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Teaching measurement in primary classrooms helps students connect mathematics to the real world. Through hands-on experiences comparing, estimating, and quantifying, learners develop an understanding of size, amount, and duration — key ideas that underpin many areas of mathematics.

The A+ Teacher Club Guides to Teaching unpack the Measurement Strand of the mathematics curriculum step by step. Created by numeracy coach Vikki Longthorn, these guides show teachers what to teach, when to teach it, and how to build deep understanding so students can reason, estimate, and measure with confidence.

Part of the How to Teach Maths in Primary Classrooms series.

What Is the Measurement Strand About?

The Measurement Strand focuses on how students quantify, compare, and understand the attributes of objects and events — such as length, mass, capacity, area, volume, angle, and time.

Students learn to:

• Compare and order objects by size, weight, or capacity.
• Use informal and formal units to measure attributes.
• Estimate, measure, and record quantities accurately.
• Understand that measurement requires consistent units and tools.
• Apply measurement skills to solve practical problems.

Measurement develops from direct comparison (e.g. “Which container holds more?”) to understanding standard units (e.g. centimetres, litres, grams) and eventually using formulas for perimeter, area, and volume.

Why Teaching Measurement Matters

Measurement bridges mathematical understanding and everyday life.
Students use measurement to tell time, bake, build, play sport, and interpret data — skills essential for independent living and STEM learning.

Teaching measurement effectively helps students:

• Understand the meaning and purpose of standard units.
• Develop estimation and reasoning strategies.
• Use proportional reasoning to compare and scale quantities.
• Connect abstract mathematical ideas to practical experiences.

Hands-on exploration and consistent language are key to helping students develop accurate and transferable measurement skills.

How the Measurement Strand Connects to the Curriculum

Mathematics in the Australian Curriculum v9 is organised into six interrelated strands — Number, Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics, and Probability.
The A+ Teacher Club Guides to Teaching Measurement align directly with this structure, showing how to teach measurement systematically from Foundation through Year 6.

Across these years, students:

• Explore and compare measurable attributes such as length, mass, and capacity.
• Develop understanding of standard and non-standard units.
• Learn to use tools such as rulers, scales, and measuring jugs accurately.
• Connect measurement with geometry, time, and data.
• Build reasoning about estimation, precision, and fairness.

Each guide links the curriculum content to practical examples, progressions, and success criteria for classroom use.

For full curriculum details, see the Australian Curriculum Mathematics Overview.

Mathematics Manipulatives for Teaching Measurement

Measurement is inherently practical, and students need concrete materials to explore and compare attributes meaningfully.

Recommended manipulatives include:

• Messy Measuring Box – Informal units
• Unifix cubes and counters – for informal length and mass comparisons.
• Rulers, metre sticks, and measuring tapes – to explore standard units of length.
• Scales, balance pans, and spring balances – for mass and weight investigations.
• Measuring jugs, cups, and syringes – to compare and estimate capacity and volume.
• Clocks, timers, and calendars – to explore time, duration, and sequencing.
• Protractors and angle templates – for measuring turns and angles.
• Containers of various shapes and sizes – to link measurement to volume and capacity.

Use these tools across hands-on rotations and investigations to develop accuracy and understanding.

Using Picture Books to Teach Measurement Concepts

Picture books provide context and imagination for learning measurement, linking mathematical ideas to familiar experiences.

Recommended titles include:

• “How Big Is a Foot?” – Rolf Myller – a classic story introducing standard and non-standard units.
• “Measuring Penny” – Loreen Leedy – explores different attributes (length, mass, time) through a child’s eyes.
• “Inch by Inch” – Leo Lionni – introduces measurement through a creative narrative about a worm.
• “Room for Ripley” – Stuart J. Murphy – teaches capacity and careful measuring.
• “Super Sand Castle Saturday” – Stuart J. Murphy – connects volume, capacity, and teamwork.
• “Mr Archimedes’ Bath” – Pamela Allen – introduces displacement and volume in a playful way.
• “A Second Is a Hiccup” – Hazel Hutchins – explores the measurement of time through everyday events.

Integrating picture books allows teachers to introduce measurement vocabulary, promote reasoning, and link mathematics to story and play.

Common Student Difficulties in the Measurement Strand

Measurement can be conceptually challenging because it combines number, space, and comparison.
Common difficulties include:

• Inconsistent use of informal units – overlapping or leaving gaps between objects.
• Lack of understanding of iteration – not realising that units must be equal in size.
• Confusion between attributes – mixing up length, area, and volume.
• Errors in using tools – misreading scales or starting from the wrong point.
• Weak estimation strategies – guessing without reasoning or reference.
• Problems with non-standard measurement – not applying key measuring skills such as:
  • selecting the correct tool for the attribute being measured,
  • using the same informal unit consistently,
  • measuring without gaps or overlaps,
  • starting and ending the measurement in the correct places,
  • keeping the measuring tool straight, and
  • ensuring precision when comparing lengths or capacities.

Non-standard measurement is used in the early years (Foundation, Kindergarten, Reception, and Year 1) to help children develop these key measurement behaviours before learning to read scaled instruments.
The purpose is to focus on the process of measuring fairly, not the complexity of units or tools.

Teachers can address these difficulties by modelling fair measurement practices, emphasising consistent unit size, providing real-life contexts, and giving repeated opportunities for students to estimate, measure, and compare using hands-on materials.

Achievement Standards in the Measurement Strand

Achievement standards describe what students are typically able to understand and do and form the basis for reporting student achievement.
Each Mathematics achievement standard is organised into paragraphs that reflect the six strands. Students’ mastery of data concepts is judged against these descriptions.

In Mathematics, students progress along a curriculum continuum with an achievement standard at each level. The standard represents a satisfactory level of understanding—typically a C grade. Teachers report against these standards, noting that some concepts are introduced for extension and do not form part of formal grading.

Teaching measurement in primary classrooms begins with helping students understand that measurement connects mathematics to the real world.The A+ Teacher Club How to Teach Measurement Concepts Guides are organised by year level, supporting teachers to unpack the measurement curriculum and teach step by step — from comparing and estimating length, mass, and capacity in the early years to using standard units and formulas for area, volume, and time in later grades.

Each guide aligns with the Australian Curriculum v9, addresses common student misconceptions, and builds teacher confidence through clear, concept-based instruction that makes measuring, comparing, and reasoning about quantities meaningful for students.

Explore the complete How to Teach Measurement Concepts Guides by Year Level to make measurement teaching clear, connected, and engaging.