Teaching Measurement
When teaching measurement to young children provide lots of opportunities for the students to order objects by size. Use real objects to help children understand measurement concepts.
Measurement Terms
The terms non-standard and standard are often used when describing prescribed learning outcomes for measurement.
Measuring with non-standard units means measuring things with blocks, pencils, hands, feet, etc. As long as the items used to measure with are all the same size, e.g. identical blocks or brand new pencils, they are suitable to use.
Measuring with standard units means measuring with inches, feet, yards, centimeters or meters, using rulers and other measuring devices.
For a detailed how to teach measurement activity, see the example half way down on "Teaching kindergarten and preschool math" page .
Teaching measurement - Area
A fun activity is to find two flat objects which look the same but are different sizes. Cover them with unifix cubes and count how many blocks it takes to cover each one.
Teaching Measurement - Volume
A water center is the best way to let children have experiences with measuring volume. Build children's vocabulary as they experiment with pouring water into taller, shorter, narrower, and wider containers.
"Did the narrow, tall container hold the same amount of water as the wide, short one?"
Teaching Measurement - Time
Young children think of time as morning and night, longer days and shorter days, school days and weekends, story time and snack time. .
Some things take longer to do, other things take a shorter amount of time to complete. Children need to understand this concept before they tackle hours, minutes and seconds.
Children can learn that clocks and calendars are tools to help us keep track of time and are useful when planning events and activities.
A fun activity is to wipe the chalkboard with a damp cloth on a hot day. Let the children count and observe how long it takes for the water to disappear (usually a minute or two).
Teaching Measurement - Temperature
Have precut thin red strips that fit a large classroom thermometer ready.
Each day a child takes a turn cutting the strip to the length of the red in the thermometer and gluing the strip on to a chart.
The children can then compare the strips and report if the temperature is warmer, hotter or cooler than the previous day. Children can count how many hot days, how many cool days, etc.
Recording their experiences
Have children record their measurement experiences.
In the example, all the items the children recorded were labeled to help them spell the words. They chose two items, put them in the balance scale buckets and then recorded the heaviest and lightest objects.
Teaching measurement vocabulary
Refine the students measurement vocabulary as they take part in the daily kindergarten routines.
Reinforce terms such as: taller, shorter, small, large, lighter, heavier, hotter, colder, warm and variations of the terms such as large, larger, largest, morning. Also afternoon, evening, today, yesterday, tomorrow, week, year
Use vocabulary such as: thermometer, calendar, ruler, meter stick or yard stick, clock, and balance scale.
Go from "Teaching measurement" to "Teaching math vocabulary".
Teaching measurement: what do they need to know?
The children need experiences:
- classifying, describing and arranging objects using language such as shorter than, longer than...
- describing time and temperature with terms such as longer, shorter, hotter, colder, warm...
- comparing sizes of objects by using non-standard units e.g. line up blocks beside books, count the blocks
- choosing a non-standard unit and using it to estimate, measure, compare, and order various objects
- Use a non-standard unit (link cubes for example) to cover the given area of objects. e.g. How many crayon boxes does it take to cover the desk?
All math pages:
Teaching kindergarten & preschool math - how to teach kindergarten and preschool math concepts, sample step-by-step teach measurement, activities and games
Teaching with math manipulatives - how to teach with math manipulatives to help children understand math concepts
Best math manipulatives - choose materials that are useful for more than one math concept, work well for problem solving activities and are tough enough to withstand constant play
Teaching math vocabulary - learn how to teach math vocabulary and specific words as you demonstrate math activities and talk to your students about their math experiences.
Attribute blocks - how to use these math manipulatives for different features: shape, color, size and thickness to help promote logical thinking
Graphing 1 - how to teach graphing to preschool and kindergarten children, includes collecting data and organizing it in a variety of ways
Graphing 2 - more graphing ideas for young children
Measurement - how to find measurement to young children, find opportunities for students to order objects by size, color, shape...
Number Activities - how to provide experiences that build number sense
Number Games - how to improve children's number sense with easy games
Number Skills - what number skills do children need to know?
Pattern 1- how to teach children pattern concepts
Pattern 2 - ideas and games to teach children to recognize, create, copy and extend patterns
Pattern 3 - teach patterning skills to early childhood and preschool students
Sorting and classifying- how to teach children the important skills of sorting, comparing and classifying objects
Math & Literature Connections - how to combine math and literature, learn how to promote math skills as you share good literature
Ten Apples Up on Top - open-ended math activity with Dr. Suess
10 Little Rubber Ducks - ideas to promote math with this wonderful Eric Carle story
1, 2, 3 to the Zoo - another great Eric Carle book, practice counting, making number sets, ordinal numbers and more
