KATE

Teaching Measurement

Core Connections

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Have you ever gone to an amusement park and wanted to ride a roller coaster?  Before you can ride the roller coaster you must meet a basic requirement - being a minimum height.  Being able to measure objects is a skill that is necessary in everyday life, not just if you want to ride a roller coaster.  At the elementary and intermediate levels, students must be able to measure using nonstandard and standard units of measurement; identify measurable attributes of objects; estimate and measure weight, length, perimeter, area, angles, temperature, time and money; and convert units within the same measurement system.

When teaching measurement several issues must be addressed such as:  standard measurement (inches, cups, pounds, etc) and metric measurement (meter, liter, gram, etc.), the relationships between the two types of measurement, the tools used to perform measurement tasks (e.g. thermometer, ruler, scale, clock, meter stick, yard stick), and how to convert measurements using scale and ratio. 

Measurements can be precise or an estimate depending on whether a standard or nonstandard tool is used.  Determining the tool to use depends on the reason or need of the measurement.  Students often have trouble using the various measuring tools specifically the inch ruler and its various increments.  The best way to overcome the difficulties is practice, practice, practice!  Although using measurement tools yields exact measurements, students must learn to determine if an exact measurement is required or if an estimate will meet their need.  Estimating first and then finding the actual measure is an excellent technique to help the students understand the different measurements.  Also, it will help the students differentiate between the concepts of scale measurement and actual measurement.

Knowing how to correctly measure objects opens the door to many mathematical concepts particularly in geometry.  It is a skill that students must practice to master.  The more types of measuring the students are exposed to the better prepared they are for real-world situations.

Click the hyperlink for a complete standards based Measurement Unit.

Related Links

• KATE TICK -

  Repository of technology-rich resources for all content areas.

• Architects in Action Lesson Plan -

  Lesson plan relating ratio and scale to real-life situations of map reading and blue prints.

• Scavenger Hunt for Lengths -

  Lesson plan on measuring and estimating lengths.

• Printable Paper Rulers -

  Printable paper rulers with different increments.

• Measure for Measure: Lengths and Heights Lesson Plan -

  Lesson plan on importance of accurate measurement and history of how measurements have been calculated.

• Measuring in Inches Lesson Plan -

  Examples of inch rulers in different increments and questions that relate.

• Estimation of Length Video -

  This interactive video introduces students to estimation and different units of measure (e.g. inches, feet, yards, etc). It introduces students to different measuring tools such as a ruler, yardstick, and measuring tape. It also introduces students to the concept of benchmarks. For example, a dollar bill can be used as a bench mark and is approximately six inches. At the end of the video students do an interactive activity practicing estimation.

• Measure It Games -

  This website is divided into easy, medium, and hard activities that allow students of different levels to practice their measuring skills on a ruler. Activities include measuring centimeters and inches.

• Max's Math Adventures -

  This is a poem about measuring without a standard tool.  Students can submit their measurements of objects in the classroom measured without a standard measuring tool (no rulers!).

• Standard Measurement in Sports -

  Table with standard sport measurements.

• Precision vs. Accuracy -

  Discussion of which measurement is closer to the actual length.