April is Math Education Month--a time to celebrate numbers! As part of our celebration, we focus on the objectives of the measurement standards. These standards are perfect for doing hands-on activities and exploring new concepts. As students delve into these concepts, they will use many other skills previously learned and experience how to apply them in working situations. Skills and concepts related to measurement are easily tied to real-world situations, making their value clear to our students.
The ability to measure with the appropriate unit is used throughout our entire curriculum. This basic learning tool helps connect the world of math to every other facet of our lives. Whether you're doing science, or geography, or literature, or art, measurement skills become an important part of the task. Spaghetti and Meatballs for All, by Marilyn Burns, provides an easy example of the place of measurement in our daily lives as well as a connection to literature.
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Measurement, Perimeter, and Area
Activities are described for grades 7-9. Materials are usually very accessible, and the lessons are easily completed.
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A Walk Through Time
This site could be used directly by students or as a reference by the instructor. It looks at the history of clocks, calendars, and scales.
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Kids' Almanac--Standard Measurement in Sports
Grades 3-8. These measurements for the different sports--for example, the size of a basketball court, the circumference of a bowling ball, or the weight of a baseball--could be used in problem-solving activities created by the teacher or student.
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Measure It!
Grades 3-5. Seven different variations of this game are presented for the student. In each case, the student measures different items in inches or centimeters.
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Hands-On Math Activities for Grades 4-6
Grades 4-6. This site provides six lesson plans on different facets of measurement. Worksheets are needed, they are provided on the site.
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Pi Mathematics
Grades 6-8. This site is a great introduction to the concept of pi. It provides activities, history, a video, a project, and the problems that require the use of pi.
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Mrs. Glosser's Math Goodies--Lesson on Circumference of a Circle
Grades 6-8. Basic information on pi, circles, and formulas is given. The student can then apply this knowledge to some basic questions. This site will link you to other sites that contain puzzles, lessons on area, worksheets, and challenge exercises.
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Metric measuring with sugar cubes, paper, straws, string and simple things
 Date: 1984 Grade(s): 3 - 10 Cost: $15.00 ENC#: 015239
Using simple materials, the students use the metric system in 20 separate activities. Each lesson can be completed in small groups or can be completed individually.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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Spaghetti and meatballs for all!: a mathematical story
Date: 1997 Grade(s): K - 6 Cost: $15.95 ENC#: 012248
Area and perimeter play an important part of this story involving the Comfort family and their 32 guests. An activity that complements the book is found online at http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/results/index.asp. Click on Math, and then Area and Volume, and then Finding Multiple Ways to Solve a Problem and look for Activity 2.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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Communicating mathematics with pattern blocks: primary
Date: 1992 Grade(s): K - 3 Cost: $12.25 ENC#: 000304
This workbook presents many concepts in geometry and measurement. The hands-on activities allow the student to explore and discover new concepts.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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Problem solving with pentominoes: grades 1-4 activity book
Date: 1992 Grade(s): 1 - 4 Cost: $10.95 ENC#: 016461
This activity book deals with many geometry concepts, but it also reinforces the measurement content standard with several good lessons on perimeter and area.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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Covering and surrounding: two-dimensional measurement
Date: 1996 Grade: 6 Cost: $6.47 - $19.97 ENC#: 010959
This project-oriented workbook puts the student in an active role as a designer. Using mathematical formulas and set information, the student or group creates possible solutions.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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Communicating mathematics with pattern blocks: intermediate
Date: 1993 Grade(s): 4 - 6 Cost: $12.25 ENC#: 000305
This workbook, like the one for the primary grades, presents many concepts in geometry and measurement. And like its primary-grade counterpart, it too provides hands-on activities that help the student to discover and explore new concepts.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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Measurement in the middle grades
Date: 1994 Grade(s): 5 - 8 Cost: $20.95 ENC#: 002593
This is an excellent combination of background information for the teacher and activities for the students. Sections focus on estimating and measuring, discovering formulas of measurement, and connecting measurement to other areas.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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About teaching mathematics: a K to 8 resource
 Featured in ENC Focus
Date: 1992 Grade(s): K - 8 Cost: $34.50 ENC#: 008504
This is the perfect resource for all math teachers. It discusses all the standards, including measurement. The book provides teaching strategies, background, and activities for the teacher's use.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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Linking mathematics and language: practical classroom activities
Date: 1994 Grade(s): K - 6 Cost: $18.95 ENC#: 006456
This book discusses the holistic approach to math instruction and provides activities for each standard. Individual lessons give step-by-step instructions and the reasoning behind a particular activity.
(For more details see ENC Record)
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How to teach perimeter, area, and volume
Date: 1986 Grade(s): 3 - 6 Cost: Out of Print ENC#: 004677
Several teaching techniques are explained in this workbook. Worksheets reinforce each skill and concept.
(For more details see ENC Record)
Find more materials by searching Curriculum Resources on ENC Online using these terms: Area, Measurement, Metric system, Perimeter, Volume, or Weight.
Realizing that there are many ways to use this Classroom Calendar entry, we chose these standards because they relate to the entry, in full or in part. If you want to explore the standards further, please use the link(s) provided.
Connections to NCTM Standards
Measurement: Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement
Measurement: Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas to determine measurements
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Kim Irving
Contributing Teacher
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First posted: 4/3/2001
Last modified: 3/31/2004 |
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