Measurement for primary

Image of scales, measuring beaker, cube and clock, linked to key understandings information

The key understandings in measurement are recognising that objects have attributes and these attributes can be measured using units.

Check out A Maths Dictionary for Kids¹ to explore the language of mathematics. Worksheet wizard² generates printable worksheets for practice in measuring length in mm, cm and km, as well as perimeter and capacity. Interactive calendars³ and clocks⁴ are a fun way to learn to tell time.

For Interactive White Board resources, explore SMART exchange⁵.

Use the site Primary Resources⁶ for measurement at all stages of learning. Another great source of explanations, diagrams and worksheets is Math is Fun⁷.

ABC Education⁸ has videos, teaching notes and a variety of activities, like this one⁹ about the length of a year and how many seasons there are in different parts of Australia, or measuring different things¹⁰.

Balance different shapes at Guess the Weights¹¹ and practice measuring in cm¹². Use the language of length to order height¹³.

Visit Mathsframe¹⁴ to read hour times on an analog clock.

It's important at this stage to ground the discussion in the physical world, so make sure that you are giving students opportunities to measure and order physical objects. If each student brings in an interesting item, a useful series of small group activities might be to ask a group of students to think of different properties to measure, and order the objects in reference to each property, ie order the objects by weight, length, height.

Feed the mouse while telling time¹⁵, or measure and record mass¹⁶ at ICT games. Read lengths in centimetres at funbrain¹⁷ and find the perimeter and area of rectangles.

This interactive scale¹⁸ will let you practice reading different scales, both grams and kilograms.

This page¹⁹ describes an interesting technique for estimating distance, which could be used for a good discussion about estimation and accuracy.

Learn a cool method of measuring a tree²⁰ without a ladder, and discover the relationship between volume and displacement²¹.

Can you read a graduated cylinder²²? — try these quizzes and practice using litres and millilitres. Learn about converting²³ between different systems of measurement.

Try these measurement puzzles²⁴ from Math is Fun.

Always make links to the physical world. When students measure physical objects, they have to decide where to measure from, and how accurate they want to be, and this can start useful discussions.

Parents
Teachers

Find five ways to build yout child’s numeracy skills²⁵ (.pdf 709 kB). Discover everyday ways²⁶ in which you can help your child understand measurement , and find some tips on supporting numeracy at home²⁷.

See the Numeracy wraps: Calculating volume²⁸, Round the outside²⁹ and The long and the short³⁰. Access the the SMART teaching strategies³¹ site for teaching strategies in all stages and areas of measurement.

Check out Mathforlove.com³² for some lesson and activity ideas.

See also Sites2See pages for Number³³, Patterns and Algebra³⁴ and Space and Geometry³⁵ for Primary.

Measurement for primary

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