volume formula.
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Area of 2D Shapes — Poster Set
Use this set of posters to teach how to find the area of 2D shapes.
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Comparing and Ordering Volume Worksheet
A worksheet that explores the concept of volume.
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Finding the Perimeter of a Rectangle Poster
Teach students the formula for the perimeter of a rectangle with this colorful classroom poster for your math bulletin board.
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Time Number Line (5-Minute Increments)
A time number line to use when teaching elapsed time.
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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.
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Animal Shelter Operations - Metric Conversion Math Task
Bring metric conversions into the real world with an engaging Animal Shelter Metric Conversions Math Task.
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Choosing Units of Measurement Assessment
Assess your student's ability to determine appropriate units of measurement with a printable Metric Measurement Unit Test.
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Estimating Units of Measure Worksheet Pack
Practice identifying and estimating appropriate units of measurement with a printable pack of Measurement Worksheets for 2nd grade.
- 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