Curated OER
Shaquille O'Neal Hand & Foot Span
If Shaquille O'Neal wears a size-20 shoe, how big are his hands? Learners will use the average ratios of foot length to hand span to calculate the hand span of Shaq, but first, they have to collect the data! They will measure their peers...
Curated OER
Does it Measure Up?
Use this fun activity with youngsters learning how to use rules for measurement. Each is provided with six steps that direct them to draw specific things with specific heights or lengths. For example, they start by drawing a tree that is...
Curated OER
Teaching About Plate Tectonics and Faulting Using Foam Models
Young scientists learn about plate tectonics and the three different types of faults (normal, reverse, and strike-slip) using foam models. The activity also covers common types of locations where these faults are found.
EngageNY
Making Scale Drawings Using the Parallel Method
How many ways can you create a dilation? Many! Individuals strengthen their understanding of dilations by using various methods to create them. The new technique builds on pupils' understanding of the ratio method. Using the ratio,...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Micro-GEEBITT Climate Activity
A truly hands-on and inquiry based learning activity bridges all the lessons in the series together. Beginning with a discussion on average global temperatures, young meteorologists use real-world data to analyze climate trends in order...
Curated OER
How To Measure Area
Geometers learn how to measure the area in square units. They use the floor in the classroom as a visual to measure a square foot area. They use classmates to fill the space and expand the measured area square foot by square foot until...
Curated OER
Back To the Basics: Measurement
Lead the class in a review of the basic concepts and procedures involved in measuring length, weight, and volume. After whole group instruction, small groups and individuals practice measuring by completing a variety of fun activities...
Curated OER
The Ruler, The King of Measurement
First graders learn how use a ruler to measure common items. In this measurement lesson, 1st graders examine the numerical markings on rulers and learn that each number stands for a unit of measure. They measure 5 classroom items after...
Georgetown University
Cup-Activity: Writing Equations From Data
Determine how cup stacking relates to linear equations. Pupils stack cups and record the heights. Using the data collected, learners develop a linear equation that models the height. The scholars then interpret the slope and the...
Curated OER
Volcano Contour Models Activity
Students experiment with water levels and plastic topographic volcano models to determine the contour lines that would be used to create a topograpohic map of a volcano. They use the traced lines to actually develop the map.
Virginia Department of Education
Going the Distance
Estimate the value of one of the most famous irrational numbers. The hands-on lesson instructs classmates to measure the circumference and diameters of circles using yarn. The ratio of these quantities defines pi.
Wisconsin Online Resource Center
Oversized Inch
Each member of the class creates their own paper ruler. Using their ruler, kids walk around the room measuring the objects you've specified. Discuss how items should be measured to the 16th of an inch, the smallest unit on their ruler....
Virginia Department of Education
Surface Area and Volume
Partners use materials to wrap three-dimensional objects to determine the formula for surface area. The groups use an orange to calculate the amount of peel it takes to completely cover the fruit. Using manipulatives, individuals then...
Virginia Department of Education
Measuring Mania
Conversion immersion — it's measuring mania! A set of four activities teaches scholars to convert between customary and metric units. Resource covers unit conversions in length, temperature, weight/mass, and volume.
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Investigating Similar Triangles
Let your use of the resource be in proportion to its usefulness. Pupils investigate similar triangles by measuring side lengths and considering given angle measures. The results of the investigation help develop generalizations about...
University of Colorado
Looking Inside Planets
All of the gas giant's atmospheres consist of hydrogen and helium, the same gases that make up all stars. The third in a series of 22, the activity challenges pupils to make scale models of the interiors of planets in order to...
EngageNY
Estimating Centers and Interpreting the Mean as a Balance Point
How do you balance a set of data? Using a ruler and some coins, learners determine whether the balance point is always in the middle. Through class and small group discussions, they find that the mean is the the best estimate of the...
Curated OER
Making a Living and Leisure Activities
Students investigate the economic and daily activities in a typical African community. They design and construct a small scale house, play an African board game, create African money, discuss vocabulary, and write an essay.
Curated OER
Exploring Electricity - Four Activities
These are four classic activities used for instructing upper elementary electricians. The first involves experimenting with the Van de Graaff generator. The second is a series of hands-on experiences with static. In the third activity,...
Teach Engineering
Penny Perfect Properties (Solid-Liquid Interations)
I can get more water to stay on a penny than you can! Collaborative pairs determine the volume of liquids that can be contained on the surface of copper pennies and plastic coins. The pairs analyze their results using graphs and go on to...
NTTI
What Size Is It Anyway?
A fabulous plan on teaching basic concepts of measurement to young learners. Pupils use nonstandard units to measure length, practice using a ruler and a yardstick, compare the length of two objects, and perform estimations of length....
Oregon State
Using Paper Chromatography
Through the analysis of paper chromatography to separate ink from the pen found at the crime scene, learners analyze the different stains and through calculations determine the thief.
Curated OER
Graph Paper Patterns
Young artists divide a piece of graph paper into sections using rectangles, squares, and triangles. They then fill each section with patterns of shape and color. Elementary graders describe how their patterns are organized. Secondary...
NASA
Cleaning Water
From their sweat to the water vapor in their breath, astronauts recycle every possible drop of water while in space. After watching a short video describing the different ways materials are recycled and reused in space shuttles, young...