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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Converting Units of Length – Worksheets
Demonstrate an understanding of decimal representations while converting metric units of length with printable conversion worksheets.
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Free Telling Time to the Minute - Worksheet Pack
Practice telling time to the minute by writing the digital time and drawing the hands on analog clocks.
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Blank Digital and Analog Clock Templates
Practice writing the time in digital and analog form with this set of blank clock faces.
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Parts of a Clock Anchor Chart
Familiarize students with the analog clock face, hands and other parts of a clock with a printable poster created for the primary classroom.
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Volume Vocabulary Poster
A poster that explains the concept of volume and lists associated vocabulary.
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Finding the Area of Composite Shapes Task Cards
Calculate the area of rectilinear shapes with a set of Finding the Area of Composite Shapes Task Cards for 5th Grade and 6th Grade.
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Telling the Time Poster
Help your students learn to tell the time to the hour, half-hour, quarter, and minute with a printable Telling the Time anchor chart PDF.
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Perimeter and Area Dice Game
Use this area and perimeter dice game as a math center activity when teaching area and perimeter to your 3rd and 4th graders.
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12-Hour Clock Template
A template for an interactive clock that displays hours, minutes, and wording.
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Measurement Conversions - Length – Worksheet
Use ratio reasoning to practice converting length measurements with this worksheet.
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Selecting Units of Capacity – Measurement Game
Estimate the units needed to measure capacity with an Interactive Measurement Game!
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Elapsed Time Anchor Chart - Strategies
Teach your students how to tell elapsed time with multiple strategies using a printable Elapsed Time Anchor Chart.
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Converting Time Units - Task Cards
Practice converting time with a handy set of free Time Unit Conversion Task Cards.
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Blank Digital and Analog Clock - Worksheet
A worksheet to practice telling time.
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Measuring Capacity Escape Room
Explore measuring and comparing capacity in liters and milliliters with this measuring capacity escape room.
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Area And Perimeter Word Problem Task Cards
Use these area and perimeter task cards in your math centers to give your students practice solving real-world word problems.
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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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Measuring Informal Mass Worksheet
Practice measuring items using informal units of measurement with this measuring mass worksheet.
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Measurement Maze Worksheets - Kindergarten
Teach your students to compare tall and short objects with a printable set of Kindergarten Math Maze Worksheets.
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Mass Calculations Word Problem Worksheets
Put mass understanding into practice with this set of three word problem worksheets.
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5th & 6th Grade Metric Conversions Worksheets - Length
Practice converting, comparing, and ordering metric measurements with Metric Conversions practice sheets for 5th and 6th grade.
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Measuring Length with Standard Units Teaching Slides
Introduce your students to the formal units to measure length with an engaging, interactive teaching slide deck.
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Know Your Measurement Conversions Interactive Game
Practice measurement conversions involving time, length, capacity, and volume with an exciting Know Your Measurement! Trivia Game!
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5th Grade Geometry Test
Assess your students' skills with quadrilaterals, coordinate grids, and volume of solid figures using a printable 5th Grade Geometry Test.
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What Do You Do? A.M. or P.M. Worksheets
Review concepts related to A.M. and P.M. time with a pack of printable A.M or P.M. printable worksheets.
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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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Busy Binder - Kindergarten Morning Work Activity Book
Review daily calendar, math, literacy, and fine motor skills with a printable kindergarten Busy Binder workbook!
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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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Informal Times of Day - Kindergarten Time Worksheet
Help students learn about time with a set of printable Informal Times of Day worksheets.
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Months of the Year Printable Activity Book
Create months of the year booklets to help your students identify, sequence and spell the months in a year.
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Elapsed Time Interactive Word Problems Game
Practice solving elapsed time word problems with an interactive quiz game for 3rd and 4th graders.
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Days of the Week Activity Sheets
Use these Days of the Week printables to introduce your students to basic calendar concepts like ordering days of the week, writing their names and more!
- 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