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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Time Sort - Morning, Afternoon & Evening Activity
Help your students learn about different times of day (morning, afternoon, and evening) with a Times of Day Sorting activity.
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Months of the Year Bingo
Recognize and order the months in a year with a printable Bingo Game!
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Which Is Heavier? – Kindergarten Math Game
Have your students practice identifying heavier or lighter objects with an engaging “Which is Heavier" interactive game.
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Time Conversion Math Maze Worksheets
Convert units of time while finding your way through this set of 3 Time Conversion math mazes.
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Measurement Conversion Worksheets - Units of Time
Use a set of printable measurement conversion worksheets to practice converting units of time.
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Elapsed Time Printables (Digital Clocks)
Download a pack of differentiated Elapsed Time worksheets to help your students practice finding elapsed time using digital clocks.
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Reading a Calendar Worksheets
Practice reading a calendar with a pack of printable monthly Calendar Worksheets.
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Days of the Week Word Scramble
Unscramble the names of the days in a week with a printable word scramble worksheet!
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Days of the Week Activity Mat
Review the order and spelling of the days in a week with a printable Days of the Week Activity Mat!
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Converting Units of Time Match-Up Game
Convert time units, including seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months by completing a match-up activity.
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Differentiated Elapsed Time Worksheets for Beginners
Download a pack of differentiated Elapsed Time worksheets to help your students learn to calculate elapsed time in hours, half hours, and minutes.
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Following Directions Worksheets - Reading a Clock Review
Practice telling time to the half-hour, quarter-hour, and five-minute mark with a pack of printable Following Directions worksheets.
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Time Matching Game - Hour and Half Hour Ice Cream Cones
Create a math center to practice telling time to the hour and half hour with a printable ice cream themed time game for first grade.
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3-Act Math Tasks - Time Conversion Worksheets
Practice problem-solving skills and time conversions with a printable pack of 3 Act Maths Task worksheets.
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Clock Reading Puzzles- Half-Hour
Practice reading analog clocks, digital clocks, and time in word form with a set of printable Telling Time to the Hour and Half Hour Clock Puzzles.
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Telling the Time - Clocks to 5 Minutes Task Cards
Practice reading clocks to determine time to the nearest 5 minutes with a set of telling time task cards.
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Elapsed Time With Analog Clocks – Worksheets
Determine how much time has passed with this collection of elapsed time worksheets.
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4th Grade Elapsed Time Word Problems - Task Cards
Solve different types of elapsed time word problems with a set of printable 4th-grade Elapsed Time Task Cards.
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Time and Elapsed Time - Task Cards
Solve a variety of time and elapsed time problems with a set of Elapsed Time to the Hour and Half-Hour task cards.
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Time to the Minute - Color by Code Worksheet
Review how to tell time to the minute with a fun Color By Code 3rd Grade math worksheet.
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Task Cards - A.M. and P.M. Time
Help your students tell A.M. times from P.M. times with a set of 24 A.M./P.M. task cards.
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A.M. and P.M. Matching Game
Identify what happens in the A.M. and P.M. times with a fun matching game.
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Days of the Week Mini Book
Create a Days of the Week Booklet to help your students identify, sequence and spell the days of the week.
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Calendar Math SCOOT! Task Cards
Teach your students about calendars, days of the week, and months of the year with a Classroom Calendar Scoot Game!
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Time to the Hour and Half-Hour - Digital Learning Activity
Read different clock faces to tell time to the nearest hour and half hour with a digital learning activity for first grade.
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3rd Grade - Time to the Minute Quiz Game
Practice telling time to the minute with an engaging 3rd Grade Telling Time Quiz Game.
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1st Grade Telling Time Game - Mystery Reveal
Practice telling time to the hour and half-hour with an interactive Telling Time Game for first grade.
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Elapsed Time Rulers
Use an elapsed time ruler to help your students determine the duration of time.
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Elapsed Time Number Search Worksheets
Review how to find elapsed time and practice learned skills with engaging Elapsed Time Number Search worksheets!
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What Does the Clock Say? - Telling Time Game
Solve the math riddles to find the clocks that show the correct time with a fun Time to 5 Minute Telling Time Game.
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What Time Is It? Telling Time Playdough Mats
Use playdough to practice telling time to the hour and half hour with printable playdough mats for kindergarten.
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Hours, Seconds & Minutes - Estimating Time Sort
Estimate activities that take about a second, minute, hour, and week with a printable unit of time sorting activity.
- 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