Focus On Measurement I think teaching measurement should be fun because there are so many real world questions kids ask every day that are answered using the vocabulary and concepts of measurement. How big am I? […]
Have a student come to the front of the classroom and as a class, predict the length of his or her arms, legs or ears. Group students into groups of three and explain that each students should help to measure others and should measure himself or herself.
Students will use their measurement skills to determine which student will receive the gold metal. Review with students the best way to measure length, width and height.
Set up stations where students will measure to determine who can jump the farthest, run the fastest (measuring time!), throw the farthest and jump the highest.
Have each student draw a picture using a ruler, drawing only straight, vertical and horizontal lines. On a separate piece of paper, they should mark one endpoint of each line with a dot and a letter.
So, the second paper should have several dots accompanied by letters, but nothing else. Students then need to write out directions for another student to draw the picture using the dots given.
Begin by reviewing a ruler projected on a screen, showing students both sides of the ruler and noting that one edge shows inches while the other shows centimeters. Tell them they will be measuring with the inches side of the ruler today. Have students estimate in inches how long a strip of paper you hold up might be.
Students will need a large number of 1” cubes (wooden or plastic), a collection of various sizes of boxes (cereal, tea, crackers, etc.), rulers, pencils and paper.
Put students into pairs and give each pair two different sized boxes. Students will use the cubes to measure volume. This is a great way to introduce a unit on volume. Students will follow these directions projected on the overhead screen:
Use a pencil and ruler to draw several different lines all the way across the length or width of a piece of paper. Make lines diagonally at different angles instead of horizontally or vertically.
Make several copies of the paper with lines drawn in this manner. Using a paper cutter, slice the paper into the given pieces and place pieces from one paper into separate envelopes.
This game will help students learn to measure by practising on various objects. Write down a list of different measurements, such as 1 inch, 6 inches, 2 feet, 1 yard and give students a copy of the list.
Students will walk around the classroom or playground and try to find objects that match these measurements. The first student to finish the list wins the game.
Students will work in pairs. They each need pencils, rulers, bulletin board paper (one sheet for each student big enough to trace bodies), a life-size cut out of Abe Lincoln (Draw and measure this, or ask the art teacher for help!) hung up on the wall as if standing so students can see how tall he actually is.
Each student will need a milk carton filled with good soil, bean seeds, string to support the plants, graph paper to record results, a pencil and a ruler to measure the growth. You need a sunny window to put the plants near as well.
Have each student plant their seed one inch deep, one per container.
Place your containers in a sunny window. Water the seeds daily or every other day. Poke holes in the bottom of the milk cartons (this will keep roots from rotting).